Westmont College Athletics

Westmont Athletic Director Robert Ruiz has named Erik Hansen as the new sports performance coach for Westmont Athletics. He will also serve as the assistant women's swimming coach and will teach kinesiology and physical activity courses.
 
"I could not be more excited about the addition of this position to our department and the impact that it will have on all of our student-athletes," said Ruiz. "As we look to the future of Westmont Athletics, it is critical that we continue to invest in the health and well-being of our students. Bringing on a sports performance coach allows us to make important strides in the areas of injury prevention and strength development."
 
"I feel honored and privileged to be here at Westmont," said Hansen. "In institutions, there are a lot of people before us and there will be a lot of people after us. We have this window of opportunity to be good stewards with the legacy of this place. I want to help us take that opportunity in a direction that will honor people and honor God."
 
Hansen was a student-athlete at UC Santa Barbara where he was a member of the men's swim program and earned his bachelor's degree in geography with a minor in exercise science. He received his master's degree in physical education from Azusa Pacific in 2012.
 
As a student-athlete who endured significant pain during his collegiate career, Hansen wants to build on that experience to foster care of student-athletes.
 
"I want to serve as a bridge between departments – athletic training, coaches of each sport and the kinesiology department - to facilitate our very best that we have to offer," expressed Hansen. "I want to come alongside what is happening in each program and make sure that our athletes are getting everything that they need."
 
For the last 10 years, Hansen has worked at Cate School in Carpinteria where he developed the school's strength and conditioning program and served as the swim coach. Prior to that, he was the performance coach for the Buenaventura Swim Club and was an assistant swim coach at Ventura College.
 
"Erik brings a wealth of knowledge, ingenuity, and a peaceful presence that our team will greatly benefit from," said Westmont head coach Jill Lin. "He values high quality work in the pool and the weight room to help athletes prevent injuries and train at the highest level. His background in swimming and strength and conditioning will be an incredible asset to our team. I'm excited to collaborate with Erik and see the progress in our program with him on board."
 
"I am extremely excited to work with Jill," said Hansen. "She comes from a club program that is one of my favorites. Some of her coaches were some of my former teammates. I am excited to be able to enter and contribute to a team culture where I can be explicit with my faith – to be able to clearly and accurately express how faith applies to the things we will be talking about."
 
"His goal is to be part of a community that integrates spiritual and athletic development at the collegiate level," said Lin. "God opened all the doors that were needed to bring Erik on staff and I am thrilled to have someone with so much experience and so much passion joining our swimming program."
 
"Westmont feels like a coming together of so many pieces of my life," said Hansen. "I have always had a heart for college athletics and athletic departments. There is also the injury prevention piece and also the faith piece. It was through a dramatic experience in athletics that I came to Christ when I was 15, and I have been wrestling for a number of years with what it means to be a follower of Christ as an athlete. Everyone who knows me says this is the perfect place for me."
 
"I am confident that Erik will have an immediate impact on our campus with our teams and athletes," said Ruiz. "He is the perfect fit for this position and he is prepared to execute our vision for Westmont Athletics from a sports performance standpoint. I look forward to watching our programs continue to grow under the guidance and leadership of Erik Hansen."