CROOKSTON, Minn.-  The University of Minnesota Crookston announced the promotion of Liam Higginson to head athletic trainer. Higginson spent the last two years as the assistant athletic trainer, working with the volleyball and men's basketball teams last season. Higginson worked with the football team during their Spring season and will serve as their head trainer, while continuing to work with the men's basketball team.

"We are excited to promote Liam to the position of Head Athletic Trainer," said Director of Athletics Stephanie Helgeson. "It is exciting to be able to keep someone of Liam's ability and expertise as a member of the Golden Eagle family."

"I am really excited to be moving into the head athletic trainer role at the University of Minnesota Crookston," Higginson said. "UMC allowed me to develop myself in so many ways as an assistant athletic trainer, and I know my time in a leadership position will really help me to continue my professional growth."

Higginson has been important factor in UMC's move toward streamlining the school's strength and conditioning and athletic training efforts. By doing this the department can help to prevent injury and can help injured athletes recover more easily. He has worked as the strength and conditioning coach for the men's basketball and volleyball programs for the last two years. Higginson will help out the football team and continue to work with the men's basketball team with strength and conditioning.

Assistant Athletic Trainer Steven Krouse will also continue to work with various sports as a strength and conditioning coach while working with the women's soccer, women's basketball and softball teams as their trainer. The Golden Eagles will also fill a vacant assistant athletic trainer position. That person will cover volleyball and baseball and will also work with the Strength and Conditioning aspect of the athletes.

Prior to joining the UMC staff in 2013, Higginson served as a graduate assistant athletic trainer for the University of North Dakota women's soccer and softball teams.

Originally from Thunder Bay, Ontario, he earned his bachelor's degree in kinesiology with a major in athletic therapy from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He finished his Master of Kinesiology degree from the University of North Dakota in 2013. In addition to spending two years working at UND as a graduate assistant athletic trainer, Higginson also worked as a certified athletic therapist since for the Manitoba Soccer Association. In addition he served as an intern athletic trainer for the North Dakota football team in 2011 and worked as a student therapist for the University of Manitoba women's soccer team from 2009 to 2011.

In addition to his roles with athletic training and strength and conditioning, Higginson teaches First Aid/CPR both semesters and Prevention and Care classes during the Spring at UMC. He previously taught classes as a graduate teaching assistant at UND for their department of physical education, exercise science and wellness. He is certified by the National Athletic Trainer Association- Board of Certification in the United State and is also a certified athletic therapist by the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association. In addition, Higginson is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialiast and is certified Level 1 Coach through USA Weightlifting.

In his spare time, Higginson is also an endurance athlete competing in marathons, triathlons and half iron man competitions. He is engaged to Terra Towne.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

Follow the Golden Eagles on Facebook at Golden Eagle Sports and on Twitter at @UMCAthletics.

The University of Minnesota Crookston is a NCAA Division II university located in the Red River Valley of Northwest Minnesota. UMC sponsors 11 intercollegiate athletic teams with membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate conference (NSIC) and the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). The NSIC is a 16-team conference with schools situated in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.