Front row (left to right): Anne Marquez, Nicole Alexander, Nicole Sperger, Le'Quita Beaton, Chantal Porter and Mike Bean.
Back row (left to right): Jim Russ, Dave Ludwig, Skip Meyer, Rob Hunt, Kevin Ricks, Tony Sutton and Scott Stansburg.
Not pictured: Mandy Merritt.

NICOLE ALEXANDER

Nicole Alexander joined the Notre Dame sports medicine department as an assistant athletic trainer in August 2008, overseeing the Irish softball team as well as the men's and women's fencing squads. Prior to her arrival, she was a graduate assistant athletic trainer at Syracuse University, where she earned her master's degree in exercise science in May 2008. While at Syracuse, she worked with the field hockey, women's rowing, men's and women's track & field teams and the men's and women's tennis programs.

A 2005 graduate of the University of Florida, Alexander earned a bachelor's degree in exercise and sport science with a concentration in athletic training. While in Gainesville, she oversaw the UF cheerleading squad, as well as working at multiple high schools in an outreach program that provided sports medicine care for numerous sports teams.

A native of Tallahassee, Fla., Alexander now resides is Mishawaka.

MIKE BEAN

Mike Bean is an associate athletic trainer at Notre Dame, working with the Irish football and baseball teams. He also supervises the student-athletic trainer program and serves on the BIG EAST Conference Sports Medicine Committee. A native of Belle Fourche, S.D., he has been at Notre Dame since 1991 as a full-time member of the sports medicine staff after a one-year internship. During his tenure at Notre Dame, he also has served as the athletic trainer for the University's women's soccer, men's soccer, hockey, men's and women's tennis, and men's and women's track & field programs.

While obtaining his master's degree in sports medicine, he served as the head athletic trainer at Kalamazoo College, as well as working as a part-time assistant athletic trainer at the Southwestern Michigan Sports Medicine Clinic. During his undergraduate days at Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University), Bean was a student athletic trainer for the Bears' football, baseball and volleyball teams. He also spent time at Evangel College in Springfield, Mo., working with the school's football and basketball squads.

Bean began his athletic training education at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, S.D., working with its football, basketball and wrestling programs. He received his bachelor's degree in education from Southwest Missouri State in 1989. He also received an honorary monogram from the Notre Dame Monogram Club in 2006.

Bean is married to the former Colleen Waldron of South Bend, and they have two daughters: Taylor and Courtney.

LeQUITA BEATON

LeQuita Beaton joined the Notre Dame sports medicine staff in 2008 after serving as the head athletic trainer at Burlington County Community College in Pemberton, N.J., for 19 months. In her current role, Beaton oversees medical care for the Irish men's and women's cross country teams.

A 2003 graduate of Rowan University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in health and exercise science with an athletic training emphasis, Beaton worked with the school's men's and women's track & field teams, as well as its men's and women's cross country and men's and women's soccer programs. She also assisted at Washington Township High School with athletic training duties.

Beaton went on to earn her master's degree in athletic training from California University of Pennsylvania in 2004. While there, she covered the athletic teams at Brownsville Area High and Middle School. Beaton also spent a brief stint at Drexel University working with the women's lacrosse program.

A native of Franklinville, N.J., Beaton has spent time working field hockey sport camps at Rutgers University, as well as camps sponsored by the National Football League's Baltimore Ravens and Washington Redskins.

NICOLE HAMMOND

Nicole Hammond joined the Notre Dame sports medicine department in October 2007 after spending the prior year as an associate athletic trainer at Delaware State University. As a member of the DSU sports medicine staff, she worked with Hornets' football, women's basketball and men's and women's track & field programs.

Prior to her time at Delaware State, Hammond was a graduate assistant athletic trainer at Michigan State University, where she earned her master's degree in kinesiology with an athletic training emphasis. Along with her responsibilities at MSU, she also served as head athletic trainer at nearby Everett High School.

Hammond received her bachelor's degree from Marion College in Fond du Lac, Wis., completing a double major in business administration and sport & recreation management with an individualized minor in athletic training. She also was a two-sport varsity athlete in basketball and softball at Marion.

