{"id":13991,"date":"2025-10-02T14:54:07","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T19:54:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.und.edu\/for-your-health\/?p=13991"},"modified":"2025-10-03T09:03:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T14:03:13","slug":"sports-medicine-chair-steve-westereng-inducted-into-north-dakota-athletic-trainers-association-hall-of-fame","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.und.edu\/for-your-health\/2025\/10\/02\/sports-medicine-chair-steve-westereng-inducted-into-north-dakota-athletic-trainers-association-hall-of-fame\/","title":{"rendered":"Sports Medicine chair Steve Westereng inducted into North Dakota Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame"},"content":{"rendered":"

Steve Westereng, Chair of the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences Department of Sports Medicine<\/strong><\/a>, is the latest Hall of Fame inductee for the North Dakota Athletic Trainers Association (NDATA)<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

“I serve as the Chair of the NDATA Honors and Awards Committee and I\u2019m usually involved in the process of giving the awards out,\u201d said Westereng, adding that he knew nothing about the award until it was a done-deal. \u201cI was shocked at the time to even be considered, much less receive the award. Past winners have been mentors of mine and they have done so much for athletic training in the state of North Dakota.\u201d<\/p>\n

An NDATA member since 1999, Westereng served as the organization\u2019s President from 2013 to 2016 and was NDATA Executive Director from 2016 to 2019. In this latter capacity, Westereng represented NDATA at Mid-America Athletic Trainer’s Association (MAATA) meetings.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo be recognized by your peers in the profession is an honor I truly appreciate,\u201d said the Minot, N.D., native, who has been faculty in the Department of Sports Medicine since 1999 and chair since 2003.<\/p>\n

Among his career highlights, said Westereng, was testifying before the North Dakota Legislative Assembly on North Dakota Century Code revisions for athletic trainers in 2015. This change in state law, combined with the action of other NDATA members, \u201cresulted in the NDATA receiving a national award from the National Athletic Trainers Association Governmental Affairs Council for legislative\/regulatory action.\u201d<\/p>\n

Explaining how Westereng \u201chas been instrumental in progress made by the NDATA in improving the profession for our athletic trainers and the athletes\u201d in North Dakota, NDATA President Alyssa Albrecht lauded her longtime colleague.<\/p>\n

\u201cSteve has served on a variety of state and local committees and has also held many board positions over the years,\u201d Albrecht wrote. \u201cI could go on about Steve\u2019s accomplishments and dedication, but the bottom line is that this award is well deserved. Congratulations again, Steve!\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the NDATA, to be eligible for Hall of Fame nomination, living candidates must meet at least one of the following criteria:<\/p>\n