LUBBOCK, Texas (July 2, 2026) – Lubbock Christian University's Sports Medicine department has been named the 2025-26 Lone Star Conference Athletic Training Staff of the Year among the league's non-football institutions, marking the first time in program history the Lady Chaps and Chaps have earned the conference honor.
The award recognizes excellence in athletic training and sports medicine, with recipients selected by the head athletic trainers from each Lone Star Conference member institution. Criteria include hospitality toward visiting athletic trainers and teams, preparedness with supplies, equipment and services, emergency readiness and the quality of care provided to injured visiting student-athletes.
LCU's sports medicine staff is led by Director of Sports Medicine Tom Tisdale, who joined the Chaparrals in the spring of 2025. During the 2025-26 academic year, Tisdale was joined by assistant athletic trainers Caleb Barrientez, Juan Macilla and Journey Page, providing medical coverage for the university's 17 varsity athletic programs.
The recognition also reflects the efforts of LCU's student athletic trainers, including Magdalyn "Mags" Chavez, Briana Erculiani, Emma Pointer, McKenna Ruiz and Sabrina Nelson, whose dedication played a vital role throughout the year. LCU also credited its partnership with Lubbock Sports Medicine, led by Dr. Stephen Flores, Ashton Meeks, PA-C, Sara Dragosz, ATC, and Miranda Altman, FNP, for their continued commitment to the health and well-being of Chaparral student-athletes.
The Lone Star Conference began recognizing Athletic Training Staffs of the Year during the 2004-05 academic year. Since 2019-20, separate awards have been presented to football-playing and non-football-playing institutions to highlight outstanding athletic training staffs across the conference.
LCU shared this year's honor with Midwestern State, which was recognized as the Athletic Training Staff of the Year among football-playing institutions. Midwestern State earned the award for the sixth time, while Lubbock Christian claimed the distinction for the first time.
