Jacob Wirth enters his third year at Black Hills State University in the fall of 2026, and his first year as the associate director of athletic performance. He was promoted to the role of associate director of athletic performance in February of 2026, which will see him lead the strength programs for the Yellow Jacket football, volleyball, softball, and golf programs. He previously assisted with football, volleyball, and softball, and oversaw golf performance as the assistant strength and conditional coach, a role which he had held since June of 2024 when he first arrived in Spearfish.
Prior to Black Hills State, Wirth spent one year (2023-24) as the assistant strength and condition coach at Fairmont State University in Fairmont, West Virginia. For the Falcons he oversaw volleyball and tennis performance, two of the top programs in the region as both the FSU men’s and women’s tennis teams advanced to the NCAA Atlantic Regional, and the volleyball team completed their fifth consecutive winning season. He also assisted with football, baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, wrestling, soccer, golf, and swimming performance.
During his lone year in West Virginia, he also led the readiness and resiliency training of firefighters at the Morgantown Fire Department as the tactical strength and conditioning coach. With the training, he provided education and awareness of the benefits and risks of lifestyle behaviors, daily duties, and responsibilities.
Wirth entered the strength and conditioning field as an intern at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, assisting with Olympic sports programs such as baseball, track & field, soccer, women’s basketball, and golf from August to October of 2022. That season the Hawkeye women’s basketball team would go on to win 31 games and reach the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship Game for the first time in school history, led by national player of the year Caitlin Clark. Additionally, the Iowa baseball program would go on to tie the school record of 44 wins later that spring.
Other additional internships Wirth completed include ones with Illinois State University (Normal, Ill.), Bradley University (Peoria, Ill.), and Pro Elite Strength and Conditioning (Morgantown, W.V.).
A native of Buda, Illinois, Wirth received a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise physiology from West Virginia University in August of 2022, and a Master of Science degree in exercise physiology from West Virginia University in May of 2024. He also holds certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCS) and a Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator (TSAC-F). He currently resides in Spearfish.