Hammond has numerous work experiences with various professional, collegiate and high school events and camps. She is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA). The Fond du Lac, Wis., native now resides in South Bend.

ROB HUNT

Rob Hunt, head football athletic trainer at Oklahoma State University the last five years and also head athletic trainer for all Cowboy athletics programs since 2007, has been named head football athletic trainer at the University of Notre Dame.

Hunt, who will work day to day with the Notre Dame football program, brings with him 14 years of experience as an athletic trainer at NCAA institutions.

At Oklahoma State, Hunt served as athletic trainer for the football team all five years and in his final four years in Stillwater coordinated all aspects of medical care for the athletic department's 16 teams and supervised six assistant athletic trainers, eight graduate assistants and two insurance coordinators.

Hunt spent 10 years in the state of Missouri prior to moving to Oklahoma State. From 2004-06 he worked as head athletic trainer at Southeast Missouri State University (working directly with the football and women's tennis teams), after serving as an assistant athletic trainer with the University of Missouri football team from 1999-2004. He also worked with Missouri men's and women's swimming and men's and women's cross country and track and field squads. In his final year with the Tigers, Hunt also served as director of rehabilitation services.

A graduate of Ball State University in 1997 with a major in athletic training, Hunt earned his master's degree in education at the University of Missouri in 1999 and served as a graduate assistant athletic trainer there from 1997-99. In 1996, Hunt worked as an athletic trainer during the preseason with the NFL's New England Patriots.

A native of West Lafayette, Ind., Hunt is a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association. He received two different scholarships from the NATA (one undergraduate, one postgraduate), as well as scholarship help from the Mid-America Athletic Trainers' Association and the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers' Association.

He and his wife, Krista, are parents of four children: Robbie, Alexa, Rachel and Cole.

DAVID LUDWIG

David Ludwig joined the Notre Dame sports medicine department as an assistant athletic trainer in 2008 and oversees the Irish women's soccer team as well as the women's rowing program. Prior to coming to Notre Dame, he worked in the private clinical sector in South Bend as an athletic trainer where he designed and implemented rehabilitation programs for athletic and personal injuries. A 2007 graduate of Ohio State University with a master's degree in allied medical professions, Ludwig covered Ohio State ice hockey for two seasons. He also served as medical coordinator of the Ohio State summer camps in 2005.

Ludwig earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Michigan State University in 2005. While on the MSU student athletic training staff, he spent time covering the Spartans' men's soccer, cheerleading, football, baseball and softball teams.

A native of Buchanan, Mich., Ludwig also received an associate's degree from Southwestern Michigan College in 2000.

ANNE MARQUEZ

Anne Marquez is an assistant athletic trainer at Notre Dame, focusing her responsibilities on the Irish women's basketball team and the cheerleading squad. Marquez arrived at Notre Dame in October 2006 following three years as an assistant athletic trainer at Louisiana Tech, where she worked with the famed Lady Techster women's basketball program, as well as the school's football and women's soccer teams. She also was the department's insurance coordinator and taught the "Introduction to Sports Medicine" course to undergraduate student-athletic trainers.

Marquez arrived at Louisiana Tech after serving as a graduate assistant at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La., where she earned her master's degree in sports administration. While at NSU, Marquez worked with the Demons' women's basketball and football teams. The Framingham, Mass., native, who is board certified by the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA), also served as an instructor at Northwestern State, heading CPR and first aid courses for university students.

Marquez received her bachelor's degree in sports medicine from the University of West Florida in 2001. While at UWF, she worked with the Argonauts' men's and women's cross country, women's soccer and softball teams.

MANDY MERRITT

Mandy Merritt is an associate athletic trainer and physical therapist on the Notre Dame sports medicine staff, working with the Irish men's lacrosse and women's swimming & diving teams. Prior to coming to Notre Dame, she worked at the University of Delaware in a dual position with the UD Physical Therapy Clinic and the university athletic department. Her responsibilities with the UD athletics department included coverage of the Blue Hens' men's soccer, women's lacrosse and women's basketball squads. Her job also included carrying out various research protocols and testing for patients following total knee replacements, as well as pre-operation potential coper vs. non-coper ACL patients. In addition, Merritt served as an assistant instructor for a graduate level orthopedic class and is a credentialed clinical instructor in both athletic training and physical therapy.

