Pete Manely, director of athletic training at Sterling College, has been named the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Athletic Trainer of the Year, announced by the KCAC on Friday, July 15. Manely will be formally recognized at the Sport Management Conference on Aug. 2 at the University of Saint Mary.

“We are thrilled for Pete to receive this recognition and further confirmation of the great work he is doing here at Sterling College. Pete takes great pride in his work and strives to build relationships with students, athletes, parents, coaches and fellow athletic trainers. We are truly blessed to have servant leaders like Pete here at Sterling,” said Ken Brown, vice president for academic affairs.

Pete has served the College for 13 years, holding additional titles at the school and the NAIA such as: director of graduate program development, co-chair for the Department of Exercise Science, associate professor of athletic training, and president of the NAIA Athletic Trainers’ Association since 2013. Manely supervised the athletic training coverage at the 2013 and 2014 NAIA Men's and Women's Cross Country National Championships at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence, Kansas, and for the past two years, he has supervised the athletic training coverage at the NAIA Men's Wrestling National Championships in Topeka, Kansas.

Manely recently received the KCAC Award of Merit for his service on the Board of Directors. He was the first ever athletic trainer inducted into his alma mater's Hall of Fame at Barton Community College. In 2011, Manely was named NAIA-ATA Athletic Trainer of the Year.

Sterling College is a Christ-centered, four-year college located in Sterling, Kansas, with a mission to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith. For more information, visit www.sterling.edu.