UMD Athletics

  Dr. Susan Hoppe is beginning her 20^th  year as an Athletic Trainer at the University of Minnesota Duluth and her first year as the Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine and Performance.  She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 1999.  She then earned his Master of Education degree at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, GA in 2001.  Prior to arriving at UMD, Suz worked 2 years at Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC with their DI baseball team.  Upon arrival at UMD, she began working with the soccer, women's basketball, and softball teams for one year before working with men's hockey.  Currently, she is directly overseeing the Residency Program for the Men's and Women's Hockey teams, as well as the health care for all UMD Varsity Athletics.  Additionally, she is trained in Graston Technique M1, Active Release Technique, Muscle Energy techniques, and Master Dry Needling.

Suz is a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association, Professional Hockey Athletic Trainer's Association, serves as preceptor for the College of St. Scholastica Athletic Training Program, the University of Iowa Athletic Training Program, and Baylor University Athletic Training Program.  In addition, she serves as the director of the (non-CAATE accredited) Athletic Training Hockey Residency program.  She earned her Doctor of Education degree in 2011 from the University of Minnesota Duluth with her dissertation topic relating to the transitioning of a student to a professional within the profession of Athletic Training.  
 
Suz resides in Duluth with her husband, James, and two children Addison and Emma.
 




Charla Buxbaum, MS, ATC Sami is entering her second year as an Athletic Trainer at the University of Minnesota Duluth. A native of Minnetonka, Minnesota, she obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from The College of Saint Benedict and her Master of Science degree in Athletic Training from The College of Saint Scholastica.

Prior to beginning her role at UMD, Sami was an athletic trainer at Ripon College in Ripon, WI for 5 1/2 years. There she provided healthcare to all 21 teams, with an emphasis on volleyball, women's tennis, men's basketball, and baseball. She was also the athletic trainer for the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders of the Northwoods League for their first five years as a franchise.

She is a certified member of the National Athletic Trainers Association, certified in the Graston M1 technique, certified in dry needling, QPR trained, and is a Corrective Exercise Specialist and American Red Cross CPR/AED Instructor.  She provides health care to the Volleyball and Men's Basketball teams.


 

Rachel Swichtenberg, ATC
Rachel is entering her second year as an Athletic Trainer at the University of Minnesota Duluth. A native of Hortonville, Wisconsin, she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 2019. Prior to beginning her role at UMD, Rachel was an athletic trainer at Finlandia University in Hancock, MI. There she provided healthcare to all 11 teams, with an emphasis on women's soccer, men's hockey and softball. 

She is a certified member of the National Athletic Trainers Association and is Graston, M1 trained, Dry Needling and Reflexive Performance Reset. She provides health care for women's soccer and softball teams.








Sarah Miller, MAT, ATC
Sarah is in her second year as a Resident Athletic Trainer at the University of Minnesota Duluth.  She earned her Bachelors degree in Exercise Science from Oklahoma State University in 2019 while competing in Equestrian.  She earned her Master of Arts degree in Athletic Training from the University of Nebraska Omaha in 2021. Miller's hometown is Boulder, Colorado. 

Sarah is a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association, is trained in Dry Needling, and serves as a preceptor to Baylor University Athletic Training Program.  She assists in providing health care to the Men's Hockey team.

Kristin Sondys, MS, ATC

Kristin is entering her first year as a Resident Athletic Trainer at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Kristin is originally from San Diego, CA. She graduated from Miami University in Oxford, OH with dual Bachelor's degrees in Athletic Training and Kinesiology and Health and then went on to receive her Master of Science in Athletic Training from Western Michigan University.  While at Western Michigan, Kristin completed a Graduate Assistant position as an Athletic Trainer at a local high school in Kalamazoo, MI.  Additionally, Sondys previously interned at an Olympic training facility in Guangzhou, China in 2019.

She is Graston M1 certified and a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association. Kristin assists in providing care for the Women's Hockey team. 

Kiara Marksman, ATC

Kiara is in her second year as an Intern Athletic Trainer at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Originally from Kiel, WI, she earned her Bachelor's degree in Athletic Training and Spanish in 2021 from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Prior to coming to UMD, she worked at Life Chiropractic University in Marietta, Georgia with the Women's Basketball and Women's Track and Field teams. 

Kiara is a member of the National Athletic Trainer's Association and is Graston M1 Trained. She provides health care to the Football and Baseball teams. 






Katrina Hough, ATC
Katrina is entering her second year as an Athletic Trainer at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Katrina obtained her Bachelors of Science in Exercise Physiology in 2015 and Master of Science in Athletic Training degree in 2017 both from The College of Saint Scholastica.

Prior to beginning her role at UMD, she worked at St. Luke's Orthopedics with outreach to UMD Sports Club Program where she established an athletic training program for the 24 club teams. She also worked closely with the Orthopedic and Sport Medicine providers at St. Luke's as a casting specialist and providing patient care to the clinic. Katrina works primarily with RSOP and UMD Sport Clubs programs.

Katrina is a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association, Graston M1 trained, and serves as preceptor for the College of St. Scholastica Athletic Training Program.

Katrina resides in Carlton with her husband Chase, and their son Caz.