TROY, N.Y. - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) head athletic trainer Anthony Ortolano has been selected to Adirondack Lacrosse Hall of Fame. He is being recognized due to his contributions as a player, coach, trainer, and contributor to the game of lacrosse.
Ortolano's playing accomplishments in lacrosse include a four-year student-athlete at Norwich University, including two as a captain, over ten years as a player in the Mohawk Lacrosse Club and over five years with Cloud Splitter Grand Masters in Lake Placid.
He has also been a coach and member of the board of directors with the Albany Capitals (1992-2000) and on the Adirondack Chapter Board of Directors from 1998 to 2004.
As an athletic trainer, he has served with the United States Men's Lacrosse Team (2006) as well as 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.
For over 22 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 has been an athletic trainer at Union College from 1977-78 and was both a professor 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, all of whom played lacrosse in college .