She is a graduate of Delaware with both a bachelor's degree in athletic training and a clinical doctorate in physical therapy. After graduation, she spent one season at Towson State University, working with the Tigers' men's lacrosse team.

A native of Wellandport, Ontario, Canada, Merritt also played soccer at Delaware, where she was a two-year all-conference selection and an Academic All-America nominee.

SKIP MEYER

William "Skip" Meyer is the longtime athletic trainer of the Notre Dame men's basketball team and also works with the Irish men's and women's golf teams. A native of Torrington, Conn., Meyer joined the Notre Dame staff in 1979 after serving a three-year stint as an athletic trainer at Lehigh University. While at the Bethlehem, Pa., institution, Meyer worked with the Engineers' baseball, men's basketball and football teams.

Meyer, who helps with the health care and treatment of all Notre Dame varsity student-athletes in addition to traveling with the men's basketball team, attended Central Connecticut State College. He received an associate's degree in recreation and a bachelor's degree in health and physical education in 1974. Meyer then obtained his master's degree from Trenton State College in 1976.

In addition to his duties with the Notre Dame sports medicine staff, Meyer teaches a variety of courses in the University's physical education department, and he is a representative on the BIG EAST Conference Sports Medicine Committee. He also is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine and a certified member of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA). In 2003, he received an honorary monogram from the Notre Dame Monogram Club.

Meyer and his wife, the former Pam Colangelo of Torrington, Conn., have two children: son, Christopher, and daughter, Lindsey.

CHANTAL PORTER

Chantal Porter is an associate athletic trainer at Notre Dame and oversees the Irish women's Olympic sports, while also assisting in the management of the Joyce Center athletic training facility. She is directly responsible for medical care with the Irish volleyball and women's lacrosse teams. Porter also has worked with the Notre Dame softball, men's and women's tennis, and men's swimming & diving teams during her tenure.

A 1994 graduate of Iowa State University, Porter received her bachelor's degree in health and human performance. While at ISU, she worked closely with the Cyclones' football, wrestling, and women's gymnastics programs. Porter then enrolled at Old Dominion University and earned her master's degree in 1996. While at ODU, Porter served as a graduate assistant athletic trainer, working primarily with the Monarchs' women's lacrosse, women's basketball, and baseball teams. She also has worked for the United States Tennis Association (USTA), traveling on its satellite tours.

A native of Altoona, Iowa, Porter married Aaron Michael Frucci of Niles, Mich., in July 2007. The couple lives in South Bend with Aaron's son, Vincent.

KEVIN RICKS

Kevin Ricks is an associate athletic trainer at Notre Dame, working with the Irish hockey team and assisting with football and the management of the Joyce Center athletic training facility. Ricks also has worked with the Irish men's and women's fencing, men's and women's track & field, women's swimming & diving, women's soccer and women's rowing teams in his time at Notre Dame.

Before arriving at the University, Ricks worked two years at the University of Mississippi as a graduate assistant athletic trainer, spending one year working with the Rebels' men's and women's track & field teams and one year working with the Ole Miss football team. He earned his master's degree in exercise science, with an emphasis in biomechanics, from Mississippi in 2001.

Ricks spent the summer of 1999 as an intern at Chicago's Athletico Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy Clinic. One summer earlier, he served as a student athletic trainer intern at the National Football League's St. Louis Rams training camp in Macomb, Ill., and worked at the Rams' preseason football games.

A native of Peoria, Ill., Ricks is a 1999 graduate of Western Illinois University, where he received his bachelor's degree in athletic training while working with the Leathernecks' football, baseball, women's soccer, softball and tennis teams as a student athletic trainer.

Ricks is a certified member of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA). He and his wife Cheryl have a son, Hunter and reside in South Bend.

