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Sophomore Nathan Lindesmith enjoys internship with Husker Power

Seward, NE (10/06/2026) — Sophomore Nathan Lindesmith of Minnetrista, Minnesota, is majoring in public health and fitness at Concordia Nebraska and plays basketball for the Bulldogs.

"I chose to study at Concordia because of the close environment centered around God here on campus. It was very apparent from my first visit how much relationships matter here and how welcoming everyone was. Concordia also offered a variety of paths for me to choose from for my major and classes to help me further my academic career," he said. "What makes Concordia different from other universities is how centered God is here. From chapel being offered every Monday through Friday to Praise on Wednesday nights and Bible studies, there are so many ways to grow closer to God here, and from personal experience, they are all awesome!"

Lindesmith moved to Minnesota from Cincinnati, Ohio, after his sophomore year of high school, and he said the transition was difficult. He attended Mayer Lutheran High School in Minnesota and learned about Concordia Nebraska from his basketball coach, who is a university alumnus and has connections to university basketball coach Ben Limback '99.

"At the end of my junior year Coach Limback reached out to me. I attended a basketball camp in the summer, went on my visit that fall, and I fell in love with the school, basketball team and community, making it an easy choice to want to come here for college and continue my academic and athletic career," he said. "My favorite part of Concordia so far has definitely been growing in my relationship with God. Being a part of the basketball team, growing closer with my coaches, professors and friends has been a fantastic experience that I would not trade for anything."

This past summer, Lindesmith had the opportunity to serve in an internship with the Husker Power program, a collegiate strength and conditioning program created by the University of Nebraska.

"I was blessed to be a part of the Husker Power program and work and learn under Mike Chatman, the new director of men's basketball strength and conditioning for the Huskers and Brandon McGlynn, assistant strength and conditioning coach for men's basketball. I found my way to this internship through a couple of connections. I first learned about the Husker Power program from my professor, Nolan Harms, who told me about it after an assignment where he asked us what our dream job would be. For another assignment in the same class, he had us reach out to people in the field we want to go into, so I asked my teammate Dane Jacobson for the old strength coach's number, Kurt Joseph, who is now with the New Orleans Pelicans as their head strength and conditioning coach. I got in contact with Kurt and eventually got on a phone call with him, where we had a great conversation, and he mentioned the Husker Power program as well."

Joseph recommended Lindesmith for the basketball internship position. Lindesmith interviewed with Assistant Director of Olympic Strength & Conditioning Jon Pfeifer and was offered the position. The nine-week internship spanned most of the summer.

"My daily tasks involved cleaning up the weight room and setting up and tearing down lifts," explained Lindesmith. "Obviously, we led the team's training sessions, and I would help spot or get weights on the bar for the team.helping Mike and Brandon with whatever tasks they needed. We led the basketball team's warm-up for practice, so I would bring over cones, bands, body tempering pads and rollers. Part of my focus was to really elevate the energy level for the team. Mike and Brandon were the ones in charge, and while I was trying to learn from them, I wanted to control what I knew I could and bring a positive attitude and encouragement every single day."

Lindesmith said twice a week he enjoyed intern meetings where one of the strength coaches would talk to interns about certain topics like KPIs, program design or speed and agility.

"And at the end of these nine weeks, we would take this knowledge and the experience and create a portfolio to present. We were assigned a team and criteria around it, but overall, it was to create our own nine-week program for one of the teams, an annual plan with it, warm-ups and cool downs, conditioning, plyometrics, our coaching philosophies and our own resumes," he said. "The biggest takeaway from this was to help us so that one day when we go for an actual interview can present this to them and show them we have made our own programs before."

"This internship was a complete blessing. Mike and Brandon were so awesome to work under; I could not have asked for better people to learn from for my first experience in this type of setting," he added. "They were always willing to answer any questions I had about anything and help me to become a better coach. I built great relationships with them and know they are always there as resources if I ever need anything or have any questions."

Lindesmith dreams of serving as a head strength and conditioning coach for a high major Division 1 college or at the NBA level.

"I think Concordia will help me with my future career because it is setting me up not only as a better student, but as a person who has God centered first," he said. "Knowing everything in my life is a blessing from God Himself. Whatever His plan may be for my life, having comfort that it will all work out as it should according to Him."

He said his parents, Nate and Fran, and siblings, Jada, Mahya and Ben, are his biggest fans and his biggest support system.

"They are all so encouraging and supportive and genuinely the best family in the world," he said.

When he's not in class or on the court, you'll find Lindesmith spending time with his girlfriend, family and friends, playing basketball or lifting, spending time on the lake, watching movies, cooking or listening to music.

"All of this could not have been possible without God," he said. "This summer was a blessing that I will always be grateful for, and I could not have done any of it without God's help. From finding Concordia, choosing it as a school, to being offered the Husker Power position, none of this could've been done without the power and glory of God."

About Concordia University, Nebraska

Concordia University, Nebraska, founded in 1894, is a fully accredited, coeducational university of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod located in Seward, Nebraska, which currently serves more than 1,700 students. Concordia offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in an excellent academic and Christ-centered community that equips men and women for lives of learning, service and leadership in the church and world. For more information, visit cune.edu.

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