RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced on Tuesday the hiring of Paulina Torres as an assistant athletic trainer.

Torres is joining UTRGV from Indiana State, where she was a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer for softball and assisted with football from 2021-23. While working with softball, Torres led long-term rehabilitation for UCL injuries, nerve transpositions, and labral repair, communicated potential concerns with the coaching staff, and implemented team wide injury prevention protocols. While working with football, Torres collaborated with other trainers to establish processes for practice and game day operations and assisted with coverage when needed. Torres also helped design changes that improved patient education, customized care, created infographics for incoming providers and patients, and supervised and mentored athletic training students. Torres earned her Doctoral Degree in Athletic Training from Indiana State in May 2023.

"We are thrilled to have Paulina join our sports medicine staff. She has the same like-minded approach to student-athlete care as the rest of the staff and will help contribute to the growth of this department immediately," UTRGV associate athletic director for sports medicine Steven Kraus said. "With her personality and skillset, I know that she will work great with her student-athletes and coaches and provide high quality medical care."

Prior to her time at Indiana State, Torres was a student at Texas State. As a senior, she worked for both San Marcos and Hays High Schools. At Hays, Torres managed long-term rehabilitation for post-surgical ACL patients and instructed high school athletic training student aides. At San Marcos, Torres executed an emergency action plan by stabilizing a patient's head with a suspected c-spine injury and assisted with COVID-19 protocols for treatment and return to play progressions. Torres earned her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Texas State in 2021.

"All the coaches, administration, and athletic training staff have been so welcoming, and they are excited about the university's trajectory," Torres said. "They have a great thing going and I am proud to be part of UTRGV's growth!"

Torres also worked for Texas State, creating and implementing rehabilitation protocols pre and post COVID-19 via telemedicine. She worked in a clinical setting and completed general medical evaluations, observed physicians, and completed ride-alongs with EMS while assisting with transportation of patients.