UMC Sports Add Krueger as Assistant Athletic Trainer

CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston athletic department has announced the addition of Heidi Krueger as assistant athletic trainer. Krueger comes to UMC after spending the last five months as an athletic trainer at Heartland Orthopedic Specialist in Alexandria, Minn. During her time at Heartland Orthopedic, Krueger served as the athletic trainer for Brandon-Evansville High School and as a physician extender for Dr. Jeff Brand.

“We are excited to add Heidi to the UMC staff as an assistant athletic trainer,” said Director of Athletics Stephanie Helgeson. “Heidi brings to UMC great experience as a student from her time at North Dakota State and during her time at Heartland Orthopedic. She joins a great staff led by Steven Krouse and we are elated to have her join the Golden Eagle family.”

Krueger’s primary responsibility will be with the UMC football team, where she will team with fellow assistant athletic trainer Amy Dehmer. She will also assist with UMC softball team during their dome season and UMC’s other nine athletic teams.

“I am very excited to get started at Minnesota Crookston,” said Krueger. “I just graduated from NDSU in May with my Master of Athletic Training and have been working in Alexandria for the past five months. I’m very excited to work with the football team and wherever they need me to help out.”

Krueger gained valuable experience as a student doing clinical assignments at North Dakota State. She worked with Fargo North and Fargo South High School, assisting with football, soccer, basketball, gymnastics and hockey. She also helped out with athletic training at NDSU with the cross country, track and field, wrestling, volleyball and football teams. In addition, she worked with Concordia College Moorhead and Fargo Force junior hockey.

She earned first-hand experience during clinical assignments with tarsal tunnel decompression rehab, arthroscopic meniscus repair rehab, fire cup, and Kinesio tape.

Krueger also was an intern for the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps, where she assisted with emergency care, illnesses, taping, wrapping, first aid, evaluations, treatment and rehab. In addition, she was an intern during her undergraduate studies with Heartland Orthopedic Specialist.

She obtained her Master of Athletic Training from North Dakota State in May of 2016 and her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Southwest Minnesota State in July of 2014. She graduated from SMSU with Cum Laude honors. She played soccer at SMSU in 2012 and 2013. Krueger also served as a personal fitness trainer during her time at SMSU, designing individual exercise prescriptions and modified prescriptions based on client response.

“I am very familiar with the NSIC having played soccer at Southwest Minnesota State,” Krueger said. “I have always been attracted to the Division II college setting. My mom actually went to school here when it was a two-year institution. UMC has been in the family, so it is pretty exciting that I get to start my career as a college athletic trainer in Crookston.”

Krueger is certified by the National Athletic Trainer Association-Board of Certification. She is also a Registered Orthopedic Technologist, Orthopedic Brace Technologist, Y Balance Test Administer Certified, CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and Health Care Providers certified by the American Red Cross. She is a member of the National Athletic Training Association and the American Society for Orthopedic Professionals.

Krueger will join Krouse, Dehmer and Megan Rinke as athletic trainers at the University of Minnesota Crookston. She will begin her appointment as assistant athletic trainer immediately.

UMC Promotes Krouse to Head Athletic Trainer

CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston officially announced the promotion of Steven Krouse to head athletic trainer. Krouse spent the last two years as an assistant athletic trainer for the Golden Eagles. Krouse will continue to be the primary trainer for women’s soccer, women’s basketball and softball teams, while overseeing the entire operation of UMC’s athletic training office.

“We are excited to be able to promote Steven to the position of head athletic trainer,” said Athletic Director Stephanie Helgeson. “During the last two years, I have been impressed with the work ethic and passion that Steven has displayed in his position. We are excited to be able to keep someone of his ability and expertise as a part of the Golden Eagle family.”

“I am thrilled to be moving into the head athletic trainer role here at the University of Minnesota Crookston,” Krouse said. “Becoming a head athletic trainer at a College or University has always been a career goal of mine and I am very grateful to Stephanie for trusting me with this great opportunity.”

Krouse has also served as the strength and conditioning coach for the Golden Eagles for women’s soccer, women’s basketball and softball. He has been an important part of UMC’s efforts to streamline their strength and conditioning and athletic training efforts. By doing this the department can help to prevent injury and can help injured athletes recover more easily.

In addition to his roles in athletic training and strength and conditioning, Krouse also teaches Kinesiology and Exercise Prescription in the Exercise Science department.

Assistant Athletic Trainer Megan Rinke will continue to work with the volleyball and baseball teams. She will also continue to administer the strength and conditioning programs for those programs, as well. The Golden Eagles will look to hire another assistant athletic trainer who will serve as the head athletic trainer for football and men’s basketball.

Krouse came to UMC from the College of St. Scholastica, where he earned a Master of Science in Athletic Training in 2014. During his time at St. Scholastica, Krouse worked as an athletic trainer for the University of Minnesota Duluth women’s basketball team, as - well as the football and track and field teams at St. Scholastica and the football and volleyball teams at Northwestern High School in Maple, Wis. As a student at Saint Olaf College, Krouse assisted the athletic training staff with the track and field and baseball teams.

