The River States Conference is proud to announce that Kristen Semrow from Indiana University Southeast has been named the 2020-21 RSC Athletic Trainer of the Year. Semrow just completed her first year at IU Southeast, during which her service and performance were very commendable. She is employed through the Kentucky Orthopedic Rehab Team (KORT) and contracted for IU Southeast.
“Kristen’s dedication and commitment to high-quality care and willingness to do whatever it takes to make the program better are qualities that define this nominee and make her one of the best athletic trainers I’ve ever worked with in college sports,” said Joe Glover, IU Southeast Director of Athletics.
Semrow jumped right into the IU Southeast athletic department in her first year. Learning a new school and dealing with the COVID-19 protocols were challenges she faced right away, and those were met with skill and dedication. She received very positive feedback from the student-athletes and helped the IU Southeast athletic department immensley throughout the entire year.
Semrow managed two very difficult injuries this year as well, one of which involved a hospitalization from something identified in the athletic training room after her immediate actions. She also provided athletic training on the Grenadiers’ trip to the NAIA World Series. During the trip, she attended to a medical situation in the airport missing a connecting flight to care for a student-athlete.
Semrow is a graduate of Winona State in 2016. She received her master’s degree from the University of Kentucky in 2018. She has past roles at Asbury University as a graduate assistant, King University and Louisville Collegiate High School.
The RSC Athletic Trainer of the Year award was established in 2016-17. It annually recognizes outstanding dedication, service and care in the athletic training field for RSC member institutions and the conference as a whole.
YEAR BY YEAR — RIVER STATES CONFERENCE ATHLETIC TRAINER OF THE YEAR
2020-21 — Kristen Semrow, IU Southeast
2019-20 — Ariel Allman, Midway (Ky.) University
2018-19 — Andrew Bolt, Asbury (Ky.) University
2017-18 — Tara Gerlach, University of Rio Grande (Ohio)
2016-17 — Tara Gerlach, University of Rio Grande (Ohio)