Ball State University Athletics
Meister, Engstrom and Surface Added to Ball State Football Staff
February 07, 2024 | Football
MUNCIE, Ind. – Hayden Meister has been named director of football operations, as announced Wednesday by Ball State football coach Mike Neu. His appointment leads three staff hires including Colin Engstrom as assistant director of strength and conditioning, and Madison Surface as assistant director of football operations.
Meister served in the same capacity at the University of South Dakota during the 2023 football season, and he spent the 2022 season as chief of staff at Texas A&M-Commerce where he executed all operational aspects of the Lions' program. He served as director of football operations and video coordinator at Wagner College in New York during the 2021 campaign.
Meister hails from Marion, Iowa, graduated from Marion High School and attended the University of Iowa. He earned his bachelor's degree in 2018 and his master's degree in 2020 – both in sport and recreation management. As an undergraduate, Meister served as a student manager for the Hawkeyes and was also a promotions manager within the marketing department. He was hired as a football operations assistant while working on his master's degree.
Engstrom most recently wore a title as professional football strength & conditioning intern while serving the Ohio State football program in 2023, one year after working as the director of strength and conditioning at Northern State, in Aberdeen, S.D., from August 2021 to August 2022. Prior to his time with the Wolves, Engstrom worked two years at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, one year at Sacred Heart and another at Yale.
In addition to his work with football at each of those institutions, Engstrom has worked with baseball, basketball, volleyball and lacrosse programs in his career, in addition to time with swimming, track and rowing programs. He opened his career over two years at Alabama where he was a graduate strength and conditioning coach with the Crimson Tide. He received his bachelor's degree at East Carolina in May 2014, and his master's degree from Alabama in 2016.
Surface, meanwhile, returns to the Cardinals after serving a year as a football operations and recruiting graduate assistant. She is a graduate of Ball State's highly regarded SportsLink media production program, and interned with the Cardinals during undergrad years as an operations and recruiting intern.
Meister served in the same capacity at the University of South Dakota during the 2023 football season, and he spent the 2022 season as chief of staff at Texas A&M-Commerce where he executed all operational aspects of the Lions' program. He served as director of football operations and video coordinator at Wagner College in New York during the 2021 campaign.
Meister hails from Marion, Iowa, graduated from Marion High School and attended the University of Iowa. He earned his bachelor's degree in 2018 and his master's degree in 2020 – both in sport and recreation management. As an undergraduate, Meister served as a student manager for the Hawkeyes and was also a promotions manager within the marketing department. He was hired as a football operations assistant while working on his master's degree.
Engstrom most recently wore a title as professional football strength & conditioning intern while serving the Ohio State football program in 2023, one year after working as the director of strength and conditioning at Northern State, in Aberdeen, S.D., from August 2021 to August 2022. Prior to his time with the Wolves, Engstrom worked two years at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, one year at Sacred Heart and another at Yale.
In addition to his work with football at each of those institutions, Engstrom has worked with baseball, basketball, volleyball and lacrosse programs in his career, in addition to time with swimming, track and rowing programs. He opened his career over two years at Alabama where he was a graduate strength and conditioning coach with the Crimson Tide. He received his bachelor's degree at East Carolina in May 2014, and his master's degree from Alabama in 2016.
Surface, meanwhile, returns to the Cardinals after serving a year as a football operations and recruiting graduate assistant. She is a graduate of Ball State's highly regarded SportsLink media production program, and interned with the Cardinals during undergrad years as an operations and recruiting intern.
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