Completed Event: Football versus #17 Kansas State on August 23, 2025 , Win , 24, to, 21
Final
Football
24
#17 Kansas State
21
Iowa State University Athletics
Football
Hillmann, Aaron
Aaron Hillmann
- Title:
- Director of Player Development
- Email:
- aaronhil@iastate.edu
- Phone:
- 515-294-6721
Aaron Hillmann is in his ninth season on the football staff and his fourth as Director of Football Performance Operations. Â
Hillmann oversees the Cyclones sports performance units, including strength and conditioning and nutrition.
Hillmann has witnessed incredible improvement during his time in Ames. The Cyclones have qualified for bowl games in seven of the last eight seasons, regularly appeared in the national rankings and totaled seven of ISU’s eight above-.500 conference seasons in the history of the Big 12 Conference (1996-present) since 2017.
Iowa State recorded the best season in school history in 2024, posting an 11-3 record, the first double-digit victory season in 133 years of football at the school. The Cyclones reached the Big 12 Championship game for the second time and defeated No. 15 Miami to win the Pop-Tarts Bowl. ISU finished the season ranked No. 15, the second-best ranking to end a season in school history.
The 2020 season was historic in many ways. Iowa State finished the regular season in first place in the Big 12 standings, made the Big 12 Championship game and qualified for a New Year’s Six bowl for the first time in school history.
The Cyclones capped off the season with a 34-17 win over Oregon in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.
The Cyclones earned their highest ranking in school history during the season (#6) and postseason (#9).
Hillmann was the head strength and conditioning coach for the Illinois football program from 2012-15. He was hired in January 2012 as a member of Tim Beckman’s first coaching staff with the Illini.
Hillmann, who has more than 27 years of experience in collegiate athletics, was named a master strength and conditioning coach in 2013 by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA), the profession’s highest honor.
Prior to his time at Illinois, Hillmann worked with the Michigan football program after spending nine seasons as the head strength and conditioning coach at Bowling Green where he oversaw all 18 sports.
Hillmann also served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Notre Dame (1998-2001), Connecticut (1996-98), Cincinnati (1995-96) and Ball State (1992-95).
A native of St. Louis, Mo., Hillmann graduated from Missouri in 1991. He and his wife, Dina, have two sons, Jacob and Jonah, and a daughter, Skylar. Jacob was a member of the Cyclone football team.
Cyclone Express South Dakota at ISU 2025
Friday, September 05
Jontez Williams 9_2_25 interview
Tuesday, September 02
Gabe Burkle 9_2_25 interview
Tuesday, September 02
Rocco Becht 9_2_25 interview
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