Eddie Padilla started his tenure as a strength and conditioning coach on The Mesa back in 2008 as a strength and conditioning intern, and has worked his way up to assistant director of strength and conditioning since.
Padilla serves as the strength and conditioning coach for the Aztec men's and women's soccer teams, as well as the SDSU men's golf program. He has also worked with the lacrosse team in his SDSU tenure.
His teams have been extremely successful on the field and on the course. Padilla has overseen programs that have gone on to win numerous titles or earned postseason appearances. He was in charge of all strength and conditioning efforts for the SDSU women's soccer team that dominated the Mountain West from 2012 through 2016. During that time span the women's soccer program earned a Sweet 16 appearance in 2012, won the MW regular season title in 20212, 2013, 2014 and 2015, while also winning the MW tournament in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016. On the men's side, Padilla was in charge of the fitness of the 2016 men's soccer team that reached the NCAA tournament. Additionally, Padilla has overseen the fitness program of the Aztec men's golf team that has won back-to-back MW titles in both 2022 and 2023. As for lacrosse, Padilla was in charge of the strength and conditioning efforts for two championship winning teams. SDSU won back-to-back Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournaments in 2018 and 2019.
Padilla received his undergraduate degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in fitness, nutrition and health from San Diego State in 2010 and continued his education on Montezuma Mesa over the next two years, earning a master's degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in biomechanics in 2012.
Padilla began his coaching career in 2008, serving as an intern with the Aztec strength and conditioning coaches before spending one season as a graduate assistant with the department in 2011-12. After completing his master's degree, Padilla became a full-time staffer at SDSU as an assistant strength and conditioning coach before his promotion to assistant director of strength and conditioning in the summer of 2015.
A 2005 graduate of Mira Mesa High School in San Diego, Padilla is a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).
Padilla is married to the former Brandi Jones, who is an assistant coach with the SDSU women's lacrosse team. The couple resides in San Diego with their two sons.