Penn State announced on Tuesday that the athletic department will replace former Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Training Services Tim Bream by promoting Associate Director of Athletic Training Services Renee Messina.
Bream announced his intent to resign from his post earlier this month, opening the door for Messina, a longtime Penn State employee, to take the job. Messina has worked with Penn State Athletics since 1992 and will take over at her new position in early March.
A separate search is being conducted to fill Bream’s other role as head athletic trainer for the Penn State football team, an athletic department spokesman confirmed. That position will report to Messina.
“I have been blessed to call Penn State home for many years and fortunate to have worked with a number of outstanding programs here,” Messina said in a release. “I am excited about the opportunity to lead our talented staff and help guide our Sports Medicine and Athletic Training program into the future and continue to provide great care for our student-athletes.”
The Penn State alumna will now oversee all 31 athletic programs and their training services, bringing years of experience in the training and medical care of 12 of the university’s athletic programs.
“Renee not only brings a tremendous amount of experience to the position, but she is an outstanding leader, a team player, and most importantly, she is committed to providing exceptional healthcare to our student-athletes,” Charmelle Green, Penn State’s senior associate athletic director for Student-Athlete Performance, said.
In addition to working in the Athletic Department, Bream served as a live-in advisor for the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and was present at the house on the night of Tim Piazza’s death. He took the stand at the case’s preliminary hearings in August and said that he had no role in the drinking activities that led up toPiazza’s death. No charges have been filed against Bream.
