ALVA, Okla. – Northwestern Oklahoma State alum Felipe Eichenberger has officially been named Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association.

Eichenberger was a member of the Ranger men's basketball team from 2005-09 and graduated from Northwestern with a degree in Health and Sports Science. A four-year varsity member for the Black-and-Red, Eichenberger averaged 4.8 points per game and 2.6 rebounds per game during his senior season.

Eichenberger really fell in love with the strength and conditioning side of the game while at Northwestern and went on to do a summer internship in 2009 in Las Vegas, following his career at Northwestern.

"In that internship, there were four or five Nuggets players and I created a good relationship with Chauncey Billups and ended up moving to Denver after the internship was over and initially started working at a department store," Eichenberger said. "I was able to get the strength and conditioning coach, Steve Hess' number from Chauncey and I called him every day for three months asking if there was anything I could do to get in the organization and then there was one time where he said he didn't have anything, but he had a gym and he wanted me to come in for an interview."

Eichenberger's persistence paid off and he was eventually given a job at Forza Fitness and Performance Club.

During the NBA lockout period in 2011, Hess wasn't allowed to work with the players so he asked Felipe to help train them at Forza.

"I started training NeNe, J.R. Smith and a couple other guys and then when I talked to Steve again he asked me to come in for an interview to work for the Nuggets," Eichenberger said. "After the interview was over, he said come in tomorrow at 8 a.m. and that was when he offered me the job."

Hess had nothing but praise for Eichenberger when mentioning bringing him on board.

"The one thing I pride myself on is looking to hire people that are better than me," Hess said. "So when I brought him on, he brought attributes that I couldn't even attempt to have."

A native of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil, the former Ranger has spent the last six seasons within the Nuggets organization, where he has advanced up the chain of command throughout his time in Denver. Starting out as an assistant strength and conditioning coach, Eichenberger earned Associate Head Strength and Conditioning Coach status in April of 2016 and will now succeed legendary trainer Steve Hess at the head position and will be in charge of developing the team's weight training, conditioning, and nutritional programs.  

Not only are the Nuggets proud of Eichenberger, but so are many others, including Northwestern Oklahoma State Director of Athletics, Brad Franz.

"He was very successful as a Student-Athlete here at Northwestern and he is continuing that success now in the Denver Nuggets organization and I would like to say that his Ranger family is very proud of him and his accomplishments," Franz said.

Prior to joining the Nuggets staff, Eichenberger obtained a Master's degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from Arizona's A.T. Still University and spent three years as a performance trainer for Forza.

He loves everything about the Nuggets and his strength and conditioning career, but in Felipe's eyes there is still something even greater.

"The greatest things I have are my two kids," Eichenberger said. "My daughter just loves basketball and is always waiting for me to come down the hallway where she gives me high fives and hugs and after those moments, everything is worth it. There is nothing better than family and doing what I love."