Ohio lieutenant governor and UA alumnus Jim Tressel visits with Sport Coaching and Athletics Leadership students

At The University of Akron (UA), students say YES to exceptional opportunities to learn from and be inspired by leading experts. Students in the UA Sport Coaching and Athletics Leadership program had a visit on Tuesday, Oct. 21, from one of the best in the nation when Ohio Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel, former Ohio State football coach and UA alumnus, joined the course for a candid conversation on leadership, culture and purpose in sport.

Tressel has strong ties to UA, having served during his career in higher education as the University's executive vice president for student success and earned a master's degree in education from UA. He was also a Zips assistant football coach early in his coaching career. Tressel became the head coach of The Ohio State football team in 2001 and led the Buckeyes to a national championship in 2002.

He met with UA students in the Organizational Behavior in Sport course, which is taught by instructor and former Zips softball coach Julie Jones.

The Organizational Behavior in Sport course is a special topic in the newly redesigned Sport Coaching and Athletics Leadership program housed in the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences and the College of Health and Human Sciences.
Students who take the course explore dynamics of organization behavior, including motivation, leadership, communication, structure, culture and change, gaining insight into how these elements influence individual and team performance.

"Students build a solid foundation for navigating and contributing to teams and sport organizations," said Missy Dreisbach, who is an assistant professor of instruction in the School of Exercise and Nutrition Science and program coordinator of Sport Coaching and Leadership Undergraduate & Sport Science: Coaching Graduate Programs. "Julie invites guest speakers to give real-world examples to help illustrate concepts and theories learned in class."

The program prepares students for careers in professional, collegiate, and high school sport coaching, recreational and community sports, and for graduate studies in sport science and coaching.

About Jim Tressel

Jim Tressel was nominated by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to serve as Ohio's lieutenant governor in February 2025 and was subsequently confirmed by the Ohio Senate and the Ohio House of Representatives. A longstanding champion of education and workforce development, Tressel intends to build upon Ohio's record of achievement in these key areas and others, throughout the remaining years of the DeWine administration.

A preeminent educator and football coach, Tressel's career pursuits most recently led him to serve as president of Youngstown State University (YSU) from 2014 until his retirement in 2023. During his tenure, YSU established a trajectory of success that included the increased quality of freshman classes, dramatically rising retention and graduation rates, and record fundraising efforts. Under his leadership, the university's Honors College grew from 300 to more than 1,200 students. The physical plant was also transformed with the addition of private housing options, as well as state-of-the-art academic research and workforce training facilities. Before serving as president of YSU, Tressel served as executive vice president for student success at The University of Akron. Throughout his academic tenure, Tressel has shared DeWine's commitment and passion for helping all Ohioans reach their God-given potential.

Tressel's focus on providing the tools young people need to succeed was also evident throughout his career as a college football coach. Having served as an assistant coach at The University of Akron, Miami University, Syracuse and Ohio State, Tressel was named YSU head football coach in 1986. In his 15-year tenure, including six years as executive director of intercollegiate athletics, YSU appeared in the playoffs 10 times and won four national championships. In January 2001, Tressel became the head football coach at The Ohio State University. In 10 seasons, he guided the Buckeyes to seven Big Ten championships and the 2002 National Championship.

Among his many honors, which reflect his commitment to excellence, Tressel has received the Chevrolet National Coach of the Year Award, the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, the American Football Coaches Association Nation Coach of the Year Award, the Paul "Bear" Bryant National Coach of the Year Award, and the Sporting News National Coach of the Year Award. He was inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015 and the YSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013. He was enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015. Tressel and his father, Lee Tressel, are the only father-son duo to have both been named to the College Football Hall of Fame.

A native of northeast Ohio, Tressel knows Ohio well and shares the state's values. Like DeWine, he is dedicated to helping Ohioans realize their full potential and achieve their interpretation of the American dream. Tressel graduated from Berea High School in suburban Cleveland, received a bachelor's degree in education from Baldwin-Wallace College, and a master's degree in education from The University of Akron. He currently serves on the Baldwin-Wallace University board of trustees. Tressel has published two books, "The Winner's Manual: For the Game of Life," and "Life Promises for Success: Promises from God on Achieving Your Best." He has given hundreds of presentations and lectures across the country and has been extensively committed to fundraising and philanthropy.

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