MORROW, Ga. – Former Marietta College football player A.J. Eppley has been named as a Clayton State graduate assistant athletic trainer as announced by head athletic trainer Alicia Roane on Saturday, August 6. He will be responsible for coverage of men's and women's cross country and track & field and men's basketball for the Lakers.
 
Eppley comes to Clayton State from Division III Marietta College (Ohio) where he worked with five different sports during his athletic training rotations from 2014-16.
 
He began by working with the Pioneers indoor and outdoor track & field programs in the spring of 2014. In that role he handled coverage of meets, evaluated and treated lower extremity injuries and was in charge of set up for treatments for practices and meets.
 
The following spring he logged 171 hours with Marietta's softball program. In addition to regular coverage duties he treated chronic shoulder injuries, in part, by using the E-Stim and Ultrasound.
 
He would conclude his on campus rotations during the 2015-16 campaign as he assisted with coverage of the men's basketball program. Eppley helped student-athletes rehab from Grade II ankle injuries, handled SCAT testing for freshman and transfers and utilized athletic trainer software to document treatments, rehabs and student-athlete information.
 
In addition to his work with MC's programs, he performed four off campus clinical rotations, beginning in Fall 2014 with the Parkersburg High School football program. There he managed coverage of preseason practices and in-season coverage of games while assisting with SCAT III testing. He also handled the "return to play" concussion protocol.
 
The following fall Eppley would work with Marietta High School football team in largely the same role, with the exception of taking care of bracing, taping and injury management of athletes.
 
Also in the Fall of 2015 he would undertake two additional rotations. In his emergency department rotation he observed emergency medical physicians in a clinical setting, did a general medical rotation and assisted emergency staff as needed. He also took on an extra rotation with Sports Med Medicine Physician at that same time. Eppley observed a sports medicine physician in a clinical setting and discussed current medical practices in athletic training.
 
He also brings with him specific research efforts in two different areas. Eppley was part of a three semester Capstone project where he and his fellow researchers handled all research and data and subject collection in comparing the effects of Roller-Massagers, Foam Rollers and manual stretching on increasing ankle range of movement.
 
His other research efforts focused on a biomechanical analysis of the volleyball spike. This featured the use of DartFish, a biomechanical analysis program, and allowed researchers to take classroom learning and apply it in a real world setting.
 
In addition to his extensive efforts within the field of athletic training, Eppley was also a four year member of the Marietta College football program from 2012-15. During that time he played in 20 games as an offensive lineman for the Pioneers.
 
After playing in a combined five games in his first two seasons, he equaled that as a junior and saw action in a career-best 10 games as a senior. In both of his last two seasons he took on a leadership role on the team and was a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee during that time.
 
Eppley is certified in First Aid, CPR, AED and is an American Red Cross Professional Responder. Additionally, he was a two-year member of the Marietta College Athletic Training Student Organization, serving as Treasurer from May 2014 to May 2015 and Vice President from May 2015 through May 2016.
 
"I can't thank everyone at Clayton State for the opportunity that they have presented me," said Eppley. "Working with the cross country and track programs as well as men's basketball will help me better myself as an athletic trainer. Everyone has been great and inviting. I am beyond excited to start working with the teams and I can't wait to see where this opportunity takes me in life."
 
Along with his athletic training qualifications, the Zanesville, Ohio native has also served as athletic training representative for football during the Special Olympics and high school indoor track & field meets. He has also been a student helper with the Marietta College Athletic Training Camp, contributed to Toys for Tots as part of the Pioneers football program and participated in Penny Wars to raise money to purchase teddy bears for kids at a local children's hospital.
 
A 2016 graduate of Marietta College, Eppley holds a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training and is certified through the Board of Certification as of April 2016.
 
TRANSACTIONS
Announced that A.J. Eppley has been named a graduate assistant athletic trainer at Clayton State.