LEWISBURG, Pa. – Eric Storsved has been appointed as Bucknell Athletics’ new senior associate director of athletics for student-athlete health and performance, a reimagined leadership role designed to further strengthen the well-being and success of Bison student-athletes. Storsved has worked in the college athletics healthcare space for nearly 25 years, most recently as assistant athletic director for sports medicine at Elon University. He will oversee all aspects of Bucknell’s student-athlete well-being and performance, including oversight of the sports medicine and strength and conditioning programs. Storsved will assume the role of Bucknell’s NCAA-mandated Athletics Health Care Administrator and also take over the sport administrator responsibilities for the Bison football program. 
 
“I am excited to welcome Eric to the Bison Athletics family as he takes on an important new role that is designed to enhance the performance and well-being of our more than 750 student-athletes,” said Tim Pavlechko, interim vice president for Athletics & Recreation. “Throughout the interview process, it was clear that Eric leads with a people-first approach, and he brings a reputation as a bridge-builder who has collaborated extensively and established partnerships with constituents both on his campus and across the healthcare industry.”
 
Storsved has headed up Elon’s sports medicine department since 2007, while serving as the head athletic trainer for football and men’s basketball. In addition to his expertise in injury prevention and treatment, Storsved managed a staff of 10 athletic trainers who provided care for student-athletes across 17 Division I sports. He oversaw the implementation of a new physician services team, including primary care, orthopedic, and mental health services. Storsved recently established the first medical collaboration between Duke Sports Medicine and Cone Health, a partnership that enhanced the healthcare services for Elon’s student-athletes.
 
During his time at Elon, Storsved developed a collaborative partnership between the sports medicine and strength and conditioning staffs in an effort to optimize performance and prevent injuries. He also launched a tailored nutritional program for student-athletes, collaborated with Elon’s counseling services, and teamed with physicians and researchers from the Elon BrainCare Research Institute to expand concussion testing and management. Storsved also served as an adjunct professor in the departments of Exercise Science, Physical Education and Health, and Physical Therapy.
 
Storsved is a 1999 graduate of North Dakota State University, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in athletic training. He received a master of science degree in kinesiology from Indiana University in 2001 and a master of business administration from Elon in 2021. He worked as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at Indiana and later served as an athletic trainer at Franklin (Ind.) Community High School (2001-02), Adrian College (2002-03), and University of Evansville (2003-07) before moving on to Elon. 
 
 
 

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Posted: Aug 24, 2025 2:11 PMUpdated: Aug 24, 2025 3:12 PM

Samaritan Sports Spectacular a Success

The 19th annual Samaritan Sports Spectacular was held on Saturday evening at Hilton Garden Inn. This is a yearly fundraising event to support the work of the Samaritan Counseling and Growth Center.

Bartlesville Radio’s Evan Fahrbach was the moderator and five former Bruins in Clent Stewart, David Castillo, Campbell Barta, Morgan Lawrence-Hayes and Jared Hicks spoke on the importance of believing in yourself and blocking out the outside noise.

Hicks, a 2001 graduate of Bartlesville, said 25 years ago mental health was thought of differently than how it is today. Hicks said if there is an athlete who needs some form of help from a mental aspect, it is easier to step up and say something now.

For Castillo, who is a sophomore at Kansas State University this year, he said once he got to college, it was important to quit comparing himself to others and caring what others thought about his game.

Stewart, who played high school basketball at Tulsa Union before going on to play collegiately at K-State, said the biggest challenge for college athletes is having to adjust from being the best player on their high school team to being a role player on their college team.

The 19th annual Samaritan Sports Spectacular was another sellout crowd. If you would like more information, or if you would like to donate, visit supportsamaritan.org.  

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New York City is bustling with tennis fans. They are flooding the city, to watch the 2025 US Open, which started on August 18^th. There’s something different about the open this year. For the first time, the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) organized two days of programming to highlight and educate on player wellness. This wasn’t the typical awareness event for the public. Instead, it was an intimate gather of players, agents, and their family and friends.

On Wednesday, August 20^th, and Thursday, August 21^st, the PTPA hosted its inaugural Beyond The Court Summit in support of player wellness. This exclusive, invitation-only event lasted two days. It was held at the National Basketball Players Association headquarters in New York City. Damon Valentino, PTPA Mental Fitness Director, curated a list of speakers. These included leading clinicians, researchers, mental health advocates, and professional athletes from different sports.

The theme of day one was “Awareness and Access – Why Mental Health is Performance Health.” This first session featured speakers including Deonte Harty (NFL Player), Keita Bates-Diop (NBA Player), Dr. Jason Wersland (Founder and Chief Wellness Officer of Therabody), and Dr. Brook Choulet (President, American Board of Sports & Performance Psychiatry).

