Ferris State Athletics Announces Appointment Of Brett Knight To Head Sports Medicine & Athletic Training Area

Big Rapids, Mich. - Ferris State University's nearly 400 student-athletes will continue to receive highly-professional care as the Bulldogs have announced the appointment of Brett Knight as the school's new Head Athletics Trainer and Coordinator of Sports Medicine.

Knight, who has spent the past six years as the Head Athletic Trainer at Alma College, will begin his FSU duties on July 2 and fill the void created by the retirement of Dave Lucey, who has oversaw the Bulldogs' sports medicine area for more than 32 years as a dedicated employee serving thousands of student-athletes.

"We're elated to find a person of Brett's caliber after an extensive search and believe he'll be a perfect addition to Ferris State Athletics overseeing our sports medicine and athletic training area," said FSU Athletics Director Perk Weisenburger. "Brett brings a great combination of experience and skills in many areas that will serve our student-athletes greatly and we look forward to him leading the department to provide for the best care possible.

"While we're thrilled to have Brett and his family join our team, we also owe a great deal of thanks and gratitude to Dave Lucey for his dedication to Bulldog Athletics the last 32 years," he added. "Dave is a true professional who will be missed dearly in our everyday operation, but we know he'll continue to be a Bulldog and strong supporter of Ferris State Athletics."

Knight has spent the past seven years as part of Alma College's athletics training staff, including six years in a head role where he supervised three certified athletic trainers, numerous athletic training students and served as the department's designated Health Care Administrator, providing direct oversight for the medical services of over 575 student-athletes competing in 25 varsity sports programs at the NCAA Division III level.

"I'm excited about becoming part of a championship program at Ferris State University and look forward to the opportunity to work with fellow athletic trainers, coaches, administrators, student-athletes and other healthcare professionals to provide ultimate care in the years to come," Knight said.

During his time at Alma, Knight has helped integrate new programs, enhance and improve current practices for the betterment of the overall delivery of athletic training services and has provided the best possible care for student-athletes. He's recruited new physicians to the Alma team, added an electronic medical records system, increased the number of full-time staff while also developing and managing key policies impacting student-athletes such as mental health, concussion, sickle cell, institutional drug testing and an athletic training department policy and procedure manual.

As a clinician, Knight has accumulated experience providing healthcare to multiple collegiate athletics programs, including football, men's basketball, softball, lacrosse, swimming and tennis among others. In these roles, he's been able to gain extensive clinical practice evaluating, treating and rehabilitating numerous orthopedic injuries.

In his Alma tenure, Knight has also helped coordinate coverage for hosting conference and regional championship events and has been certified in the Functional Movement Screen and as a Corrective Exercise Specialist, providing valuable skills in the prevention of injury and during the rehabilitation phase of chronic and post-surgical cases.

A 2008 graduate of Alma College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in athletic training, Knight also attended Western Michigan University, completing a master's degree in Exercise Science and Sports Medicine with an emphasis in Athletic Training in 2010 while serving as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer. After his graduate work, Knight was hired at NCAA Division III affiliate North Carolina Wesleyan College where he was an Assistant Athletic Trainer from 2010 to 2011 overseeing the healthcare of the football and baseball programs.

A certified instructor by the American Red Cross for First Aid and CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer, Knight also served as a Preceptor for the Athletic Training Education Program at Alma. He has taught First Aid and CPR along with an Athletic Training Clinical Course.

While at Alma, Knight has served on numerous campus and professional committees, including the Alma Student Health Insurance Task Force, the Alma Tobacco-Free Generation Campus Task Force and as a mentor to the Michigan Athletic Trainer Society Young Professionals Committee among others. He also chaired a committee for the development of a partnership between Alma College and the Well Sport Sports Medicine of Mid-Michigan Health System. Knight was the 2016 recipient of the Alma College Presidential Award for Excellence.

Knight and his wife, Danielle, have one daughter, Aubrey. He holds professional memberships in the National Athletic Trainer's Association and the Michigan Athletic Trainers' Society.

"Our family is excited about this opportunity and looks forward to joining Ferris State University and the Big Rapids Community," Knight said.