Michigan State associate head athletic trainer Dave Carrier has been named the recipient of the 2016 Jim Fullerton Award, it has been announced by the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA).
Carrier will be one of eight individuals to receive a major award from the AHCA during the organization’s convention, April 27 in Naples, Florida. All eight award winners are being recognized for their unique contributions to amateur hockey in the United States.
Named in honor of the former Brown University hockey coach and AHCA spiritual leader, the Fullerton Award recognizes an individual who loves the purity of our sport. Whether a coach, administrator, trainer, official, journalist or simply a fan, the recipient exemplifies Jim Fullerton, who gave as much as he received and never stopped caring about the direction in which our game was heading.
Carrier is in his 32nd year at Michigan State and has spent every season with the hockey team. Prior to MSU, Carrier worked with the hockey team at Ferris State for five seasons.
“To be recognized by the American Hockey Coaches Association, in the sport in which you have honed your skills for the past 37 years, is truly a great honor,” said Carrier. “Coming off the high of the NATA Hall of Fame Induction in June of 2015, and now to receive this award is very humbling and fulfilling as a professional and human being.”
“It’s great to see Dave recognized for all of his contributions to the game of hockey,” said MSU head coach Tom Anastos. “As someone who has been a vital part of Spartan hockey for over 30 years, Dave’s contributions to the program are immeasurable. This is another well-deserved honor and the entire Spartan family is proud and excited for Dave.”
This past June, Carrier became the third athletic trainer from MSU to be inducted into the National Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame, joining head athletic trainer Dr. Sally Nogle and Dr. John Powell.
Carrier’s long and distinguished career makes him not only one of the longest-tenured, but most respected athletic trainers in hockey. He was chosen in 2007 to become an Honored Member of the Cambridge Who’s Who, which recognizes executives and professionals from around the country. In 2005, Carrier received the Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award at the NATA convention and was inducted into the Michigan Athletics Trainers Hall of Fame. The 1992 Jack Breslin Distinguished Staff Award winner has served as President of the Michigan Athletic Trainers Society.
Carrier has a long history of international experience as well, having served as the athletic trainer for the 1988 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team. He also worked the 1992 Olympic Games, serving as trainer for the ski jumpers and Nordic track athletes. In 1990, he served as the head athletic trainer for the U.S. Hockey Team at the World Championship in Bern, Switzerland.
He was a 1997 Michigan Athletic Trainers Distinguished Award winner and in 1998 earned the Service Award from the National Athletic Trainers Association for his dedication and contributions to the profession. Also in 1998, Carrier earned the Research and Education Foundation’s inaugural Volunteer of the Year Award and was named an honorary member of the MSU Varsity S Club. Most recently, Carrier joined Powell and Nogle in being honored by the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers’ Association (GLATA) with its Outstanding Educator Award in the spring of 2012.
Carrier’s manual medicine skills have placed him at the cutting edge in the profession in his approach to prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of structural injuries. He has treated many professional athletes from around the world and has shared his knowledge about osteopathic manual medicine with more than five hundred athletic trainers from the professional, college and high school ranks.
Carrier served in the United States Army from 1971-1973. He was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, where he earned the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service.