In addition to his collegiate experience, Krouse has served as the lead trainer for the J. Robinson Intensive Basketball Camp. In addition, he worked as an intern at ESPN's Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla. during the summer of 2013. During this time he provided medical coverage for male and female athletes competing in the sports of soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, field hockey, basketball, gymnastics, track and field, football, tennis, wrestling and volleyball. He has also provided medical coverage at the Drew Brees Passing Academy, the Wounded Warriors Softball Camp and the Special Olympics. He has also volunteered at the Minnesota State High School Cross Country Championship and Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minn.

Krouse graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science in 2011 from Saint Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. The Highlands Ranch, Colo. native, was a member of the track and field and cross country teams at Saint Olaf. He is certified by the National Athletic Trainer Association-Board of Certification. He is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.

In his free time, Krouse has become an avid marathon runner, just completing his fourth marathon. Krouse resides in Crookston, Minn. He takes over for Liam Higginson, who is now working as an athletic trainer in an industrial setting in West Virginia. 

UMC Adds Rinke as Assistant Athletic Trainer

CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston announced the addition of Megan Rinke as assistant athletic trainer. Rinke will work primarily with the volleyball and baseball teams at Minnesota Crookston and will also help with strength and conditioning efforts for UMC’s athletic programs.

“We are thrilled to have Megan joining our athletic training staff,” said Head Athletic Trainer Liam Higginson. “We are excited to now have three athletic trainers who are experienced in using strength and conditioning as a means of
developing athleticism and preventing injury. We really feel that this is going to help us develop all of our athletes to be fitter and injury-free!”

“I am excited to join the athletic training department at UMC and be able to work alongside Liam and Steven,” Rinke said. “I think one of the biggest things Liam and Steven were looking for, and the athletic department as a whole, was someone who had experience in both strength and conditioning and athletic training. One of the main focuses of the department is to use strength and conditioning to help prevent injury. I also did a lot with manual therapy through my Master’s program at St. Scholastica and I think is another big thing I can bring to the athletic training department at UMC.”

Rinke comes to UMC from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minn., where she just received her Master of Science in Athletic Training. While at St. Scholastica, Rinke worked with the school’s football, women’s basketball and baseball teams, facilitating rehabilitation programs and performing injury evaluations. She also helped out with the University of Minnesota Duluth football team, where she designed and executed rehabilitation programs, performed initial evaluations of injuries and assisted in sideline prevention and therapy. She has also applied therapeutic modalities and manual therapy at all of her stops as an athletic trainer. During the Spring of 2015, Rinke also worked with baseball, softball and track and field programs at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

In addition to her work at the college level, Rinke has helped out at Marshall High School and Hermantown High School and also performed clinical experience with Essential Health East Region and St. Luke’s Hospital.

Prior to pursuing a graduate degree at the College of St. Scholastica, Rinke, a Beldenville, Wis. native, spent four years at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, where she earned her degree in health and human performance with a minor in coaching and an interdisciplinary program with athletic training. She was also a student-athlete at Wisconsin-River Falls, competing on the indoor and outdoor track and field teams. While with the Falcons, Rinke was a scholar-athlete and earned Athlete of the Week honors. She also did two study abroad trips, going to Belize in 2010 and Costa Rica in 2011.

Rinke resides in Crookston, Minn. She joins a training staff that consists of Higginson, who is in his third year at UMC and Assistant Athletic Trainer Steven Krouse, who is in his second year at UMC. Krouse is also a product of the
College of St. Scholastica athletic training program.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

Krouse Joins Athletic Training Staff at UMC

CROOKSTON, Minn.- The University of Minnesota Crookston athletic department and Director of
Athletics Stephanie Helgeson announced the addition of Steven Krouse as assistant athletic trainer. Krouse joins UMC from the College of Saint Scholastica where he recently graduated with a Master of Science in Athletic Training.

During his time at St. Scholastica, Krouse worked as a trainer for the University of Minnesota Duluth women’s basketball team, as well as the football and track and field teams at St. Scholastica and the football and volleyball teams at Northwestern High School in Maple, Wis. As a student at Saint Olaf College, Krouse assisted the training staff with the track and field and baseball teams.

“I think Steven will be a great addition to our staff,” Helgeson said. “He is familiar with the NSIC from his work at Minnesota Duluth and brings with him immense knowledge of the athletic training profession from his time at St. Scholastica. As a former student-athlete at Saint Olaf College, he also has an understanding of the importance of athletic trainers from the student-athlete perspective. We are excited to welcome Steven to the Golden Eagle family.”

In addition to his collegiate experience, Krouse also worked as an intern at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla. during the summer of 2013. During this time he provided medical coverage for male and female athletes competing in the sports of soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, field hockey, basketball, gymnastics, track and field, football, tennis, wrestling and volleyball. He has also provided medical coverage at the Drew Brees Passing Academy, the Wounded Warriors Softball Camp and the Special Olympics. He has also volunteered at the Minnesota State High School Cross Country Championship and Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minn.

Krouse graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science in 2011 from Saint Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. During his time at St. Olaf, Krouse was a member of the track and field and cross country teams. He is certified by the National Athletic Trainer Association-Board of Certification. He is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.

Krouse joins Head Athletic Trainer Melanie Schulte and Assistant Athletic Trainer Liam Higginson as members of the UMC athletic training staff.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website at www.goldeneaglesports.com.