Haggard Receives 2026 Chris Patrick Award from the SEC
University of South Carolina Executive Associate Athletics Director for Sports Performance and Wellness Clint Haggard was recently honored with the 2026 Chris Patrick Award by the Southeastern Conference Sports Medicine Committee.
The Chris Patrick Award is given to the outstanding athletic trainer in the SEC as chosen by the directors of sports medicine at each school. The award is named after former Mississippi State head athletic trainer and longtime University of Florida director of sports medicine.
The recipient must possess the following qualities emulating the characteristics of the professional for which the award is named:
- Goes above and beyond for the institution and team he/she works with
- Has a tireless work ethic
- Is loyal to the institution’s athletic department and athletic training staff’s mission
- Has a passion for the profession and the service of the student-athlete
- Expresses a caring personality in the health-care delivery he/she is responsible for
- Demonstrates examples of being a strong advocate for the student-athlete
- Plays an active role in one or more of the professional associations he/she is a member of (NATA, District, SEC, etc.)
“I have been blessed to be part of a profession that embodies the values the Chris Patrick Award represents,” said Haggard. “Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to work alongside outstanding student-athletes, coaches and medical professionals who have made a lasting impact on me both personally and professionally. I am truly grateful to the SEC Sports Medicine Committee for this honor and appreciative of the recognition.”
After 17 seasons as the Gamecocks’ head football athletic trainer, Clint Haggard transitioned into his current role as Executive Associate AD/Sports Performance and Wellness on May 1, 2026.
Haggard steps into the role of John Kasik, who retired from Gamecock Athletics on April 30. Kasik, who oversaw USC’s athletic training/sports medicine program for 19 years, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern Orthopedic Association at its annual meeting in Nashville during the 2026 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament in March.
Haggard also serves as an adjunct instructor in the Athletic Training Education Program and serves on numerous committees for the South Carolina Athletic Trainers Association. He has been a speaker at numerous conferences around the country, has published many articles and has successfully procured several athletic training related grants. He served as the coordinator of the SEC officials physicals and is Past-President of the SEC Sports Medicine Committee. He was selected as the 2024 NCAA Division I Head Athletic Trainer of the Year by the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) Intercollegiate Council for Sports Medicine.
Prior to his arrival in Columbia, Haggard served as the Assistant AD for medical services/head athletic trainer at Rice University from 2006-09. He began his career in athletic training at Alabama before working as an assistant football athletic trainer for the Crimson Tide.
Haggard received his bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science from Georgia in 2002 and his master’s in health sciences from Alabama in 2003.
Haggard is certified by the National Athletic Trainers Association and is certified as an emergency medical technician basic. He holds memberships with numerous national, state and district athletic training associations.
Haggard and his wife, Erin, have a daughter, Reagan, and a son, Brewer.
