The Valparaiso University Department of Athletics has announced that Head Athletic Trainer Nate Twedt and Assistant Director of Athletics for Operations Robbie Crimmins ‘18, M.S. ‘21 will depart the Valpo Athletics staff, effective at the end of this week.

Twedt has accepted a position at Lakeshore Bone & Joint Institute, while Crimmins has accepted a role in athletics at a Big Ten Conference institution.

Twedt arrived at Valpo in 2004 as a certified athletic trainer and was promoted to associate athletic trainer in 2007 before being named head athletic trainer in 2016. A 1996 University of Iowa graduate with a master’s in sports administration from South Dakota State in 1999, Twedt has led athletic training efforts for the Valpo football program throughout his time with the department. In recent years, Twedt has also served as the athletic trainer for the golf and tennis teams after previously working with swimming. Since 2020, Twedt and his staff have helped the department navigate the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are very appreciative of Nate’s commitment to our student-athletes over the past 18 years,” Director of Athletics Mark LaBarbera said. “He has put in countless evening and weekend hours preparing them for competition. He has made us better during his time here. We wish him all the best in his new endeavor.”

A two-time Valpo graduate who finished his bachelor’s in sport management in 2018 and his master’s in sports administration in 2021, Crimmins joined the full-time Valpo Athletics staff in November 2018 as the Director of Event Operations. He was promoted to Assistant Director of Athletics for Operations in July 2021 and was responsible for helping oversee the department’s event management and facility operations. In addition, he provided oversight of the equipment room and the Valpo cheer and dance teams. During his undergraduate years, Crimmins was a men’s basketball manager including one year as the head manager.

“Robbie’s passion for Valpo has been evident since his first day on staff,” LaBarbera said. “His enthusiasm for his alma mater and the success of Valpo’s student-athletes showed in everything he did. He will have great success in all he does.”