ALBANY, N.Y. - The UAlbany Athletic Department announces staff updates from the 2023-24 academic year.
 
Throughout the 2023-24 school year, the UAlbany Athletic Department was joined by several hard-working individuals. In addition, Taylor O'Connor was promoted to Director of Digital Content and Communications. Get to know them below:
 
Nicholas Clark
Sports Medicine | Assistant Athletic Trainer | August 2023
 
Job Description: The UAlbany athletic trainers ensure the health and safety of our student-athletes on and off the field. If and when a student-athlete is injured, the trainers assess the situation, complete an injury evaluation, create a treatment plan, and, if needed, refer them to an outside doctor.
 
Background: Clark joined the UAlbany staff after three years at SUNY Oneonta as an athletic trainer. A state school staple, Clark got his start in sports medicine as a student athletic trainer at HVCC while pursuing his associate's degree before continuing in the role at SUNY Cortland while earning his bachelor's degree.
 
Bryan Mannarino
Academic Services | Academic Coordinator | September 2023
 
Job Description: As an academic coordinator, it is Mannarino's responsibility to organize and implement all facets of academic services for assigned sports teams. This includes but is not limited to academic advising, providing educational programs, and scheduling study hall sessions. Academic Coordinators are also responsible for working with the compliance officers in all matters relating to academic eligibility and eligibility certification. 
 
Background: Before returning to UAlbany, Mannarino was the Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Enhancement at Marist College. While at Marist, he monitored the academic progress and eligibility for his assigned sports, oversaw the tutoring program, and nominated student-athletes for academic awards and honors.
 
Michelle Huerzler
Strength and Conditioning | Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach | February 2024
 
Job Description: As a strength and conditioning coach, Huerzler is responsible for maintaining and maximizing the physical performance of her assigned student-athletes. She is currently responsible for the women's soccer team as well as assisting with the football team.
 
Background: Before coming to UAlbany, Huerzler spent six months at Yale as a strength and conditioning coach. She got her start as a graduate assistant in the Merrimack strength and conditioning office.
 
Christina Hollis
Sports Medicine | Assistant Athletic Trainer | February 2024
 
Job Description: The UAlbany athletic trainers ensure the health and safety of our student-athletes on and off the field. If and when a student-athlete is injured, the trainers assess the situation, complete an injury evaluation, create a treatment plan, and, if needed, refer them to an outside doctor.
 
Background: Before coming to UAlbany, Hollis was an athletic trainer for six years at Bentley University. She worked mostly with volleyball, women's basketball, and women's lacrosse. Hollis completed her master's degree at the University of Virginia.
 
Georgia Knight
Sports Medicine | Assistant Athletic Trainer | February 2024
 
Job Description: The UAlbany athletic trainers ensure the health and safety of our student-athletes on and off the field. If and when a student-athlete is injured, the trainers assess the situation, complete an injury evaluation, create a treatment plan, and, if needed, refer them to an outside doctor.
 
Background: Making the crosstown trek, Georgia Knight was an athletic trainer at the College of Saint Rose before becoming a Great Dane. Working with the men's lacrosse team for nearly eight years, she also worked with women's soccer for the first three years of her time at Saint Rose. Knight spent three years at SUNY Plattsburgh after getting her start as a student athletic trainer at Vermont.
 
Jessup Pierce
Academic Services/Compliance | Coordinator of Academic Eligibility and Certification | April 2024
 
Job Description: Oversees initial eligibility, academic eligibility certification, and the transfer certification process for all of the University's intercollegiate teams. He will be involved in all NCAA reporting with a focus on the University's Graduation Success Rate (GSR) and Academic Progress Rate (APR).
 
Background: Pierce arrived at UAlbany after working in the College of Saint Rose's Athletics Department for more than 18 years. Most recently the Associate Athletics Director, he served in several roles including Assistant Athletic Trainer and Assistant AD for Operations.
 
Taylor O'Connor
Communications | Director of Digital Content and Communications | January 2024
 
Job Description: Named the director of the communications office in January 2024, O'Connor oversees the communications department as a whole. He is responsible for the overall strategy, execution, and analytics for all UAlbany Athletics social media channels, photography and videography personnel, and the day-to-day management of the UAlbanySports.com
 
Background: Originally hired in the spring of 2021, O'Connor joined UAlbany as an Assistant Director of Communications before being named the Assistant Director for Digital Content and Communications in August 2021. Before joining the Great Danes' staff, O'Connor was the Director of New Media/Communications for the MAAC and served as the communications liaison between the conference office and its members.

Keep up with all of the latest news, highlights, and insights on UAlbany sports by following the team on X, Instagram, and Facebook.