Carla Fritz MAT Medical Director

Dr. Fritz was a 4 year varsity soccer player before attending Medical School at Rush University in Chicago, IL 2000. She completed a residency in Family Medicine at MacNealMemorial Hospital in Berwyn, IL in 2003 and then a Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship at Notre Dame in South Bend, IN 2004. She worked 6 years in private practice in Big Sky, MT 2004-2010. Dr Fritz has served UM since 2010 as a Curry Health Center Physician and oversees the travel clinic and occupational health evaluations. She serves as the team physician for UM Grizzly Athletics, and is the Medical Director of the AT program. She has volunteered with Olympic Weightlifting Program from 2003-2016. Inher free time, she enjoys skiing, snowboarding, hiking, playing soccer, hiking, traveling, and anything else outdoors. When time allows enjoys reading and crafting.

Christine Mayer, Butte High School Athletic Trainer

Christine Mayer is one of the athletic trainers at Butte High School. She has worked there since 2016. She graduated from the athletic training program at the University of Maine (B.S. Athletic Training) in December 2010. She went on to get a graduate degree (M.S. Health & Human Performance) from the University of Montana. During her career thus far she has worked in athletics at various levels from youth sports camps & leagues to collegiate athletics & club sports; as well as in the clinic setting helping patients bridge the gap between the physician and Physical Therapy offices. She is passionate about the profession and has gotten involved at both the state and district levels. She loves working with people and building relationships with those she works with, though her favorite relationships have to be the ones she has with her family. Together with her loving & supportive husband they adopted a high energy mutt in 2017 and welcomed an enthusiastic little boy to their family in early 2020.

Klare Matthew UM Associate Athletic Trainer

Klare Matthew has been an assistant athletic trainer at the University of Montana since 2014. She was previously a graduate intern athletic trainer at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and an intern athletic trainer at the University of Cincinnati. She earned her Bachelor’s of Science at the University of Montana in Athletic Training and her Master’s of Science in Kinesiology at UNLV. Klare grew up in Trout Creek, Montana and enjoys spending her free time hiking with her dog.

Luke Bahnmaier Field Injury Prevention Specialist, Amazon

Luke is a licensed athletic trainer in Boise, Idaho. He works as a Field Injury Prevention Specialist for Amazon in their WorkingWell programs where he helps design and implement injury prevention programs for Amazon facilities, and supports those facilities in tracking and addressing injury trends. Luke completed his undergraduate degree in athletic training from the University of Montana, and then earned his Master's degree from the University of Oregon's accredited post-professional athletic training program in 2012. He is also a graduate of the St. Luke's Sports Medicine Athletic Training Residency Program in Boise, Idaho. Prior to working for Amazon, Luke was an athletic trainer working in the physician practice setting with St. Luke's Sports Medicine. He managed the St. Luke's Orthopedic Urgent Care clinic from 2017 to 2020 prior to transitioning to his role at Amazon in October of 2020. His wife and their two labrador retrievers enjoy exploring the Idaho mountains during the spring, summer, and fall.

Samantha Riordan Athletic Trainer, Steadman Clinic

Samantha is a Missoula, MT local who completed a Bachelors’ in Athletic Training in 2014 from the University of Montana. She then went on to work with local high schools through Missoula Bone and Joint before completing her Masters’ in Health and Human Performance in 2017 from the University of Montana. Sam completed an orthopedic and surgical specialty residency through the Steadman Clinic in Vail, CO in 2018. She continues to work in Vail as the athletic trainer to Dr. Thomas Hackett who is the team physician for the US Snowboard Team. Sam spends her week assisting in the OR, seeing patients during physician clinics and coordinating patient care. She is a preceptor for the Steadman Clinic Residency and serves on the professional development committee for the Colorado Athletic Trainers’ Association.

Scott Richter Retired Chair, Program Director

Scott received a Bachelors of Science (BS) in HPE with an athletic training emphasis from University of Montana (UMT) under the mentorship of two exceptional individuals and founders of the UMT Athletic Training Program, the late Naseby Rhinehart (NATA Hall of Famer) and late Wally Schwank. Following graduation from UMT, Scott was an athletic training graduate assistant @ Oregon State University (OSU). There he completed his master’s degree (EdM) and spent two years as an assistant athletic trainer. In 1982, Scott was hired as an assistant certified athletic trainer (ATC) at Montana State University (MSU). While at MSU, he was fortunate to work with another ATC under Hall of Famer, Chuck Karnop. In 1985, Scott was hired as the Director of the University of Montana Athletic Training Program (UMATP) and Assistant Professor at U of MT. In 2009, he became Chair of the HHP Department and at that time Valerie Moody and he served as Co-Directors of UMATP. Shortly thereafter, Valerie became full-time Program Director. In the spring. He continued to serve as HHP Department Chairperson and ATP faculty member until his retirement in 2017. From 2015-2017, Scott served as the NATA District 10 Chair of the Research and Education Foundation. His responsibilities were to help foster various philanthropic pursuits focused on supporting research and education endeavors. Since retirement, Scott has worked as certified and licensed athletic trainer for Missoula Bone and Joint, covering high school sporting events, assisting with Grizzly Football games as the Gator Operator and teaching and teaching first aid and CPR courses. During his retirement, Scott enjoys traveling and spending time with his children and grandchildren.

Katie Grove, Alum, Athletic Trainer, Retired

Katie Grove has advanced women in athletic training for more than 40 years. After earning degrees from UM in 1973 and Indiana State University in 1974, she became the first full-time female athletic trainer in the state of Michigan when hired at Eastern Michigan University in 1975. She received a Ph.D. from the University of Missouri in 1990. In 1995, Grove developed and served as chair of the national Women in Athletic Training Task Force and later the Women in Athletic Training Committee. Known for promoting women into leadership roles and educating all members on pay equity, honors and awards, sexual harassment and women’s exclusion in job opportunities, she also founded the Women in Leadership Program at the district level in 2018. Grove has worked in multiple state, district and national leadership positions, such as serving as the first female president of the Indiana Athletic Trainers’ Association, president of the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers’ Association and a member of various professional committees. She has been entered into the Great Lake’s Athletic Trainers’ Hall of Fame, Indiana Athletic Trainers Hall of Fame and the UM Athletic Training Program Hall of Fame. Grove became the 14th woman inducted into the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame –its highest honor –in 2015. Grove has earned numerous awards for her service as an athletic trainer, mentorship, leadership, teaching and scholarship. In 2017, she received the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers’ Association Outstanding Educator Award and just this year earned the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Gail Weldon Award of Excellence. In retirement, she developed an affiliate program of Rocky Steady Boxing in St. Paul, Minnesota, which uses non-contact boxing training to combat the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. As a member of the Naseby Rhinehart Athletic Training Scholarship Committee, she also serves UM’s Athletic Training Program.

Alicia Camel, Masters in Athletic Training Student

My name is Alicia Camel, I am an enrolled tribal member of the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes. I was born in Missoula and raised in Polson. I come from a large family on the Flathead Indian Reservation, heavily involved in basketball. Sports were always my favorite part of childhood; I went through multiple ankle sprains and other injuries building a young appreciation & love for the Athletic Training field. I always knew my purpose was to help others do the sports/activities they love, contribute to the AT profession in a positive manner for the present and future, all while being in my favorite environment. Since I was raised in Montana, and come from a family full of Griz Alumni, Missoula was always the goal for my college experience and future career in college athletics. I’m currently in my final year of grad school here at the University, planning to graduate with my Bachelor of Science Degree and Master of Athletic Training Degree in the Spring of 2024.