Sports engineering is the application of engineering principles to solve problems in sports. Example applications include designing sports equipment, building sports facilities, analyzing athlete performance, developing performance and safety standards, and developing coaching and training tools. Sports engineering is generally concerned with external factors; i.e., how athletes interact with equipment or their environment.

Examples of sports engineering research activities at WSU include measuring and simulating equipment performance, aerodynamics, friction, and protective equipment. Applications cover summer and winter sports and include baseball, softball, soccer, football, hockey, and skiing.

Topics in Sports Engineering

• Experimental bat and ball performance
• Numeric modeling of sport ball impacts
• Protective equipment and head injury

Faculty in Sports Engineering