Wellesley Athletics Welcomes Niki Rybko as Director of Sports Medicine and Wellbeing

WELLESLEY, Mass. -- Wellesley College Director of Athletics and Chair of the Physical Education and Recreation department, Bridget Belgiovine has officially announced the hiring of Niki Rybko as Director of Sports Medicine and Wellbeing/Assistant Professor of the Practice. Rybko joins Wellesley after spending the last four years at Harvard University, where her primary responsibility was to coordinate care for the Harvard-Radcliffe Crew teams.

“We are thrilled that Niki is joining our department, said Belgiovine. “Her knowledge and experiences have prepared her well to assume the role as Director of Sports Medicine at Wellesley College. We look forward to her enthusiasm and collaborative style working with coaches, faculty and administrators to support the overall wellbeing of our student-athletes.”

While at Harvard, Rybko played a large role in the Sports Medicine Department of one the nation’s largest collegiate athletic departments, serving as a member of the Student-Athlete Prescreen and Physicals, 5-Year Planning, Disordered Eating/Mental Health and the Emergency Planning Committees. In addition, she worked as a preceptor for athletic training students from both Boston University and Lasell College. Her relationship with Lasell College extended beyond clinical work and into the classroom, as Rybko has also served as an Adjunct Professor in the College’s CAATE Athletic Training Education Program since 2006.

“I am excited to join the Wellesley [Physical Education, Recreation and Athletic] Department as well as the community because of its commitment to student wellness and athletics,” said Rybko. “I am looking forward to collaborating with a community set in providing a strong positive overall educational experience.”

Prior to arriving at Harvard, Rybko spent six years at Brandeis University, working as one of three athletic trainers to cover all 21 of the Judges’ Division III Varsity programs. While at Brandeis, she provided daily coverage of athletic practices and competitions, assisting with the care, prevention and rehabilitation of injuries and illness for over 300 student-athletes. Rybko’s responsibilities ultimately expand to include supervision of work study and athletic training students, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and sports psychology and sport sociology independent studies. She was also responsible for authoring the sports medicine policies and procedures manual and the creation of strength and conditioning programs for the women’s basketball, volleyball, softball and men’s soccer programs.

A Certified and Licensed Athletic Trainer, Rybko is a 2001 graduate of the University of Florida with a degree in Exercise and Sport Science/Athletic Training. She received her Masters in Exercise Science from the School of Public Health at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2004.

Rybko spent time as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer at UMass, working with the men’s soccer and women’s lacrosse programs, as well as an Intern Athletic Trainer at Northwestern University, working with women’s volleyball and cheerleading. As an undergraduate at Florida, she worked with the Gators women’s soccer and volleyball teams, as well as local high school athletes.

“I would like to thank my family friends and co-workers,” said Rybko of her new role at Wellesley. “They have all helped me grow as a person and as a professional which has contributed to my accomplishments and upcoming endeavors."