JIM RUSS

Jim Russ is Notre Dame's head athletic trainer and physical therapist. Since assuming that role in August 1986, Russ has been responsible for the administration of the athletic training program for all Irish men's and women's varsity athletic programs (currently numbering 26).

The LaPorte, Ind., native boasted seven years of experience on the collegiate level prior to a three-year stint in the United States Football League (USFL) as head athletic trainer of the Tampa Bay Bandits just prior to coming to Notre Dame. From 1977-82, Russ served as assistant athletic trainer and physical therapist at Purdue University. He then held the same position at the University of Florida the following two seasons.

A graduate of Ball State with a bachelor's degree in physical education and minors in health science and athletic training, Russ earned his master's degree in athletic training and sports medicine from the University of Arizona, and later added a bachelor's degree from Florida International University in physical therapy.

While pursuing his master's degree at UA, Russ worked as head athletic trainer at Pueblo High School in Tucson, Ariz. As an undergraduate at Ball State, he served as an athletic trainer and worked with the National Football League's Detroit Lions.

In June 2000, he was awarded an honorary monogram by the Notre Dame Monogram Club.

Russ and his wife, the former Mary Pat Shea, of St. Petersburg, Fla., are parents of four children: Jeff, an '01 Notre Dame graduate; Laura, an '04 Notre Dame graduate; Lisa and Mark.

STEVEN SMITH

Steven Smith joined the Notre Dame sports medicine department as an assistant athletic trainer in August 2011, overseeing the Irish men's soccer team as well as the women's tennis team. Prior to his arrival, he was an assistant athletic trainer at Eastern Michigan University. While at Eastern Michigan he was responsible for the men's basketball team, as well as women's volleyball and women's crew.

Steven earned a Master's degree while working as a graduate assistant at Grand Valley State University. As a graduate assistant he worked with both the football and baseball teams. Smith has also spent multiple summer covering summer camps at University of Notre Dame, as student athletic trainer. He earned his bachelor's degree from Northern Michigan University in 2007. Steven and his wife Leslie currently reside in South Bend.

SCOTT STANSBURY

Scott Stansbury joined the Notre Dame sports medicine staff in July 2007. A 2003 graduate of Salisbury State University, he earned a bachelor's degree in physical Education/athletic training. He then attended Villanova University, graduating in 2005 with a master's degree in education. As a graduate assistant in sports medicine at VU from 2005-06, he was responsible for overseeing the health care for both the Wildcats' baseball and men's soccer programs.

Following his graduation from Villanova, Stansbury was employed as a NovaCare Rehabilitation contract athletic trainer at the University, where he has worked for two years. During his stint with NovaCare, he was responsible for the health care of the VU baseball, men's lacrosse and women's soccer programs. He is board certified by the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) and is an active member of the NATA.

Stansbury is a native of Westminster, Md., and is married to the former Meghan Koons of Hanover, Pa. They reside in South Bend.

TONY SUTTON

Tony Sutton is an associate athletic trainer at Notre Dame, working primarily with Irish football and men's tennis teams. Prior to coming to Notre Dame in 1997, Sutton served as an athletic trainer for sports relations at the Hughston Clinic in Auburn, Ala.

Previously, Sutton was the assistant athletic director for medical services/head athletic trainer at Charleston Southern University in Charleston, S.C., from 1991-94. There, he oversaw the entire athletic training program for 16 sports. In addition, he had other administrative duties within the CSU athletic department. From 1984-91, Sutton was an assistant athletic trainer at the University of Florida, following a stint as a graduate assistant. At Florida, Sutton assisted with the Gators' football program and also served as the UF men's basketball athletic trainer.

Sutton received his bachelor's degree in health education and sports medicine from East Carolina University in 1982. Sutton also worked on the athlete medical staff for track & field during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. He has conducted sports medicine clinics in Japan, Indonesia and Malaysia, and he has held elected positions in the Athletic Trainers' Association of Florida and Alabama Sports Medicine Society. He is the former chair of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) Career Center Project Team. He also serves as an at-large member of the NATA Ethics Committee.

A North Carolina native, Sutton and his wife, Sherry, have two children: Kurt and Julie, a Notre Dame Class of 2012 student.