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.

2024 Award Recipient: Troy Blackburn, PhD, ATC

Troy Blackburn is a Professor in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He currently serves as Department Chair, and served as the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Research in the College of Arts & Sciences from 2016 to 2023.  He also serves as Associate Director of the MOTION Science Institute and core faculty in the Sports Medicine Institute and Program in Human Movement Science.  He received a BA in Exercise and Sport Science (Athletic Training Concentration) from UNC-Chapel Hill (1998), a MS in Sports Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh (2000), and a PhD in Human Movement Science (Biomechanics Concentration) from UNC-Chapel Hill (2004).  Prior to joining the faculty at UNC-Chapel Hill in 2006, he was an Assistant Professor at Auburn University from 2004 to 2006. 

Dr. Blackburn’s research is focused on understanding neuromuscular and biomechanical factors that influence the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis following ACL injury as well as novel rehabilitation approaches for reducing this risk and the associated disability.  He has published more than 180 peer-reviewed journal articles that have been cited more than 9,300 times in the literature, and has secured more than $12.4 million in research funding including grants from the US Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, and National Science Foundation.  Dr. Blackburn has also mentored more than 130 trainees in the research setting.  He was the recipient of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Research & Education Foundation David H. Perrin Outstanding Dissertation Award (2007) and Freddie H. Fu New Investigator Award (2009), and the American College of Sports Medicine Biomechanics Interest Group Career Achievement Award (2022).  He is also a fellow of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, American College of Sports Medicine, and National Academy of Kinesiology.

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.

2024 Award Recipient: Shelby Baez, PhD, ATC

Shelby Baez, Ph.D., ATC, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science (EXSS). Dr. Baez is a certified and licensed athletic trainer with an expertise in psychology of sport injury and an approved non-certified mentor for aspiring CMPCs through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP). Prior to joining the EXSS faculty in 2022, she was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and the Director of the Behavioral Research & Athletic Injury Neuroscience (BRAIN) Laboratory at Michigan State University. Dr. Baez attended UNC-Chapel Hill for her B.A. in Exercise and Sport Science with a concentration in Athletic Training (2013), and the University of Kentucky for her M.S. in Athletic Training (2016) and Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Sciences with a concentration in Sport and Exercise Psychology as a Lyman T. Johnson Fellow (2019).

Dr. Baez’s research examines the impact of psychosocial factors on health outcomes after sport-related injury, with a focus on patients after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Her lab examines the impact of psychosocial factors on biological outcomes, such as neurocognitive function, biomechanical alterations, and secondary injury risk. Her lab also seeks to identify clinically feasible and novel psychosocial interventions to improve health outcomes. These techniques range from graded exposure therapies to virtual reality mindfulness meditation. Dr. Baez has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and other regional and national foundations to support her work. She is a member of AASP, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), was the recipient of the AASP Doctoral Dissertation Award in 2020, and the recipient of the ACSM New Investigator Award in 2023.

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.

2024 Award Recipient: Mayrena Isamar Hernandez, PhD, MPH, LAT, ATC

Dr. Mayrena Isamar Hernandez earned her doctorate in Kinesiology with an emphasis in biomechanics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in May 2022. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from the University of Texas–Arlington in 2016. In 2018, she graduated from Kansas State University with her master’s in public health. Dr. Hernandez worked as a graduate assistant athletic trainer for the cross country and track and field men’s and women’s team during her time at Kansas State. During her time at UW-Madison she was a research assistant in the Wisconsin Injury in Sport Laboratory, teaching assistant for various courses, and a University Health Services/UW RecWell athletic trainer for their walk-in clinic. Dr. Hernandez is now an Assistant Professor at Sam Houston State University and the director of the Healthy Activity toward Promoting Injury Reduction (HAPIR) lab. Dr. Hernandez’s research focuses on mixed-methods studies that examine how low socioeconomic status and/or minority race/ethnicity youth athlete families are impacted by the negative consequences of sport specialization. Additionally, she is interested in how athletic trainers’ can be at the front line of impacting public health by combating health/health care disparities for populations that are underserved.

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 Research & Education Foundation Board of Directors recognizes those representative of advancing the athletic training profession through the Foundation’s mission, efforts and initiatives.
The awards currently include: the Lifetime Contribution Award; the Rachael Oats Leadership Award (formerly the President’s Award); the Volunteer Service Award; and the Impact Service Award (formerly the New Initiative Award).

