Grace Martinez-Espina enters her third year as Brooklyn College’s Head of Strength and Conditioning.
A native of Freeport, NY, Grace Martinez-Espina is an alumna of Brooklyn College and joined the staff during the 2023-24 school year to inaugurate Brooklyn College’s newly established Strength and Conditioning Coach Program.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and Kinesiology in 2019. Grace is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA-CSCS) .
Understading the physical demands of collegiate athletics herself, Grace is a former student -athlete and played on the Brooklyn Women’s Basketball team from 2016-2019 under Coach Alex Lang. During this time, the Bulldogs won the 2018 CUNYAC Women’s Basketball Championship and made an NCAA Tournament appearance. .
After earning her bachelor’s degree, she went on to work in the Physical Therapy arena as a Rehabilitation Technician for Jag One Physical Therapy. She went on to earn her CPT through National Council of Strength and Fitness (NCSF-CPT) and soon after secured a position as a Personal Trainer for Harbor Fitness GO! in Marine Park.
In 2021, Grace went on to earn her first contract to play professional basketball in the Dominican Republic in La Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Femenino (LNBF). The following year, she earned another opportunity to play overseas, this time in Puerto Rico for Baloncesto Superior Nacional Femenino (BSNF).
During her time as the Strength and Conditioning coach, Grace has been responsible for training all of Brooklyn College’s varsity athletic teams. She has made it her mission to effectively create programs tailored to each sport as well as meeting the needs of each athlete. Grace’s philosophy and approach places emphasis on enhancing athletic performance while keeping the athletes durable throughout their respective seasons.
Grace is proud of being a part of her Alma Mater and ready to make each year a rewarding experience for the student-athletes she serves!
