Ortolano Wins Gold with U.S. Lacrosse
7/26/2010 10:51:35 AM
U.S. Lacrosse Site
MANCHESTER, England - Rensselaer head athletic trainer Anthony Ortolano is a gold medalist after the U.S. Men's National Lacrosse Team captured first place in the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Championship. Ortolano served as the head athletic trainer for United States team.
Ortolano, who has been at Rensselaer since 1985, was on the sideline throughout for the United States, culminating with a 12-10 victory over arch-rival Canada. He was also part of the 2006 team that earned a silver medal.
For more than 25 years Ortolano has worked with Rensselaer’s student-athletes from 23 athletic programs. He has greatly improved the Institute’s efforts toward prevention and treatment of athletic injuries by adding new programs and state-of-the-art equipment. He played a vital role in the department's transition to the East Campus Athletic Village.
In addition to his duties at RPI, Ortolano has served as an athletic trainer at numerous other events, including NCAA National Championships, the Empire State Games and since 1994 he has served as the head athletic trainer for the Summit Lacrosse Tournament in Lake Placid, N.Y. He has also served as athletic trainer at Union College from 1977-78 and was both an instructor and athletic trainer at Plattsburgh State from 1979-85.
A member of the New York State, Eastern Regional and National Athletic Trainers' Associations, Ortolano was presented the prestigious Tom Sheehan Award, given annually to the New York athletic trainer who has done the most for the field, in 1982.
Ortolano, a native of Rome, N.Y., earned his bachelor's degree from Norwich University in 1976 and his master's degree from Central Connecticut State University in 1977.
Ortolano and his wife, Megan, who live in East Nassau, N.Y., have four children, Cater, Becky, Trevor and Molly.
The World Lacrosse Championships began as a four team (England, USA, Canada, and Australia) invitational tournament in 1967 and the ILF first sanctioned World Championships in 1974.