The Appalachian Athletics Conference was reminded of something this season that many people around the University of Pikeville already knew: It has a great head athletic trainer.
 
On Thursday afternoon, the league announced Lauren Curley, MS, LAT, ATC, is the 2023-24 Athletic Trainer of the Year in the AAC.
 
Curley, who has been the director of sports medicine at UPike since 2022, said this should be a group award.
 
"I am honored to receive this award," she said. "I have the pleasure to work with amazing colleagues both on my staff and in the AAC.  My goal has always been to develop and provide quality care for my student athletes."
 
Curley heads a department that includes her husband, Jeff, the assistant director of sports medicine, as well as assistant athletic trainers Kailey Garten and Christine Tchalikian.
 
Curley began working in college athletics in 2011 at Kentucky Christian University, where she was assigned by King's Daughters Medical Center. She spent the last six as the head athletic trainer before moving to Pikeville.
 
Prior to that, she served as the Senior Outreach Athletic Trainer for ProMedica Health System in Toledo, Ohio for six years (2005-2011). While at ProMedica, Curley supervised 30+ athletic trainers in the Sports Medicine program. 
 
She also spent five years as an athletic trainer at Madison High School (1999-2004) and Siena Heights (2004-05) by way of the ProMedica facility in Adrian, Mich. 
 
ProMedica also granted Curley the opportunity to work for the Harlem Globetrotters, the MAC volleyball tournament among other local sporting events. Curley was also the assistant athletic trainer at Bradley University in Peoria, Ill. from 1996-1999. 
 
After receiving her bachelor's degree in 1993 from Wilmington College of Ohio, Curley served as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at Morehead State University from 1993-1995. Curley also received her master's degree in Exercise Science from Morehead. 
 
She has been certified by the National Athletic Trainer's Association Board of Certification since 1995 and is also certified by the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure. 
 
The Curleys have two children, Adam and Morgan.