PROVO, Utah – BYU men’s basketball head coach Mark Pope announced Friday that Michael Davie has been named the men’s basketball Director of Strength and Conditioning & Sports Science.
Davie comes to Provo after spending the past eight years as the senior strength and conditioning coach with the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks. He was instrumental in helping the Bucks win their first championship in 50 years in 2021 where he worked with former Cougar Elijah Bryant.
“We are excited to welcome Michael Davie and his family to BYU,” Pope said. “He is considered one of the best strength and conditioning coaches in the business, and we are lucky to have him in Provo. His credentials speak for themselves, having helped the Milwaukee Bucks win a NBA title and help develop two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. His experience coaching the world’s best athletes all over the world and serving as a bishop for his local congregation in Australia fits in exactly with the culture of BYU.”
During his time with the Bucks, he helped Giannis Antetokounmpo become only the third player in NBA history to be named the Most Valuable Player twice before turning 26. He also worked with three-time All-Star Khris Middleton. Davie was instrumental in the successful rehabilitation of ex-Utah Jazz star Joe Ingles who suffered a torn ACL during the 2021-2022 NBA season.
“I am extremely excited about the opportunity to work with Coach Pope and the BYU men’s basketball program as they transition into the Big 12 Conference,” Davie said. “The challenge to be competitive in the Big 12 is immense, and this opportunity is one aspect that attracted me to this position. I endeavor to drive the program forward by sharing my knowledge and experiences that I have gained working for the Milwaukee Bucks, who are world class and have a winning culture.”
Prior to spending time with Great Britain’s women’s basketball team during EuroBasket 2015, Davie was a strength and conditioning coach at the Queensland Academy of Sport, one of Australia’s Olympic high performance centers, for eight years. During his time at the QAS, he worked with a variety of elite sports teams in rowing, sailing, swimming, diving, cricket, triathlon, soccer, hockey, baseball, basketball, netball and rugby.
Davie was instrumental in helping the women's professional soccer team Brisbane Roar FC to four consecutive national championship games from 2008-2011, ultimately winning the National Championship in the 2008 and 2010. Davie also served as the strength and conditioning coach for the Australian Swimming Team from 2011-13, helping The Dolphins win a total of 10 medals at the 2012 London Olympics.
He graduated with a bachelor of applied science degree in human movement studies from Queensland University of Technology in 2005. He earned his master’s of exercise science in strength and conditioning from Edith Cowan University in 2011. Davie has been a certified strength and conditioning coach with the National Strength and Conditioning Association since 2005.
The Maori native from New Zealand immigrated to Australia at age 11 where he discovered his passion for sport. Davie married his college sweetheart, Diana, in the Sydney Australia Temple 25 years ago and they have five children who are all attending BYU-Idaho.