Matt Vargas has been appointed as the Director of Football Sports Performance for the South Dakota Coyotes, according to an announcement from head football coach Matt Vitzthum. Vargas becomes only the second person to hold this position in the program’s history.
Vargas joins South Dakota after leading the strength and conditioning department at Upper Iowa University for over two years. At Upper Iowa, he established and managed the strength program for all 16 varsity sports, working closely with coaching staffs to develop sport-specific training plans.
“We are thrilled to have Matt Vargas join our football staff as the new head strength and conditioning coach,” said Vitzthum. “The development of our student-athletes has allowed our program to compete for championships on a consistent basis as well as preparing them for the next level. Matt’s addition to our staff will help assist in these efforts. We couldn’t be more excited to have Matt join the Coyote family!”
Before his tenure at Upper Iowa, Vargas worked as a professional intern at the University of Arkansas between May 2021 and December 2022. In that role, he managed the internship program and supported daily operations within the Razorback strength and conditioning department.
“I am truly honored to join Coach Vitzthum and the University of South Dakota as the Director of Football Sports Performance. The tradition, commitment to excellence, and student-athlete-centered culture at USD make this an incredible opportunity,” said Vargas. “I look forward to collaborating with Coach Vitzthum and the entire athletic department to enhance performance, support holistic athlete development, and contribute to sustained success for the Coyotes both on and off the field.”
Vargas began his coaching career at Chadron State College—his alma mater—as a graduate assistant in strength and conditioning during 2019-20. He was promoted to assistant strength and conditioning coach there before moving on to other roles.
He holds both undergraduate and master’s degrees from Chadron State University in Nebraska. As a player, Vargas was a tight end on Chadron State’s football team for five years, earning recognition as a Second Team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference performer in 2018.
