James Perez joins the Wildcats after one season at San Jose State University in 2023. Perez came from Stanford where he was for four years with the last two seasons as Assistant Director of Football Sports Performance.
With Stanford, Perez was elevated to Assistant Director in 2021 after serving as the Associate Football Sports Performance for the Cardinal in 2019 and 2020.
Before coming to Stanford, Perez served as the top Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Fresno State working with the Bulldog Football program. During his time in Fresno, the Bulldogs won the 2018 Mountain West Championship, 2018 Las Vegas Bowl, and finished the season 12-2 overall.
Prior to Fresno State, he spent the 2017 season with the Stanford football program while also assisting with the Cardinal Wrestling and Men's Swimming and Diving teams.
Perez also spent four years at Sacred Heart Schools in Atherton, California, and served as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach until being promoted to Director of Athletic Performance in 2016.
In 2011, Perez served as a volunteer assistant at Cal.
A native of Petaluma Calif., Perez holds a master's degree in Exercise Science (Sports Psychology) from California University of Pennsylvania, and a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science from Willamette University, where he was a two-sport athlete playing Football and Baseball.
He is C.S.C.S, FMS, AED and CPR certified and moves to Tucson with his wife, Natalie, and their children Mila and Luca.
