The Medal for Distinguished Athletic Training Research, The Dr. Freddie & Mrs. Hilda Pang Fu New Investigator Research Award and The David H. Perrin Doctoral Dissertation Research Award are presented annually to deserving researchers among the NATA membership.
Research Awards Eligibility Criteria.

Medal for Distinguished Athletic Training Research
The NATA Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Athletic Training Research recognizes an established researcher who has sustained a prolific body of work that has contributed to research in the field of athletic training and health care.

2022 Award Recipient: Steven Broglio, PhD, ATC

Steven Broglio is a Professor of Kinesiology, Neurology, and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Dr Broglio completed his training at the University of Georgia, followed by his first faculty position at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has been at the University of Michigan since 2011.

Dr. Broglio is currently the Associate Dean of Graduate Affairs for the School of Kinesiology and serves as the Director of the Michigan Concussion Center and the NeuroTrauma Research Laboratory. In those roles he oversees clinical care, educational outreach, and multi-disciplinary research aimed at fundamental questions on concussion prevention, identification, diagnosis, management, and outcomes. His research has been supported by numerous foundations and federal funding agencies, generating nearly 200 peer reviewed works.

The Dr. Freddie & Mrs. Hilda Pang Fu New Investigator Award
The Dr. Freddie & Mrs. Hilda Pang Fu New Investigator Award (formerly named The New Investigator Award), recognizes a researcher who is likely to continue to make significant contributions to the body of knowledge in athletic training and health care.

2022 Award Recipient: Lindsey K. Lepley, PhD, ATC

Dr. Lindsey Lepley is an Assistant Professor, and the director of the Comparative Orthopaedic Research Lab in the School of Kinesiology at the University of Michigan. She also co-directs the Orthopedic Rehabilitation Biomechanics Lab. Dr. Lepley received her Bachelor in Sciences from Grand Valley State University, and then a Master in Education degree in Sports Medicine from the University of Virginia. In 2014, Lindsey completed her doctoral studies at the University of Michigan and then subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Kentucky. From 2015-2019, Dr. Lepley held an Assistant Professor Position at the University of Connecticut. In 2019 Dr Lepley transitioned back to the University of Michigan to establish a research environment with strong backing to investigate evidence-based treatment options for those that suffer from ACL injury.

The NATA Foundation is grateful for the endowment established honoring Dr. Freddie & Mrs. Hilda Pang Fu.  Read more about the Fu’s endowment and legacy here.

The David H. Perrin Doctoral Dissertation Award
The David H. Perrin Doctoral Dissertation Award recognizes outstanding doctoral student research in athletic training and health care.

2022 Award Recipient: Samantha E. Scarneo-Miller, PhD, LAT, ATC

Dr. Samantha Scarneo-Miller serves as an Assistant Professor and Program Director for the Master of Science in Athletic Training in the Division of Athletic Training, School of Medicine at West Virginia University. She works to improve overall safety for all athletes, and has most recently focused on the high school setting. Dr. Scarneo-Miller is a licensed athletic trainer and has experience at the high school level, youth sporting events and mass medical tents. Her research interests include policy implementation to improve sport safety, dissemination and implementation science, and public health frameworks with regards to sports medicine interventions. Dr. Scarneo-Miller is the principal or co-investigator of several grants and has spoken at various national meetings and state meetings such as the Eastern Athletic Trainers’ Association, National Athletic Trainers’ Association and American College Health Association. 

Dr. Scarneo-Miller received her bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training at the University of New Hampshire, and her graduate degrees from the University of Connecticut. She previously worked for the Korey Stringer Institute. She and her partner, Jelan, live in Morgantown with their new baby, Jrue and dog, Milo. 

The NATA Foundation is grateful for the endowment established honoring David H. Perrin, PhD, ATC. Read more about the David H. Perrin Doctoral Dissertation Award Endowment here.

The NATA Foundation Volunteer of the Year was presented from 1998 to 2008 to honor that individual who made significant contributions to the NATA Foundation. In 2009, this award was eliminated and replaced with three awards: the Lifetime Contribution Award, the New Initiative Award and the Volunteer Service Award. In addition, in 2012, the NATA Foundation’s President’s Award was created, allowing the President of the Board of Directors to annually recognize those representative of outstanding commitment, dedication and loyalty to the NATA Foundation, its volunteers and its donors.

On November 3, 2019, the athletic training profession lost one of it’s most loyal champions and advocates, Rachael Oats.  Rachael’s entire professional career was dedicated to advancing the athletic training profession, and included serving as the Director of the NATA Research & Education Foundation.  Rachael’s leadership, commitment, selflessness and friendship will be forever remembered and missed by all that knew her.  December, 2019, the NATA Foundation Board of Directors unanimously supported the decision to honor Rachael Oats’ legacy by renaming the President’s Award to the Rachael Oats Leadership Award.  This award allows the President of the NATA Research & Education Foundation to annually recognize those representative of Rachael’s exemplary characteristics of outstanding leadership, selflessness, commitment, and loyalty to the NATA Foundation, its volunteers and its donors.

Volunteer Service Award
2021 Award Recipient:

Alison Snyder Valier, PhD, ATC, FNATA
Recognized for her exemplary volunteer service advancing
the NATA Research & Education Foundation.
 

New Initiative Award
2021 Award Recipients:

Jeff Konin, PhD, ATC, PT, FNATA
Randy Cohen, ATC, DPT
Chuck Kimmel, AT Retired
Recognized for their commitment to the successful and expedient establishment of
The Rachael Oats Leadership Scholarship Endowment.

The Rachael Oats Leadership Award
2021 Award Recipient:

The Strategic Alliance AT Research Agenda Task Force
Recognized for their commitment to advancing the AT profession
through the identification of research priorities,
and facilitating the communication between AT researchers and clinicians
while ultimately improving patient care.

NATA Foundation Task Force Representatives:
Jennifer Earl-Boehm, PhD, ATC, FNATA
Tracey Covassin, PhD, ATC, FNATA
R.T. Floyd, EdD, ATC, CSCS
Alison Snyder Valier, PhD, ATC, FNATA
Stacy Walker, PhD, ATC, FNATA

BOC Task Force Representatives:
Kelvin Phan, MSEd, ATC, PES
Esther Nolton , PhD, ATC

CAATE Task Force Representative:
Lindsey Eberman, PhD, ATC

NATA Task Force Representative:
Leigh Weiss, DPT, MS, ATC