FARMVILLE, Va. – In a year unlike any other, it took an effort unlike any other from the Longwood Sports Medicine staff along with all other athletic training staffs in the Big South for student-athletes to play and play safely.
Following the conclusion of the 2020-21 season, the Big South Conference awarded its Dr. Edward M. Singleton Leadership Award to all the athletic training staffs of its member institutions for their dedication throughout the year. The conference formally recognized the honorees on Tuesday evening, May 25, as part of the league's annual Spring Awards Banquet at The Westin Resort in Hilton Head, S.C.
Longwood's staff that was recognized consisted of
Carly Fullerton (Assistant Athletics Director/Sports Medicine),
Lindsay Bentley (Assistant Athletic Trainer),
Yu-Jin Shim (Assistant Athletic Trainer),
Jessica Siler (Assistant Athletic Trainer),
Sam Wangner (Athletic Trainer), Rachel Stapleford (Athletic Trainer) and Sean Berberich (Athletic Trainer).
Fullerton, a 2007 Longwood alum, also was given the Acclaimed Commitment to the Excellence of Student-Athletes (A.C.E.S.) by the Longwood Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) in Longwood's annual spring athletics award ceremony. The A.C.E.S. Award is presented to the faculty or staff member who goes above and beyond for student-athletes in their academic, athletic and personal pursuits, as well as being an advocate for student-athlete welfare.
Through a collaborative effort that involved all athletic training staffs across the league, the conference created its Return To Play policies, the COVID-19 procedures and protocols, and decisions in regards to Conference Championship operations amid the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to their regular sports medicine responsibilities, the staff members also administrated countless COVID-19 tests to student-athletes and coaches and facilitated health and safety measures that allowed the Big South to conduct nearly all of its regular-season competition and championships events in a safe manner.
"Having worked with our head athletic trainers since last spring on the Big South's response to the ever-changing pandemic, I witnessed firsthand their sacrifice, work ethic, and selfless dedication to Big South student-athletes," commented Big South Commissioner Kyle Kallander.
"If we told you the average number of hours worked by our athletic training staffs this year, especially when we had 17 sports competing at the same time, you would find it hard to believe. Yet they carried on and found a way to make it happen. The fact that Big South teams completed over 90% of their scheduled contests is directly attributable to our athletic training staffs, who helped craft policy, implement protocols, and kept our student-athletes and staff safe. They are completely deserving of the highest leadership award the Big South presents -- the Dr. Edward M. Singleton Leadership Award."
The Singleton Leadership Award is named for the Big South's first commissioner and is not handed out every year. Instead, the award is to recognize a former Big South student-athlete or administrator that has exhibited exemplary leadership and character during their career. This year, the Singleton Award Selection Committee waived its normal criteria in light of the extraordinary dedication of Big South athletic trainers during the pandemic.
During the banquet, the Big South conference recognized the following individuals from each member's 2020-21 Athletic Training Staff as the recipient of the Singleton Leadership Award.
Campbell
Jackie Knight (Director of Athletic Training), Troyce Solley, Sean Reynolds, Kallie Hannon, Kelli Florio, Shane Harrell, Mackenzie Castillo, Anna Ciarlino, Logan Deese, Angelo Micozzi, Anthony Richardson, Renee Rightmyer, Sophia Rahim, Catie O'Neal, JP Roseman
Charleston Southern
Steele Morris (Associate Athletic Director of Medical Services), Lydia Johnson, Hannah Zech, Damon Edmond, Alanie Rhodes, Nathan McCroskey, Sara Steckman, Hunter Wright
Gardner-Webb
Kevin Jones (Assistant Athletic Director of Athletic Training), Kat Ayotte, Kenny Cabe, Manny Castro, Tripp Hastings, Ema Kossin, Becca Webb, Makenzie Dugger, Davis Ison, Lindsay Perrin, Holly Price
Hampton
Faye Tayag (Head Athletic Trainer), Tina Vickers, Ashley Harper, Dontonio Garrison
High Point
Joshua Geruso (Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine), Steve Dischiavi, Tyler DePew, Shelbie Hackett, Liz Lefever, Cam Linsley, Katie Yakel, Lauren Frye, Chris Mauer, Emily Stein, Angela Talaganis
Longwood
Carly Fullerton (Assistant Athletics Director/Sports Medicine), Lindsay Bentley, Yu-Jin Shim, Jessica Siler, Sam Wangner, Rachel Stapleford, Sean Berberich
North Carolina A&T
Janah Fletcher (Head Athletics Trainer), Ben Clapp, Pat Sogla, Tisheri Leonard, Katie Sacha, Aiyana Williams, Krizzel Galvez
Presbyterian College
Nelson Jones (Associate Athletic Director for Sports Medicine), Zachery James, Brandon Barnard, Robert Cooke, Kieran Damm, William Davis, Robert Foster, Danielle Heidt, Scott Hoff, Taylor Pitts, Jordan Sheppard, Joscelyn Trompeter
Radford
Chad Hyatt (Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Medicine), John Shifflett, Nicole Segala, Danny Rivas, Maggie Burton, Alaina Craig, Carlos Ocasio, Tyler Bouchard, Sarah Bowman
UNC Asheville
Tim White (Head Athletic Trainer), Eliza Parker, Justin Byland, Dan Welch
USC Upstate
Michael "Sandy" Sandago (Associate Athletic Director/Sports Medicine), Eric English, Katlyn Ledbetter, Joel Curry, Abbey Earich
Winthrop
Jeff Lahr (Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Training), Daniel Lundy, Seth Faulkner, Jenna Beer, Jessica Duthie, Kara McHouell, Morgan LaPrade
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