Rachael Oats Leadership Award
The Foundation’s “President’s Award” was renamed in 2020 to honor the legacy of the Foundation’s former Director, Rachael Oats – this award allows the President of the NATA Research & Education Foundation to recognize those representative of Rachael’s exemplary characteristics of leadership, selflessness, commitment, and loyalty to the NATA Foundation, its volunteers and its donors.

2024 Award Recipient: Stephen E. Bair

Stephen E. Bair’s dedication to the NATA Foundation, its volunteers, and its donors epitomizes the values of leadership, selflessness, commitment, and loyalty. His profound impact is evident through the establishment of the Ted Quedenfeld Endowment, the largest individual donation received by the NATA Foundation, ensuring perpetual support for its research programs.

A member of the NATA Foundation’s Shoebox Society for planned giving, Stephen demonstrated unwavering support over the years, exemplified by his Legacy level membership in the AT Loyal Giving Society. His financial contributions supported various NATA Foundation-managed endowments, including the NATA Hall of Fame Scholarship Endowment and the Ted Quedenfeld Student Research Grant Endowment and the Edward Pillings Scholarship Endowment.

Steve’s influence extended beyond financial generosity; he excelled as a mentor, educator, and friend. Recognized for his outstanding service to his patients and the profession, he instilled in his students a passion for involvement within the athletic training profession. His outstanding service earned him accolades, including inductions into the NATA Hall of Fame, the Athletic Trainers’ Society of New Jersey (ATSNJ) Hall of Fame, and the Eastern Athletic Trainers’ Association (EATA) 49 Club.

As a leader, Steve’s commitment spanned local, regional, and national levels. He played pivotal roles in organizations such as the ATSNJ, EATA, and the Board of Certification for The Athletic Trainer, leaving an lasting mark as the District Two Chair on the NATA Foundation’s board of directors from 2004 to 2010.
Stephen E. Bair’s legacy is marked by his tireless advocacy, mentorship, and service, which continue to enrich the athletic training profession and inspire future generations.

Volunteer Service Award
Awarded to an individual for their exemplary volunteer service advancing the NATA Research & Education Foundation.

2024 Award Recipient: Susan Yeargin, PhD, ATC
Susan Yeargin, PhD, ATC, is awarded for the Volunteer Service Award based on her distinguished service and leadership within the organization. With a tenure spanning over a decade, Susan has provided volunteer service to the NATA Foundation in multiple roles, including membership on the Pronouncements Committee from 2011 to 2018 and the Research Committee from 2017 to 2023. Currently, she serves as the Chair of the Pronouncements Committee, showcasing her enduring commitment and expertise.

Throughout her tenure, Susan has exemplified dedication, leadership, and profound contributions to the NATA Foundation and the athletic training profession. Notably, her role as Chair of the Pronouncements Committee has been marked by exceptional insight, leading to the development of Policies and Procedures that have significantly streamlined the committee’s operations and project progression.

The Pronouncements committee has thrived under Dr. Yeargin’s leadership due to her professionalism and commitment to excellence.

Impact Service Award
Awarded to an individual for their exemplary grass roots initiatives which provided significant advancement of the NATA Research & Education Foundation.

2024 Award Recipient: Valerie Moody, PhD, LAT, ATC
Valerie has demonstrated a remarkable dedication to the NATA Research and Education Foundation through her extensive service spanning over a decade. Her involvement began in 2008 as a State Ambassador for District 10 in Montana, and since then, her commitment has only deepened. Serving as the District 10 NATA Foundation Chair for six years, she concurrently held roles such as Co-Chair of the Educational Resources Committee and membership on various committees including the AT Student Challenge, District Relations, and Scholarship committees. Notably, she served on the NATA Foundation Executive Board from 2017 to 2019 as the Vice President of External Affairs.

Valerie’s passion for educating and involving her University of Montana students in NATA Foundation activities is commendable. Under her guidance, University of Montana students have achieved remarkable success, winning the Student Writing Contest and receiving NATA Foundation scholarships regularly since 2011.

Valerie’s initiatives, such as the Annual Cornhole tournament during District 10’s annual meeting, have become signature fundraisers, raising substantial funds for the NATA Foundation since 2018. Even after her tenure on the NATA Foundation board, Valerie has persistently expanded this initiative, and now other districts are starting to adopt the fundraiser for their annual meetings.