Recently, several of our athletic training students and faculty traveled to Atlanta, GA, for the Southeastern Athletic Trainers’ Association (SEATA) Conference. This annual event brings together athletic trainers, educators, and students from Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands to expand their knowledge, skills, and network.
Each year, the USF Athletic Training program support students by covering some costs for attending SEATA and other conferences. Dr. Tritsch, AT Program Director, said, “It’s wonderful to see our students learning alongside peers from other programs and professionals from across the Association. The networking and conversations that happen between sessions build bridges and community that can benefit them years after graduation.”
Melina, a USF athletic training student who attended, shared, “The program plays a pivotal role for us in SEATA, both academically and logistically. This year, 16 students from our program attended because of the financial support provided. Without it, attending SEATA can be a monetary burden that many graduate students can't afford. Our time is dedicated to classes and clinical rotations, and maintaining a part-time job is almost impossible. The program's help allows more students to take full advantage of all the opportunities SEATA offers.” Many other students praised the program's support, noting they would not have been able to attend without it.
Eiley discussing her poster with SEATA 2025 Conference Attendees.
During SEATA, USF athletic training was active, with several of our faculty presented and co-presented, and students busy sharing posters and presentations. Athletic training student, Eiley Maginness, presented her poster, "Symptomatic Bipartite Patella in a High School Football Player: A Level 4 Case Study," and was also selected for a rapid-fire presentation. Eiley said, “The rapid session challenged me to condense a lot of information into a five-minute presentation and provided an opportunity to discuss my case with others and answer questions on a deeper level after the presentations.” Dr. Tritsch added, “We are always doing so much good work within the USF AT Program, and poster presentations are a great way to share that work with our colleagues across SEATA.”
The highlight of the conference was our students' back-to-back win of the coveted SEATA Quiz Bowl. Melina Madden, Marianna Nieves, Nicole Brunson, and Hannah McCanse showcased our program's knowledge and skills in an invigorating comeback win. Dr. Tritsch remarked, “Winning back-to-back Quiz Bowls demonstrates to the academic programs across SEATA that our students are consistently leading the way in didactic and clinical learning and application. The faculty couldn’t be prouder of the team and are excited to represent District 9 at the NATA Quiz Bowl competition this June in Orlando. We hope to repeat the national title to highlight our claim as the best program in the country!”
Marianna from the winning team said, “Winning back-to-back quiz bowls was a surreal experience. It felt like we were on Cloud 9. I was so happy and proud to be part of the winning team and to represent the USF Athletic Training Program.” Melina added, “I was ecstatic to contribute to USF's quiz bowl win again after last year's performance. Watching my classmates' success at the previous quiz bowl was inspiring and motivated us to give it our all this year with a whole new team. It was a close match, and hearing our classmates cheer for us when the podium was announced made it a magical moment. This accomplishment reminds us that all the effort we put into ourselves over these two years pays off.”
The students plan to review course materials, take quizlets, and focus on winning the NATA Quiz Bowl this summer in Orlando.