14 students attend SEATA annual meeting

Fourteen University of North Georgia (UNG) students attended the Southeast Athletic Trainers'' Association (SEATA) annual meeting from Feb. 8-10 in Atlanta. The SEATA meeting welcomed members from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.  

Students Chelsea Allison, Abigail Casillas, Claire Hiett, Brayden Hill, Zerian Hood, Kristen McKinney, Ashley Nelson, Verena Orzikowski, Kevin Pack, Grayson Smith, Johnny Tran, Jayci McIntyre, Heidi Edmondson, and Luka Kulasinac attended alongside UNG kinesiology faculty members Dr. Sabrina Fordham, Dr. Beth Harrison, Dr. Ryan Hipp, and Dr. Katsumi Takeno.  

During the conference, Casillas, Edmondson, Hiett, and McIntyre competed in the SEATA quiz bowl competition, finishing as runner-up.  

"We previously were participants years ago. However, there were several years in which the program did not field a quiz bowl team. We got back in the game in February 2023," Fordham said. "I should also note that our quiz bowl team was on the leaderboard for the majority of the competition and that we were competing against some of the largest R1 institutions in the region. So, I'm super proud of our students." 

Currently pursuing a master's degree in athletic training, McIntyre was one of the individuals who competed in 2023. She earned her bachelor's degree in kinesiology from UNG, so she was excited to represent the program. 

"SEATA is always a great time to learn about the most up-to-date techniques and philosophies in athletic training and athlete care. It was nice to have this year's conference close to home," the Flowery Branch, Georgia, native said. "We had so much fun not only testing our knowledge against other institutions, but also getting to represent UNG on the podium two years in a row."