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Doug Elisaia (pronounced ellee-sy-a) is in his seventh year as Utah's director of strength and conditioning and his eighth year overall. He came to Utah in 2005 as an assistant strength coach and became the director a year later.
Elisaia is a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association.
He came to the Utes from Kentucky, where from 2002-04 he was the strength and conditioning coach for the Wildcat baseball team and also assisted with football.
From 2000-01, he was employed by Wayne State as the defensive line coach and football team's strength and conditioning coach. He served in a similar capacity at McPherson College for the 1998-99 seasons.
Elisaia played defensive tackle at Iowa Wesleyan from 1991-95 and led the team in tackles as a senior while earning NAIA Academic All-America honors. The three-year team captain graduated in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and a minor in athletic training and coaching.
Born in Redwood City, Calif., Elisaia was raised in Pago Pago, American Samoa. As a senior at Leone High School, he was named the American Samoa High School Athletics Association's Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He was recognized by the government of American Samoa as the Outstanding Offensive Lineman at the Samoan Goodwill Games, held in Honolulu.
The 40-year-old Elisaia and his wife Leata have three daughters: Safua, Seleisa and Colleen, and one son, Samuelu.
