Chad Gabbard '95 has joined the Butler Athletics staff in the role of Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Health, Performance and Well-Being.
 
In this role, Gabbard will coordinate all health care activities for Butler's teams and student-athletes. While serving as a member of the department's senior leadership team, Gabbard will oversee Butler's areas of sports medicine, strength and conditioning, and mental health, in addition to the department's partner physicians, dietitians and sports psychologists.
 
"Chad brings tremendous experience and management skills to this important position," said Butler Vice President/Director of Athletics Grant Leiendecker '11. "Our athlete-centric model provides high-quality care and maximizes the performance of our more than 500 student-athletes. Chad will continue to elevate our services through his mentorship of the talented professionals we have in these areas and his active role on our senior staff. While he has never been far from campus, we are excited to bring a Bulldog back to 49^th Street."
 
Gabbard is a 1995 Butler graduate with a degree in athletic training and was a member of the men's soccer program during his undergraduate time on campus. He later earned a master's degree in sports management from Northern Illinois University.
 
Gabbard arrives at Butler after most recently serving as St. Vincent Sports Performance's manager of event medical management and outreach. As part of his role, he was responsible for hiring, supporting and evaluating all certified athletic trainers who were assigned by SVSP to outreach locations, such as local universities and high schools. He also fostered partnerships with organizations, businesses and the sports community to provide SVSP services to those entities, such as USA Football and Indiana Sports Corp events.
 
Through his work with St. Vincent Sports Performance, Gabbard previously served as the head athletic trainer for Marian University (2009-12) and Carmel High School (2004-09). He has additional college athletics experience from athletic training positions at the University of Wisconsin (2001-04) and Northern Illinois (1997-99). While working with Athletico Sports Medicine, Gabbard served in athletic training positions with the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer and Bishop Fenwick High School in Illinois (1999-01).
 
Gabbard fills the role previously held by Ralph Reiff, who retired from his position at Butler at the end of the spring semester.