When Niko Palazeti arrived at the University of Cincinnati in 2023, the Bearcats were transitioning into the Big 12, undergoing facility overhauls, and adjusting to college football’s ever-evolving landscape. As the Director of Football Sports Performance, Palazeti’s task was clear: implement a performance program that would not only provide results, but define the culture.
“In January of this year, we had to identify our identity as a program,” says Coach Palazeti. “We asked two really hard questions. Number one was: we had to evaluate ourselves and understand why we fell short of our team goals in 2024. We have to have faith that we will be champions, no matter the difficulties. So number one is, evaluating yourself and understanding where you fall short. The second thing is, you have to ask yourself, ‘What can we do better than anybody else in America as a program?'”
Palazeti’s coaching journey to Cincinnati involved stints under legendary coaches such as Ken Mannie at Michigan State and Mickey Marotti at Ohio State. Their mentorship shaped his approach. At Cincinnati, he brings a philosophy centered around three things: hard work, connection, and discipline.
“I think we work at a really high level,” Coach Palazeti says. “Our players take a ton of pride in the work they put forth and the standard they hold themselves to. If we’re going to have the audacity to say we are the most connected team in the country, then we have to put our players in circumstances to build those bonds. We have to include our coaches in that. We have to create environments that are very hard. Because the only way you build that trust and that connection in such a short amount of time is through adversity. Are we the most disciplined team in the country? Not yet, but we work towards it every day.”
Building a system for sustained excellence
Coach Palazeti’s first priority is establishing objective goals for each athlete. Everyone receives a Player Performance Card, a personalized report that compares their metrics against NFL standards and program benchmarks. Goals are co-created by coaches and athletes, combining hard data with personal evaluation. They move through three phases: an introductory phase called “BUDS” (Bearcats Under Development), “Juggernaut June” — the most intense phase, and “Performance Preparation” to get ready for fall camp demands.
“Each phase we provide an updated performance card,” says Coach Palazeti. “They’re tracking their goals and they’re getting feedback. Ultimately, it gives them extra motivation and focus on where they’re at and how they’re trending towards their goals.”
Inspired by small unit cohesion models from the military, Coach Palazeti places athletes in “crews” to foster deeper accountability and teamwork. The crews are assigned a point system based on weight room output, athletic training, nutrition, academics, sports psychology, sports science and more. The student-led units are compared and ranked based on their weekly performance, further driving their competitive spirits.
“We’re all believing in the same thing,” Coach Palazeti says. “We’re all pushing the same message. We’re all working at the same standard. When you try to do that and utilize training amongst that, you build the culture of that team.”
Maximizing impact in a transfer-era college football world
Roster turnover, fueled by the transfer portal, has changed the landscape of college sports. Instead of having multiple years for development, coaches must establish buy-in with athletes almost overnight. Coach Palazeti embraces that challenge.
“I think the beauty of it is an 18 to 23 year old needs what 18 to 23 year olds always needed,” Coach Palazeti says. “They’re going to need tough love. They’re going to need someone who puts their arm around them and kicks them in the pants when they need it. You build those relationships in a more condensed amount of time, but the magic of 18 to 23 year olds has always been the same, no matter how they’re viewed or how much money they’re getting. They’re still 18 to 23, and they’re looking for a connective team to be a part of. And that’s why I love college football.”
The Sheakley Performance Center: training philosophy translated to architecture
Cultural adversity is key for Coach Palazeti in building strong bonds. Even with a new state-of-the-art facility, he plans to connect athletes through shared hardship.
“It was going to be 3 years without any indoor practice facility,” says Coach Palazeti. “It built a lot of character. We would run outside multiple times in sub 20 degrees, in snow or ice or sleet or rain. It didn’t really matter and it built a lot of culture and a lot of character, something that I take a ton of pride in. While we did get the facility, we had to be really creative and lean into that to build our identity as a program.”
The new Sheakley Performance Center was designed to match Coach Palazeti’s training vision. The layout flows seamlessly from locker rooms to hydrotherapy and recovery stations, to a weight room that connects to an indoor field through open garage doors. Every detail supports how his team trains. The weight room further supports Coach Palazeti’s vision for maximizing athlete performance.
“It’s a very symmetrical room,” says Coach Palazeti. “If I want to train at the racks, we have power blocks, we have dumbbells on both sides, we have pull downs, we have rows, we have everything you need to be self-sustaining at the rack. But it’s also dynamic enough where we can break off into different stations if we want to do that.”
“The number one thing in any facility is flooring and coaches usually have horror stories because it can hold up your entire install,” says Coach Palazeti. “I’ve been around two flooring installs and I’ve never seen a smooth install, ironically, until our install. For me, it was all about the people. I wanted to be with a company that I knew cared about the facility as much as I care about the facility.” Coach Palazeti chose MONDO Valor S flooring because of the people who stand behind the product.
Niko Palazeti’s approach to strength and conditioning at Cincinnati shows how culture can be built through intentional structure, attainable goals, and deliberate effort. In a landscape shaped by turnover and transition, he’s carved out stability by investing in identity. Through strong connections and thoughtful culture, Coach Palazeti is positioning the Bearcats to overcome even the fiercest competition.
Coach Palazeti and his team are hosting a MONDO Strength and Conditioning Clinic on July 19, 2025 at their new facility. The event will showcase not just the space, but speakers from across the country. Presenters include, Jay Andress (Cornell), Brady Collins (Wisconsin), Boyd Epley (Nebraska), Andrea Hudy (Connecticut), Mickey Marotti (The Ohio State), and Ethan Reeve (Mondo).
Register here: https://go.mondoworldwide.com/UniversityofCincinnati2025
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Mondo offers extra strong and durable sports surfaces with customizable design for weightlifting areas.
