Brijesh Patel began his first year with Quinnipiac University in August 2008 as the athletic department's Head Strength and Conditioning Coach. Patel previously held the title of Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass.

Patel primarily works with the men’s and women’s basketball and ice hockey teams at Quinnipiac, but also oversees the strength and conditioning development for all 21 varsity sports at Quinnipiac.

Since joining the Bobcats staff, Patel has enhanced the strength and conditioning program at Quinnipiac University behind his philosophy of “year-round preparation.” Patel spearheads a department where each student-athlete is given his or her own individualized program that is designed to improve movement skills, core strength, power, speed, strength, balance and flexibility. The strength and conditioning staff makes sure that all areas of performance enhancement are covered and that the training is balanced among all components. Furthermore, Patel released a QU Student-Athlete Cookbook to assist student-athletes with their diet in-and-out of season.

Adding to an impressive résumé, Patel served as a guest speaker for the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s (NSCA) Connecticut State Clinic this past year. The program focuses on improving athletic performance and fitness through new research, injury prevention, program design and implementation. Drawing upon its vast network of members, the NSCA develops and presents the most advanced information regarding strength training and conditioning practices, injury prevention, and research findings.

Prior to Quinnipiac, Patel worked extensively with the Holy Cross men's basketball, baseball, softball, men's and women's lacrosse, field hockey, men's soccer, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's track and field, and cheerleading programs, while assisting among other sports as well. Patel's responsibilities ranged from weight room management to serving as sports medicine liaison before implementing strength and conditioning programs for the Crusaders. Patel was also an intern with Holy Cross during the summer of 2002.

In addition to his strength and conditioning programming, Patel also provided nutrition and food supplement education to all student-athletes. Patel also prepared several presentations for the Crusaders' athletes while also helping to develop the strength and conditioning website section of the Holy Cross athletics website.

Prior to Holy Cross Patel served as a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Connecticut. While at UConn Patel worked with the women's ice hockey, baseball, men's and women's swimming and diving, and women's cross country teams. Patel also assisted with the men's basketball and football programs. In addition to his strength and conditioning responsibilities, Patel also taught a course entitled, "Fundamentals and Principles of Free Weight Training," for which he assisting in writing a course manual.

Patel also authored an article, "Time is Precious," that was published in the January 2003 edition of Pure Power Magazine. He has also been featured as a guest speaker at several prestigious regional industry functions including the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Pennsylvania State Strength and Conditioning Clinic at Juniata College, "Be The Best" Baseball Clinic in Cherry Hill, N.J., Mike Boyle's Functional Strength Coach Seminar and the Be Athletic Performance Symposium. In addition, Patel was a speaker at the first and second Mike Boyle Winter Seminars and has also spoken at Springfield (Mass.) College.

Patel holds certifications from the NSCA, USA Weightlifting, and the Red Cross and is also SPIN certified. Patel is also the founder and partner of SB Coaches College.

Patel graduated with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology in 2002 and a master's degree in sport management in 2004 from the University of Connecticut.

Currently, Patel, his wife, Anna, their son, Talin, and their daughter, Maya, live in Hamden, Conn.