UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State has announced the promotion of longtime athletic trainer Renee Messina to assistant athletic director for athletic training services.
Messina is a Penn State graduate who has been a member of the Nittany Lions’ athletic training staff since 1992, serving in a variety of roles and with several teams. Since 2013 she has served as associate director of athletic training services, supervising the athletic trainers who provide the medical care for 12 varsity programs.
In her new assignment with the Nittany Lions, Messina is charged with overseeing all aspects of athletic training services for approximately 800 student-athletes across 31 programs. Messina will direct all day-to-day athletic training activities and supervise education, rehabilitation and return-to-play protocols.
“I am thrilled Renee has accepted the opportunity to lead our athletic training services unit,” said Charmelle Green, senior associate AD for student-athlete performance, health and welfare. “Renee not only brings a tremendous amount of experience to the position, but she is an outstanding leader, a team player, and most importantly, she is committed to providing exceptional health care to our student-athletes. I am looking forward to seeing the great work to come from athletic training services under Renee’s leadership and guidance.”
“I have been blessed to call Penn State home for many years and fortunate to have worked with a number of outstanding programs here,” Messina said. “I am excited about the opportunity to lead our talented staff and help guide our Sports Medicine and Athletic Training program into the future and continue to provide great care for our student-athletes.”
Messina will develop athletic training strategies and implement policies and protocols that ensure compliance with NCAA and Big Ten Conference rules and regulations.
Messina will work closely with Penn State student-athletes, coaches and staff. She will be a member of the Nittany Lions’ sport performance team comprised of the sports medicine, athletic training, performance enhancement, performance nutrition, sports psychology, student-athlete welfare and development and applied health and performance science personnel.
From Vinco, Pennsylvania, Messina has worked closely to provide comprehensive athletic training services and medical care to numerous teams during her Penn State career, including the field hockey, men’s and women’s lacrosse, softball and women’s soccer teams. She also has served as a sports health care technician for Penn State’s sports camps since 1992 and as a preceptor with Penn State’s Athletic Training Education Program since 2013.
Messina is a member of and has her certification from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is a member of the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers’ Society and the Eastern Athletic Trainers Association. She also has her CPR/AED certification and facilitates CPR certification opportunities for the athletic training staff.
Messina earned a bachelor’s degree in health education-athletic training option, with a minor in exercise and sport science, from Penn State. She also has a master’s degree in physical education from East Stroudsburg University, where she served as a graduate assistant athletic trainer.
Messina and her husband, Patrick, have a daughter, Isabella, and a son, Jack. She will begin her new duties in early March.