DENTON -- For the first time in program history, the North Texas women's basketball program will have a full-time strength and conditioning coach whose primary responsibilities will be with the team.

Rick Lefebvre returns to the Mean Green after spending nearly five years as the men's basketball strength coach at Louisiana State University. Lefebvre was the North Texas men's and women's basketball strength coach from 2006-11.

"When the opportunity to come back came about I was very excited and wanted to do everything I could to be back part of the Mean Green family," Lefebvre said. "When I was here previously this place felt like home."

North Texas head women's basketball coach Jalie Mitchell overlapped in Denton with Lefebvre in 2008 and briefly in 2011 while Mitchell was an assistant under Karen Aston. Lefebvre was excited to return to Denton and to be back with Mitchell.

"I know and share Coach Mitchell's high expectations and high standards," Lefebvre said. "To be working with someone like her and to be part of the program she has here was something I really wanted."

Lefebvre also spent time as the head strength and conditioning coach at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay and as a strength coach for the Major League Soccer team FC Dallas. He's worked closely with NBA, NFL and Olympic athletes such as Ben Simmons, Lolo Jones and Craig Robertson. 

Prior to his first stint with the Mean Green, Lefebvre was an assistant at UTEP and an intern at Marquette.

Along with being the head women's basketball strength and conditioning coach, Lefebvre will work with the tennis and golf programs.