MarkHill

Mark Hill is in his ninth season as Kentucky’s director of performance and head strength and conditioning coach, helping Coach Corey Edmond oversee all facets of the strength and conditioning program.

Hill has an impressive track record of developing and training players who have gone on to sign contracts in the National Football League.

With Maxwell Hairston and Deone Walker both being drafted in the 2025 NFL Draft, UK has had at least two players drafted in seven straight drafts, the first time that has happened since the 1984-91 drafts.  In 2020, Kentucky had six NFL Draft picks which tied for the fourth-most in school history and the most since 1979 (eight). The six picks were also the most for Kentucky since the current seven-round draft era began in 1994. In 2021, UK once again had six picks, including inside linebacker Jamin Davis who was selected in the first round by the Washington Commanders. In 2025, Hairston became the first defensive back selected in the NFL first round in school history.

Current NFL athletes who trained under Edmond at Kentucky include Brenden Bates (Browns), Quinton Bohanna (Seahawks), Zion Childress (Cowboys), Eli Cox (Texans), Marques Cox (Broncos), Jamin Davis (Jets), Ray Davis (Bills), Brandin Echols (Steelers), Mike Edwards (Chiefs), Luke Fortner (Jaguars), Maxwell Hairston (Bills), Josh Hines-Allen (Jaguars), Lonnie Johnson Jr. (Raiders), Jamon Dumas-Johnson (Packers), Darian Kinnard (Eagles), Devin Leary (Ravens), Will Levis (Titans), Tashawn Manning (Bengals), Josh Paschal (Lions), Dru Phillips (Giants), Wan’Dale Robinson (Giants), Chris Rodriguez Jr. (Commanders), Tre’vonn Rybka (Dolphins), Keidron Smith (Broncos), Carrington Valentine (Packers), Deone Walker (Bills), Trevin Wallace (Panthers) and Landon Young (Saints).

With Hill’s help, the Wildcats had a school-record eight-year bowl run from 2016-23, defeating Penn State in the 2019 VRBO Citrus Bowl (’18 season), Virginia Tech in the 2019 Belk Bowl,  NC State in the 2020 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl and Iowa in the 2022 Citrus Bowl (’21 season).

Prior to being hired at Kentucky, Hill spent five seasons (2011-15) as the head strength and conditioning coach at Indiana. With the Hoosiers, Hill mentored three first-team All-Americans – offensive linemen Dan Feeney and Jason Spriggs in 2015, and Tevin Coleman in 2014, who rushed for over 2,000 yards in a season. The three All-Americans were the most for Indiana over a two-year period since 1968-69 (3). Overall, 38 Hoosiers earned All-Big Ten honors.

He also spent four years (2007-10) as the head strength and conditioning director at Minnesota where 19 of his student-athletes earned All-Big Ten recognition. He was a part of two bowl games, as the Gophers advanced to the Insight Bowl in both the 2008 and 2009 seasons.

From 2004-06, Hill was the associate director of performance enhancement at Arizona where he coached three Freshman All-Americans and nine NFL Draft selections.

He started his career as an assistant strength and conditioning director under Edmond at Oklahoma from 2000-03 where he coached 13 All-Americans, 28 NFL draft picks (including six first-round choices), and recipients of the Butkus, Heisman, Lombardi, Nagurski, O’Brien and Thorpe awards. He helped the Sooners win a national championship in 2000 and finish as the national runners-up in 2003.

A three-year starting wide receiver for Chattanooga, Hill recorded 100 catches for 1,329 yards in his career. In 1998, he led the Mocs and finished second in the league in receiving, earning first-team All-Southern Conference honors. That season, he totaled 53 receptions for 683 yards and two scores, and returned 12 kickoffs for 279 yards.

Hill graduated from Chattanooga with a degree in sport administration in 1999.

A native of Lanett, Ala., Hill and his wife, Alesha, have a son, Markieus, and a daughter, Makiyah.