ATHENS, Ga. — Dave Van Halanger, the University of Georgia football program's former strength and conditioning director, died suddenly over the weekend at 69, the school said Tuesday.
The school's athletics department said in a release that that Van Halanger passed away in Dallas. A cause of death was not provided.
The former program official, who came to UGA with Mark Richt in 2000, "had a tremendous positive influence on countless student-athletes during their collegiate careers and beyond," the school said.
"He was instrumental in setting up the Paul Oliver Network at UGA, which helped former players adjust to life after football. He worked with community mentors, ran the program’s character education program as well as assisted with football clinics and served as a liaison to NFL teams," the release said. "His work ethic and enthusiasm inspired his fellow coaches and staff."
Van Halanger held the UGA role for roughly a decade, before he took on an administrative role at the school through 2014. After that he began working with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes program in Dallas, according to the UGA release.
Before arriving at UGA, he was Bobby Bowden's strength coach at Florida State for nearly two decades.
Twice, in 1993 and 1999, he was named the national strength coach of the year.
According to the school, Van Halanger is survived by his wife Michelle and his adult children Danielle, Michael, Matthew, Julie and Katelyn.
