MURFREESBORO, N.C. – Chowan University Athletics is excited to welcome Frankie Desiderio to the staff as the Hawks Strength and Conditioning Coordinator.

Desiderio joined the Hawks with a background in collegiate strength and conditioning, sports performance and individualized athlete development. A Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Desiderio brings experience developing strength, power and conditioning programs while working with athletes across multiple sports and competitive levels.

Prior to arriving at Chowan, Desiderio served as Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Elite Spine & Sports Physical Therapy in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. In the role, he developed individualized strength, power, conditioning and return-to-performance programs based on athlete needs, recovery status and performance goals. He also worked alongside rehabilitation professionals to help athletes transition from injury rehabilitation back into high-level training and competition.

Desiderio also served as Head Sports Performance Coach at C2 Performance in Saint Petersburg, Fla., where he worked with individual and group training sessions while developing personalized performance programs focused on strength, speed, mobility and overall athletic development. His responsibilities included managing daily training operations, athlete scheduling, session planning and facility readiness.

Desiderio gained collegiate strength and conditioning experience at King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., serving as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach from August 2023 through May 2025. During his time with the Monarchs, he worked with NCAA student-athletes across multiple sports, leading strength, speed and conditioning sessions while assisting with performance testing and monitoring athlete progress. He also collaborated with sport coaches and performance staff to align training strategies with the physical demands of each program.

His experience in sports performance began at Fame Strength in Forty Fort, Pa., where he assisted with performance testing, data collection and the implementation of strength and conditioning programs for athletes from a variety of sports and competitive levels.

Desiderio earned his bachelor's degree in exercise science from King's College, with concentrations in exercise physiology, biomechanics, strength and conditioning, and nutrition. He is currently pursuing a master's degree in performance and sports science at King's, concentrating in athlete monitoring, performance analytics, workload management and applied sport science.

In addition to his CSCS certification through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, Desiderio holds several professional credentials, including USA Weightlifting Level 1, NASM Corrective Exercise Specialization and Precision Nutrition Level 1. He also holds certifications in Functional Range Assessment, Functional Range Conditioning, Functional Movement Systems and Kinstretch.

With the Hawks, Desiderio's background in athlete monitoring, movement assessment, performance testing and individualized program design will support Chowan's athletic teams in the weight room in their strength training, conditioning, injury prevention, injury recovery, and overall athletic development.