Nate Pototschnik

Nate Pototschnik joined the Lobo Football program in December of 2023, and he serves as the Director of Athletic Performance for UNM. He comes to New Mexico after an eight-year stint at Virginia where he served as strength and conditioning coach, working for six seasons with Bronco Mendenhall.

Along with his time at Virginia, Pototschik served in the U.S. Army for over 10 years, finishing up his Army career as an Aviation Officer stationed at Pearl Harbor. Pototschnik’s nickname is “Blackjack”, which comes from the callsign of the unit he commanded in Hawaii.

The 2024 season will be his seventh working with Mendenhall.

PREVIOUS COACHING STOPS

VIRGINIA (2016-2023):  Pototschnik spent eight years at the University of Virginia, working with the football team where he implemented various programs geared at maximizing athletic potential and preparing men for football.

With Virginia, he not only worked to enhance the physical capabilities of Cav football players but he developed position specific performance systems, oversaw leadership development programs, managed tech integration into the training space and executed the return to play program for injured athletes.

Using his time in the Army as a base, Pototschnik served as a teacher, coach and mentor to Virginia student-athletes while focusing on a holistic approach that not only developed student-athletes physically, but also developed character and fortitude.

UNITED STATES ARMY (2006-2016):  While not a collegiate coaching position, Pototschnik spent over 10 years as an officer in the United States Army, serving at Fort Rucker, Alabama, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Wheeler Army Air Field in Hawaii, and Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii. He also spent time serving in Afghanistan at Bagram and Kandahar.

His 10-plus years with the Army saw him rise from flight school student to aviation officer, and along the way he spent time as a platoon leader, assistant operations officer and a company commander.

Over his 10 years he led units of varying sizes from platoon to company with the primary mission set of delivering aviation asset capabilities in support of the ground force commander.

PLAYING CAREER: UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY at WEST POINT (2002-06):  Pototschnik played rugby while attending West Point. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics in 2006 from West Point and his master’s of education in kinesiology and exercise science from Virginia in 2018.

He holds a variety of certifications and licenses including RSCC and CSCS from the NSCA, Level 1 certification from USA Weightlifting, and several certifications from Functional Movement Systems. He also has been licensed since 2008 as a commercial helicopter pilot, and as a UH-60 Blackhawk pilot.