Bradford Joins Strength & Conditioning, Quigley Joins Sports Medicine

Colgate Athletics announced Tuesday the addition of two employees to its Sports Performance department. Krysta Bradford joins the Strength and Conditioning team, while Bennett Quigley has been added to the Sports Medicine staff.

Bradford is expected to manage the strength and conditioning responsibilities for multiple Raider teams: women’s basketball, swimming and diving, tennis and women’s rowing, in addition to assisting with football. Quigley serves as the primary athletic trainer for women’s ice hockey and men’s and women’s tennis.

“I am very pleased to add these fine, young professionals to our Sport Performance department,” said Steve Chouinard, Assistant AD for Sports Performance and Director of Sports Medicine. “They have gained valuable experience at high-level programs and are prepared to assist Colgate’s athletes achieve to their utmost.

“I must give thanks to our athletic and university administration and leadership for their efforts in creating these positions. The importance of both sports medicine and strength and conditioning is publicly demonstrated when we are able to add quality people like Krysta and Ben to our program and further demonstrate Colgate’s commitment to student-athlete welfare.”

Krysta Bradford

Bradford arrives after a brief stint at Arkansas State, where she began in May as an intern strength and conditioning coach working with football. Before that, Bradford was a graduate assistant for three seasons at Kentucky, managing women’s tennis, diving and women’s cheer. She also assisted with nine other squads, including women’s basketball, volleyball, softball and women’s soccer.

The renowned Wildcat cheer squads with Bradford’s help maintained their national championship form in 2016 and 2017. She also aided a Kentucky women’s doubles team during its advancement to the 2016 NCAA tournament quarterfinals and an ITA Indoor Collegiate championship.

“Coach Bradford brings valuable experience working with a wide variety of different sports, which was very important to me during her interview process,” said Paul Helsel, Colgate’s Director of Strength and Conditioning. “Her philosophies on training and motivating athletes are very similar to my own, so I know she will do well at Colgate.

“She is a valuable addition to our staff.”

After graduating from the University of Indianapolis in 2014, Bradford spent that summer interning at LSU and working with basketball, softball, tennis and swimming and diving.

“I am honored for the opportunity to become a part of the Colgate family,” Bradford said. “Hamilton is a great community, and I’m excited to get there and begin working with the teams and coaches.”

Bradford was a four-year letterwinner on the UIndy softball team. The Greyhounds during that time won three Great Lakes Valley Conference Eastern Division titles and one overall GLVC title in 2012. UIndy also captured the 2013 NCAA Midwest Regional championship.

During her undergraduate playing days, Bradford began her strength and conditioning career as a volunteer coach during the 2013-14 season. She was an NCAA Division II All-America Scholar-Athlete and UIndy dean’s list member that year as well, capping three years out of four on the university’s honor roll.

Bradford is a native of Festus, Mo.

Bennett Quigley

Quigley comes to Colgate after wrapping up a two-year stint as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at Syracuse. He served as the lead grad assistant for the Orange football team, in addition to the primary grad assistant with women’s tennis and field hockey.

While at Syracuse, Quigley managed and evaluated graduate assistants and hydration assistants, provided clinical evaluation, treatment and rehab, and designed and implemented therapeutic exercise programs for injured and post-surgical athletes. He earned his Master of Science in Exercise Science in May 2017.

Quigley did his undergraduate work at Canisius College, graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training in 2015. While with the Griffs, Quigley completed 200 hours of hands-on clinical experience working with the Canisius men’s ice hockey, women’s lacrosse, women’s soccer, women’s basketball and football teams.

“It is a pleasure to join the Colgate family,” Quigley said. “I am excited to aid in the continued success and traditions of Colgate Athletics.”

Quigley spent time as an intern athletic training student at Erie Community College and Zelasko Soft Tissue and Spine. He also is a certified professional ski instructor.

A Central New York native of nearby Rome, Quigley holds certifications from the National Athletic Trainers Association and the American Heart Association in CPR/AED and first aid.

By martha

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