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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville University is excited to debut the Jacksonville Weightlifting team, marking an exciting new chapter in JU Athletics and the continued growth of Olympic Weightlifting across Northeast Florida.
This program represents an opportunity for dedicated student-athletes to pursue excellence in one of the fastest-growing strength sports in the United States while proudly representing Jacksonville University in competition.
The team’s mission is to develop athletes who are not only strong in performance, but disciplined in mindset, resilient in adversity, and committed to the standards of teamwork, accountability, and long-term athletic development.
Jacksonville Weightlifting will be led by head coach Chad Cahoy. Cahoy is the founder of Jacksonville Strength and a retired Navy Veteran. Coach Cahoy is an experienced Olympic Weightlifting coach who has been in the sport of Olympic Weightlifting for over 13 years.
Coach Cahoy is an International Coach with USA Weightlifting. He has coached 3 of his personal athletes to compete with Team USA since 2023, resulting in 1 World Champion, 2 Pan-American Champions, and multiple Pan-American medals.
Cahoy has also coached numerous National Champions, National Medalists, and State Team and individual Champions and Medalists. He has guided lifters to success at local, state, national and international competitions through a performance-based training system focused on technical excellence, strength development, and competition readiness.
Under his leadership, Jacksonville University Weightlifting athletes train in a high-performance environment built to prepare them for success at the local, state, national, and international levels while representing JU with pride.
“We would like to extend our sincere congratulations to the athletes who have earned a place on the inaugural Jacksonville University Weightlifting team,” Cahoy said. “Making this team is a significant achievement and reflects your hard work, commitment, and willingness to embrace the challenges that come with high-performance training.”
As members of Jacksonville University Weightlifting, athletes will have the opportunity to compete at local, state, and national level Olympic Weightlifting meets sanctioned by USA Weightlifting.
The following athletes have been selected to represent Jacksonville University during the 2026 competitive season:
Men’s Team:
Landon Cunningham
Jackson Murphy
Dom Gee
Women’s Team:
Makayla Gilbert
Cassandra Garcia
Nevaeh Fears
Rebecca Louis
Mikaela Savoy
Finnley Heisinger
Katelyn Everson