Chad Starkey

Chad Starkey was inducted into the inaugural College of Applied Human Sciences Hall of Fame in the fall of 2025. He was previously inducted into the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Hall of Fame in 2016.

Starkey earned his bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University in 1982 and both his master’s (1983) and doctoral degrees (1988) from Ohio University. His early career included service as an instructor and athletic trainer at Ohio University before he joined Northeastern University as associate professor and director of the entry-level athletic training program. He later returned to Ohio University, where he serves as professor, coordinator of the Division of Athletic Training, and director of the post-professional athletic training program.

A nationally recognized educator, researcher, and author in the field of athletic training, Starkey has contributed to the profession through peer-reviewed publications, national leadership roles, and textbook authorship. His publications include Therapeutic Modalities, Examination of Orthopedic and Athletic Injuries, and Athletic Training and Sports Medicine: An Integrated Approach, which are widely used in athletic training programs across the country. He also served as an editor of the 19th through 22nd editions of Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary and sits on editorial boards for the Journal of Athletic Training and the Journal of Sport Rehabilitation.

Starkey provided injury epidemiology consulting services for the National Basketball Association from 1984 to 2016. He has held leadership positions with the Board of Certification, the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE), and the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), where he chaired the Education Council and several task forces.

His awards and honors include the NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award, the Distinguished Educator Award, the Service Award, the EATA Cramer Award, the Dan Libera Award, and induction into the NATA Hall of Fame in 2009. He is a Fellow of the NATA and has delivered keynote addresses at major professional conferences nationwide.