Michael Harris was named the Assistant Director of Athletics for Sports Performance in July of 2019. In his role, he oversees all aspects of strength and condition for Fairfield’s 20 varsity athletics programs. Harris also specifically works with the men’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, volleyball, men’s and women’s swimming & diving, and cheer & dance teams.

Harris most recently served six years at Yale, rising to the position of as Director of Strength and Conditioning in 2016. He worked directly with 10 of the Bulldogs’ varsity programs – including men’s and women’s basketball – while overseeing the weight room and helping to develop strength, conditioning and nutrition programs and for student-athletes from all 35 Yale teams.

Previously, Harris worked in St. Louis Cardinals organization with both the Batavia Muckdogs (Short Season Class A) and the GCL Cardinals (Rookie League). He also spent time in the National Football League ranks with the New York Giants, Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills. His tenure in Chicago included the Bears’ 2010 NFC North Championship and appearance in the NFC Championship Game.

Harris is a 2009 graduate of Springfield College with a B.S. in Applied Exercise Science, and he earned an M.S. in Exercise Science and Sports Studies from Springfield in 2013. Harris played on the offensive and defensive lines for the Pride football team as an undergraduate and was a thrower on the track and field team. He served as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach as a graduate student at Springfield.

Harris is a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association, Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association and USA Weightlifting. He holds CSCS, RSCC, FMS level-1, USAW level-1 and Precision Nutrition level-2 certifications and is also CPR and AED certified.

He resides in Newtown with his wife, Nicole, and his son, Michael.