For those lucky enough to be a part of the invite-only audience, they were able to hear Bates-Diop and Harty talk about optimizing recovery and how important mental health and emotional wellness are in achieving peak physical performance in their respective sports. The theme of day two was “Tools and Transformation – Training the Mind, Supporting the Human.” The audience heard from Dr. Robby Sikka (PTPA Medical Director), Rawle Andrews Jr. (Executive Director, American Psychiatric Association Foundation), Dr. Marcelo Bigliassi (Psychophysiologist), and more.

Big names in the health and wellness industry came together to partner on the event, showing the growing importance of supporting mental health initiatives. Ōura provided rings to the tennis players in attendance and Therabody demonstrated the role of the SleepMask and SmartGoggles in recovery. The American Psychiatric Association Foundation and The Steele Family Foundation’s Wise Scholarship Program also came together to support this event.

These events and initiatives are becoming the norm at industry events in professional sports, like the Super Bowl, the US Open, and the NBA’s Summer League. The players’ associations of each respective league are planning events to educate players, but also educate clinicians who are involved in treating the athletes. Earlier this year, the NFLPA hosted the Be Well conference ahead of the Super Bowl in New Orleans, LA. Spearheaded by Dr. Amber Cargill, Director of Player Wellness at the NFLPA, the Be Well initiative also featured a panel of players who spoke on their experiences with mental health in the context of professional football.

It is my hope that we will see an increasing number of these events surrounding championship events in professional sports, as these initiatives are actively normalizing the conversation are mental health in sport and providing education to those in attendance.

On day one of Total Store Expo, a WE organization panel with female athletes/business executives looked at how sports build character, resilience and leadership beyond the game and in the business world.

The panelist included Amanda Coussoule, U.S. chief customer officer, Kenvue; Jill Fitzgerald, executive vice president, business development, Market Performance Group LLC, Elizabeth Karvonen, vice president, strategic initiatives; The Emerson Group; Colleen Lindholz, president, Kroger Health; and Faith Masonius, former NCAA athlete, MBA Student and content creator for TikTok.

The discussion featured insights from women who had excelled both in athletics and business. Historic milestones like Billie Jean King’s victory in the “Battle of the Sexes,” Simone Biles’ withdrawal for mental health during the Tokyo Olympics, and the rise in NCAA women’s sports viewership in 2023 were highlighted to demonstrate milestones in women’s sports and to show how women in sports have shaped leadership across industries.

The panel showed the connection between sports and leadership, with 69% of women who play sports holding formal leadership roles, many of them reaching positions such as manager, director, or in the C-suite. For example, 94% of women in the C-suite played sports, with 52% of them at the collegiate level. These findings reinforced the idea that sports foster skills like teamwork, discipline and resilience, which are crucial for professional success.

Together, they emphasized how their sports journeys not only led to individual success but also provided them with tools to lead and inspire others in their professional lives.

Simone Biles, widely regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time, is still contemplating whether she will compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Following a remarkable comeback at the 2024 Paris Games, where she secured three gold medals and one silver, Biles has made it clear she has yet to make a final decision about her next Olympic journey. For now, her focus remains on mental and physical recovery after years of intense competition.

“I haven’t decided yet – I’m still taking time off mentally and physically before I decide anything,” Biles revealed.

She emphasized that preparing for the Olympics is not a short-term effort but rather a four-year commitment requiring immense dedication. Training for such a monumental event demands focus, sacrifice, and teamwork – it’s never just an individual decision.

Her hesitation is understandable given the physical and mental toll gymnastics has taken on her. After the Paris Olympics, Biles said her body “literally collapsed,” leading to ten days of illness and exhaustion.

This experience came on top of her well-documented struggle during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, when she withdrew from several events due to the “twisties”, a dangerous condition causing loss of spatial awareness mid-air. The decision to step back sparked a national conversation about athlete mental health and the importance of self-care.

Despite those challenges, Biles returned stronger in Paris, showcasing resilience and unwavering determination. But she acknowledges that the road ahead is not hers alone to walk.

“It’s a lot of dedication, sacrifice, and teamwork, because it’s not just me involved,” Biles said, highlighting how the decision to compete is intertwined with her coaches, family, and support system.

Biles assures fans she will be involved

Although she hasn’t committed to competing in 2028, Biles assures fans she will be involved in the Los Angeles Games one way or another. “If I’m not on the floor, I definitely will be in and around it,” she promised, expressing her ongoing passion for gymnastics and desire to contribute to the sport’s future.

Having competed in three Olympics – Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024 – Biles understands the weight of her legacy. She described considering another Olympic cycle as “greedy,” mindful of the sacrifices required and the importance of balance in her personal life, including her marriage.

Yet, true to her spirit, Biles embraces a “never say never” attitude, keeping the possibility of a return open. Her journey is not only about medals but also about self-care, joy, and passion. Whether competing or supporting, Simone Biles’ impact on gymnastics will continue to inspire for years to come.