General | 2/19/2026 10:41:00 AM

DENTON, Texas (Feb. 19, 2026) - The Texas Woman's Athletic Department has announced the hiring of Kathryn Whartenby as the Head Sports Performance Coach.

Whartenby brings more than 20 years of experience in collegiate and professional athletics, including leadership roles at the Division I level and extensive work with elite and professional athletes.

"I am excited to welcome Kathryn Whartenby as our Sports Performance Coach," said Executive Director of Athletics Sandee Mott. "Her expertise and passion for student-athlete development will play a key role in helping our athletes train smarter, perform better, and stay healthy. Her leadership and commitment will make a meaningful impact within our department and throughout our campus and community."

Most recently, Whartenby served as a Senior Strength & Conditioning Coach at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., one of the premier athletic training institutions in the world. During her tenure, she designed and implemented year-round performance programs for elite junior and professional tennis players and nationally ranked basketball athletes. She directed physical preparation for WTA Top-50 player Peyton Stearns and trained professional athletes including Qinwen Zheng, Sabine Lisicki, Madison Brengle, and Nicole Melichar-Martinez. In 2025, she served as Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the IMG Girls' Basketball program, culminating in a Chipotle Girls' National Championship.

"Texas Woman's University has an incredible culture, and I'm excited to work with student-athletes, coaches, and administrators who value performance, development, and athlete well-being," Whartenby said.

In addition to her work at IMG, Whartenby has held leadership roles at several Division I institutions. She previously served as Director of Sport Performance at the University of Denver, where she oversaw performance programming for 17 NCAA Division I teams and 320 student-athletes. During her tenure, the department captured 14 conference championships, produced 13 All-Americans, and contributed to a national championship. She managed operations of a $6 million facility, supervised staff, and collaborated with biomechanics researchers on ACL injury prevention in female athletes.

Whartenby also held positions at the University of Florida, Yale University, and the University of Denver, working with a wide range of Division I programs including women's soccer, basketball, gymnastics, lacrosse, and cross country. Her experience includes implementing sport science technologies, optimizing training loads, and developing evidence-based injury prevention strategies.

Whartenby earned her Master of Science in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology from the University of Florida and her Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education from Tusculum University, where she graduated summa cum laude and was a four-year member and three-year captain of the women's basketball team. She is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and holds CPR/First Aid/AED certification.

Whartenby will oversee sports performance programming for all nine Pioneer programs.

-PIONEERS-