Quinnipiac's Rider Continues To Be Honored Regionally And Nationally For Her Efforts Beyond The Classroom
Athletic training student and women's ice hockey player receives more honors from EATA and NATA
Senior Kelly Rider (Glenmont, N.Y.) of the Quinnipiac University women's ice hockey team continues to garner regional and national recognition for her efforts beyond the classroom in the field of athletic training. First, she was named one of 30 students in her region to have her case study recognized for a poster presentation at the Eastern Athletic Trainers' Association (EATA) meetings in January at Boston, Mass. This past month, she was one of 20 students in the country to have the same case study on the illness of a college student-athlete accepted for presentation at the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) meetings in June at Anaheim, Calif.
Rider is one of just 16 senior athletic training students at Quinnipiac University. Her case study was about a real intercollegiate football player with hepatitis A.
She was previously one of only 10 National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) District I and II students to receive the National Academy of Sports Medicine Eastern Athletic Trainers' Association Scholarship as a junior last winter. Rider received a scholarship award of $2,000 along with a plaque. Dr. Stephen Straub, Associate Director of Physical Therapy, has worked closely with Rider over the past few years on her projects which have been recognized beyond the classroom.
"The thing that makes Kelly special is the combination of outstanding academic achievement balanced with the dedication to her varsity sport," said Straub. "Many Athletic Training Education Programs do not permit their students to participate as varsity athletes; Kelly is a fine example of how a student can participate as an intercollegiate athlete and still excel in the classroom and in clinical experiences."
Women's ice hockey head coach Michael Barrett has also been pleased with Rider's efforts in and beyond the classroom.
"Kelly represents the consummate student athlete," said Barrett. "She has balanced a demanding curriculum with a difficult athletics schedule and has contributed significantly in both areas. To accomplish what she has in the classroom with the time and physical commitments involved in Division-I athletics is truly amazing. She is a true role model for all at Quinnipiac."
Rider has a 3.85 cumulative grade point average through the fall 2006 semester and has improved her marks over the past three semesters. In the fall of 2005, she had a 3.67 GPA. She finished with a 3.82 GPA in the spring of 2006. This past fall, she had a perfect 4.0 GPA.
The senior was previously named the athletic department's Female Sophomore Scholar Athlete of the Year and the Female Junior Scholar Athlete of the Year for posting the institution's highest GPA of all female students representing Quinnipiac's 11 women's varsity sports programs.
The former member of the Troy Ice Cats worked at the Empire State Games for soccer and with Albany Academy lacrosse in the summer of 2005. In the fall of 2005, she was involved as an Athletic Trainer with Quinnipiac University women's basketball, Quinnipiac University field hockey and Yale University football. This past fall, she worked with the Quinnipiac University men's and women's cross country teams.
Even though her days as a student-athlete on the women's ice hockey team are behind her, Rider will continue to be active on the athletic training scene this spring. She will be working as a student trainer with the Yale University baseball team and is scheduled to receive her bachelor's degree in May.
