Bio
Raimond Braithwaite is in his 20th year as a member of the strength and conditioning staff with the University of Iowa football program. He was named director in March, 2021, after being named interim director in June, 2020. Braithwaite was a member of the Iowa staff from 2002-04 and rejoined the Hawkeye program after serving as the head strength and conditioning coach at Delaware State (2005-07).
In 2023, the Hawkeyes won 10 games, including their final four, to capture the Big Ten West Division for the second time in three years. Iowa advanced to another January bowl game (Citrus Bowl) and finished the season ranked No. 24. The Hawkeyes have been ranked in the final AP Top 25 five of the last six seasons.
Iowa won eight contests in 2022, concluding the season with a 21-0 win over Kentucky in the Music City Bowl and wins in five of its final six games.
Iowa’s streak of 11 straight bowl invitations is the longest in school history and its streak of 11 straight winning seasons ranks seventh best among power conferences. The Hawkeyes have earned 25 conference victories between 2020-23, matching its highest four-year conference win total in program history (1982-85 and 2002-05).
The Hawkeyes won 10 games in 2021, winning the Big Ten West Division title and advancing to the conference championship game. Iowa concluded the season with an appearance in the Citrus Bowl and was ranked 23rd in the final national rankings.
Following back-to-back narrow losses to open the 2020 season, Iowa won its final six games, all in Big Ten play. The Hawkeyes were ranked 15th in the final CFP rankings and Coaches Poll and 16th by the AP.
Iowa won 47 games from 2015-19, the highest total in school history over any five-year period, and a total that ranked ninth nationally. Iowa won its final four games in 2019 and ranked 15th in the final Associated Press and coaches polls.
The Hawkeyes concluded the 2019 campaign with a 10-3 record following a 49-24 rout over No. 22 USC in the Holiday Bowl. The three losses were all to ranked opponents by a combined 14 points. Iowa was 4-1 in trophy games for the third straight season.
Iowa completed 2018 with nine wins and a final AP ranking of No. 25. The Hawkeyes earned a 27-22 Outback Bowl win over No. 18 Mississippi State to close the season with three straight wins. The four losses came by a total of 23 points and all were decided in the final minutes of play. Iowa tied for second in the Big Ten West Division.
The Hawkeyes posted a perfect 12-0 regular season record in 2015, winning the Big Ten West Division. Iowa participated in the 2016 Rose Bowl Game and the 2015 Big Ten Championship and ended the season in the top 10 in the final national rankings.
Iowa’s most recent bowl game invitations include the 2024 Citrus Bowl, 2022 Music City Bowl, 2022 Citrus Bowl, 2020 Music City Bowl, 2019 Holiday Bowl, 2019 Outback Bowl, 2017 Outback Bowl, 2017 Pinstripe Bowl, 2016 Rose Bowl Game, 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl and 2014 Outback Bowl.
Iowa has appeared in 13 January bowl games since 2001 and has recorded January bowl wins over Florida (2004 Outback), Louisiana State (2005 Capital One), South Carolina (2009 Outback), Georgia Tech (2010 Orange) and Mississippi State (2019 Outback).
Iowa has won 185 games over the past 22 seasons, including 115 Big Ten games. Along with the 2023, 2021 and 2015 division titles, the Hawkeyes earned a share of the Big Ten title in both 2002 and 2004 and tied for second in 2009. Iowa has finished in the Big Ten’s first division in 21 of the past 23 years.
At Delaware State, Braithwaite helped lead the Hornets to a 25-9 record in three seasons. In 2007, Delaware State finished 10-2, the best season in school history. The Hornets also won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with a perfect 8-0 record. Delaware State was ranked as high as eighth during the season and finished the season ranked 15th after a loss to Delaware in the first round of the playoffs. Delaware State was 7-4 in 2005 and 8-3 in 2006.
Braithwaite assisted in opening a new 10,000 square-foot weight facility at Delaware State, which is one of the largest in the region. Delaware State was coached by Al Lavan, who served on the Baltimore Ravens staff with Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz. Lavan finished as the runner-up for national Coach of the Year honors in 2007.
Braithwaite first joined the Iowa football program after serving as a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach at Florida State University during the 2002 spring. Braithwaite worked with the football and women’s golf teams at Florida State, where his responsibilities included lifting technique instruction, organization of football lifting groups, assisting in the administration of torso development and dynamic warm-up to football lifting groups and assisting in the maintenance of equipment in the weight room facility.
Braithwaite served as an intern at Florida State during the fall of 2001, assisting in the instruction of workout programs for various FSU athletic teams, including football, softball and men’s and women’s golf.
Braithwaite earned a bachelor’s degree in sports science from the University of West Florida in 1999 and earned his master’s degree in science in exercise physiology from Florida State University in 2001.
He is a certified member of the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa).
Braithwaite was born Nov. 11, 1977, in Queens, New York. He and his wife, Jenny, have four children, Conner, Cameron, Maxine, and Kingston.