ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – Nursing Professor Carrie Hoover, who has vast teaching and administrative experiences in nursing as well as experience as a coach and a student-athlete, has been named to serve as the new Faculty Athletic Representative for the College of Saint Benedict Athletic Department.
"I'm thrilled that Carrie Hoover has accepted the position of Faculty Athletic Representative," said Saint Benedict Athletic Director Kelly Anderson Diercks. "I've had the pleasure of working with Carrie as a member of the President's leadership team and I am continually impressed with her critical thinking, her ability to ask important questions and to ensure students are centered in our decision-making process. The athletic staff and our student-athletes look forward to working with her in this new capacity."
As the department's FAR, Hoover will review individual sport proposals and work with CSB coaches and staff on what is in the best interest of the institution and its student-athletes. She will also vote on proposals at both the MIAC and NCAA levels and will be involved with MIAC FAR meetings several times each year. Hoover will certify academic eligibility to ensure CSB's student-athletes meet institutional, conference and national standards in order to participate in intercollegiate athletics.
"Although, I have a great deal to learn about the role, I anticipate one of the primary roles of the FAR to be: advocating for the well-being of student-athletes, academically, professionally, and personally. Student-athletes balance an intense commitment to their sport/s with the challenge of rigorous academics and a strong desire to excel at both. I will be an accessible mentor and work in partnership with the student, staff, and faculty to navigate the pressures and expectations of being a student-athlete," said Hoover, who serves as professor in CSB/SJU Department of Nursing and also is the chair for the Faculty Senate.
Hoover, who was a critical care nurse at the University of California-San Francisco Hospital in 1996-98, joined the CSB/SJU faculty in 2003 after serving as adjunct faculty of critical care at the University of Minnesota. She was an assistant professor of nursing at the College of Saint Catherine in 2000-02 and served as a staff nurse in critical care at North Memorial Hospital in Minneapolis, Minn. Additionally, she was an auxiliary clinical instructor for medical and surgical nursing at Ohio State and a clinical instructor, project coordinator and senior research assistant at the University of California-San Francisco.
While in high school, she played basketball, tennis, swimming and softball at Flowing Wells, Arizona. Additionally, she worked as a high school basketball and volleyball official, coached little league, and baseball and basketball as well at St. John's Prep.
"The FAR role requires not only a strong dedication to the well-being of the student-athlete but also a deep commitment to these institutions. The relationships I will develop with student-athletes, coaches, and staff will assist me in broadening my understanding of both the athletic and academic environments to strengthen these commitments," noted Hoover, a former U.S. Marine, who earned a bachelor of science degree in nursing from the University of Arizona in 1993, a master of science in nursing (cardiovascular/critical care and trauma) in 1998 and her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2008.
As she takes on this new role in athletics, Hoover believes her experiences will provide a benefit as she mentors and interacts with student-athletes, athletic staff, and coaches.
"I believe the key to success in life, both professionally and personally, is one's ability to connect meaningfully with one another. My experiences as a mother, wife, friend, nurse, professor, Marine, leader, coach, and athlete have all shaped my ability to establish impactful and healthy relationships," said Hoover. "These relationships provide a unique blend of both anchor and buoy that is reciprocal, providing security and lift –and ultimately mutual success. I want the student-athlete, the athletic department, and the institutions to thrive. The relationships formed during my tenure as FAR will be central to this mission," she said.
