Stony Brook Athletics is saluting its Rita & Kurt Eppenstein Stony Brook Athletics Hall of Fame inductees with feature stories on Fridays through the end of the year. Here's the fourth installment, featuring longtime head athletic trainer Kathy Koshansky.
 
STONY BROOK, N.Y. — Kathy Koshansky made history as the head athletic trainer for Stony Brook Athletics for nearly three decades.

In addition to being the department's first full-time athletic trainer, Koshansky also became the first woman to be a head certified athletic trainer in Stony Brook football history.

Now, she has been recognized as part of the 2020 induction class of the Rita & Kurt Eppenstein Athletics Hall of Fame. 

Koshansky served as Stony Brook's head athletic trainer from 1983 through 2004. She then was promoted to assistant director of athletics for sports medicine and continued to work with student-athletes through 2011.

She remains at the university as chair of the athletic training program through the School of Health Technology and Management. 

"Every single athlete and athletic administrator on SBU's campus since she started in the early '80s worked with her in some capacity," said Dr. James Penna of Stony Brook Orthopaedic Associates, who was among those who nominated Koshansky for Hall induction. "She created the athletic training major and guided its transition to a master's [program]. She is a fixture in the National Athletic Trainers' Association and well-respected throughout the industry. She has been a champion of Stony Brook Athletics for 35 years."

Said Koshansky: "I never considered myself to be a pioneer or identified only with football. It is true that there were very few females in my position when I began at Stony Brook, but I just did what I loved, which was a blend of sports and medicine — and I happened to be a female. I was the head athletic trainer, and later assistant AD for sports medicine, for all sports and treated all student-athletes with the same respect. Athletic training is a great profession, which I am very passionate about. Injuries are injuries, so that part was easy. As a female, proving my competence to administrators, coaches and student-athletes was the challenging part. I am thankful that Stony Brook Athletics gave me the opportunity to provide quality healthcare to their student-athletes."

VISIT THE RITA & KURT EPPENSTEIN ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME

Since 2012, Koshansky has served on the Committee for Athletic Training's Board of Medicine. She was appointed by the Board of Regents of the State University of New York.

Koshansky was inducted into the NYSATA Hall of Fame Class of 2011 for her commitment to the athletic training profession, to her athletic training students, and to the practicing athletic trainers in New York State.

Three years earlier, she received the highest recognition from the Town of Brookhaven Office of Women's Services for excellence in professional endeavors. The award acknowledges women who have made significant contributions to the quality of life in Brookhaven based on a variety of accomplishments, ranging from education, to medicine and community service.

Koshansky was awarded the NATA Athletic Trainer Service Award in 2006.

And in 2005, she received the Thomas J. Sheehan Award by the NYSATA. The award is presented to the athletic trainer whose character, commitment and achievements in the athletic training profession exemplify the traits of Thomas J. Sheehan Sr., the long-time head athletic trainer at RPI and one of the founding fathers of the athletic training profession and NYSATA.

Koshansky served as the head athletic trainer for the Empire State Games from 2004 through 2010. 

She also has volunteered as an athletic trainer for the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid. She was selected as a member of the U.S. medical staff for the 2003 Pan American Games in the Dominican Republic.

"I continue to bleed red," Koshansky said about her passion for Stony Brook. "I'm proud to cheer on our Seawolves every chance I get and thrilled to have been a part of the exciting journey for Stony Brook Athletics. I love watching our Seawolves in action and enjoy reconnecting with alumni."

Read about Hall of Fame inductee Tommy Brenton '12/'13

Read about Hall of Fame inductee Mike Crooks '06

Read about Hall of Fame inductee Paul Dudzick '74