Alison Ceresani Hartman Named NCEA Distinguished Alumni
WACO, Texas – Dr. Alison Ceresani Hartman, South Carolina Equestrian class of 2014, has been named an National Collegiate Equestrian Association Distinguished Alumni honoree, the NCEA announced Friday.
Distinguished Alumni are recognized in eight categories including business, community engagement, education, equine industry (rider/trainer/coach), equine industry (business), health sciences/services, media & communication, and young alumni. Distinguished Alumni must be separated from their institution for at least six years prior to nomination and are recognized as distinguished in the following areas: academic success, athletic success, outstanding service contributions, and post-graduate success. Hartman earned the honor in the health science category.
“I can think of no one in the medical field that is more interested in and dedicated to the physical development of the equestrian athlete,” head coach Boo Major said. “Ali was a wonderful student athlete and has continued her love of horses and people in her occupation and the development of exercise programs for athletes. She is very deserving of this award.”
During her time as a Gamecock, Hartman was an NCEA All-American Honorable mention for Horsemanship (2012), finishing her career 31-18-2 with three MOP honors. In the classroom, she was a two-time NCEA Academic Honor Roll and All-Academic First Team selection, in addition to being a four-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member and SEC Community Service Team selection.
After South Carolina, Hartman earned a Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2017 from Winston-Salem State University, with the distinction of being awarded the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award, Outstanding Service Award, and the Eddie Harden Memorial Award. Following graduation, she completed a six month residency experience with Pro-Activity LLC, a human achievement company with a mission of empowering “stronger happier people through better health” with services spanning physical therapy, health and fitness, population health management, and community based health efforts.
Upon completion of residency in August of 2018, Hartman was named managing partner of Pro-Activity North Carolina. Hartman’s business focuses on prevention, health promotion, and physical therapy across a variety of populations, with special emphasis on equestrian athlete fitness and performance, and injury prevention & health promotion for industrial working populations. Hartman has enjoyed bridging her worlds of equestrian endeavors and fitness and credits much of her passion for cultivating an “athlete mindset” in her equestrian clients to her time and experience as a collegiate athlete at USC. She has provided strength and conditioning programming for Middle Tennessee State University, Black Hawk College, and Albion College equestrian teams, the Special Olympics of North Carolina equestrian athletes, and individual competitors alike. With a husband who is a horse trainer, she is also passionate about improving the health and well-being of the professionals in the horse industry to reduce the burden of preventable chronic diseases and pain conditions.
In addition to managing Pro-Activity North Carolina, Hartman serves as an adjunct faculty member for Winston-Salem State University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program as a member of the ACL grant team working to reduce fall related injury and deaths in aging populations across North Carolina.
