Mike Nilson is a licensed sports nutritionist, certified strength & conditioning specialist, and leadership coach for Gonzaga Women’s Basketball. He’s been the Director of Performance & Nutrition for the Gonzaga Athletic Department since 2004.
Before joining the athletic department, Mike played basketball for Gonzaga’s Elite 8 and Sweet 16 teams, earning WCC Defensive Player of the Year and All-Academic Team honors. He finished his basketball career by playing professionally in Germany for two seasons.
Mike holds multiple sports nutrition certifications, including a level 1 license through the National Association of Sports Nutrition and a Level 2 coaching certification through Precision Nutrition. He works with his athletes daily in the weight room, helping them improve the way they fuel their bodies on & off the court.
In addition to being a CSCS strength coach through the National Strength & Conditioning Association, Mike is a Fellow of Applied Functional Science through the Gray Institute. After completing the 40-week mentorship program, Mike became a facilitator for GIFT, working with physical therapists, strength coaches, athletic trainers, and other movement professionals from around the world.
While Mike loves coaching sports nutrition and basketball strength & conditioning, his most impactful work has been developing and implementing an 18-week leadership program with the Gonzaga Women’s Basketball staff. He holds a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership with a certificate in Servant Leadership and has given leadership talks all over the West Coast and Canada.
Mike is a founding partner at U-District Physical Therapy, which specializes in functional physical therapy, mental health counseling and sports psychology. In 2007, he helped found the U-District Foundation, which is a non-profit that helps promote health & wellness in our youth. The U-District Foundation hosts Fitness & Fun Camps, Fun Funs, Family Challenges, and Mentorship Programs that are free to all kids in the Spokane community.
In 2019, Mike launched HoopCommitment.com to share his passion for basketball nutrition, training, and leadership. The Hoop Commitment Podcast is a free resource for coaches, parents, and basketball players to help them improve the way they eat, train and lead.
