RINDGE, N.H. (August 27, 2018) – Franklin Pierce University has announced it has filled out its Athletic Training and Strength & Conditioning staffs heading into the 2018-19 academic year.

“I am excited to have our support staff set for the upcoming year,” said Rachel Burleson, Director of Athletics. “With a mix of new talent coming on board and promotions to our own current personnel, I believe both our Athletic Training and Strength & Conditioning operations are set up for success in 2018-19 and beyond.”

As announced in July, Christine Levreault was elevated to the position of Head Athletic Trainer, after spending the previous 12 years as an Assistant Athletic Trainer. Makina Itchkavich-Levasseur is the other holdover from last year’s Athletic Training staff, as she returns for her third year as an Assistant Athletic Trainer. The duo will be joined by fellow Assistant Athletic Trainers Jesse L’Heureux, who joins the staff after spending the last three years working at the high school and prep level, and Tyler Baran, who was promoted to full-time status after spending a year as a graduate assistant within Athletic Training. Filling Baran’s graduate assistant spot will be Benjamin Kosteva, who comes to Rindge after finishing his undergraduate degree at Merrimack in the spring.

Meanwhile, on the Strength & Conditioning front, Andrew Brown has been elevated to Head Strength & Conditioning Coach, after spending 2017-18 as the graduate assistant for Strength & Conditioning. Brown replaces Marcus Williams, who departed earlier this month for a similar position at University of Massachusetts Lowell. Aaron Ballmer, who spent 2017-18 as the graduate assistant with Franklin Pierce’s softball program, will slide over to fill the Strength & Conditioning graduate assistant role.

L’Heureux comes to Franklin Pierce after spending the previous three years working in Athletic Training offices at the high school and prep school level. Most recently, he was at Lewiston (Maine) High School in 2017-18, following stints at Bridgton Academy (Maine) and Traip Academy (Maine). L’Heureux has athletic training experience at the professional sports level with the Maine Red Claws, the NBA G League affiliate of the Boston Celtics, and has also completed clinical assignments at the collegiate level with University of Maine and University of Southern Maine.

Originally from Sanford, Maine, L’Heureux is a 2013 graduate of Southern Maine, with a degree in athletic training. He began his work at Franklin Pierce last week.

Baran moves up to a full-time position in the Athletic Training room, after spending the 2017-18 academic year as a graduate assistant. He previously spent time as an undergraduate working in the Athletic Training office at Carthage College, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Baran is a 2017 graduate of Carthage, with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, and is pursuing his master’s degree in sport management at Franklin Pierce.

Meanwhile, Kosteva starts his professional career as a graduate student in Rindge, after completing his undergraduate degree at fellow Northeast-10 Conference member Merrimack. While in North Andover, he spent time as a student worker working with the Warriors’ men’s soccer, women’s soccer, men’s ice hockey and women’s lacrosse programs. Kosteva also completed clinical tours of duty at Melrose (Mass.) High School and Essex Technical High School (Mass.).

Originally from Westford, Massachusetts, Kosteva is a 2018 graduate of Merrimack, with a degree in athletic training. He will be pursuing his master’s degree in sport management at Franklin Pierce and began his role with the Ravens earlier this summer.

On the Strength & Conditioning front, Brown moves into the head spot after a year as a graduate assistant. Prior to coming to Franklin Pierce a year ago, he spent time as the Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at American University, and as an intern at the University of Maryland. Brown is a 2014 graduate of James Madison University, with a degree in kinesiology. He is continuing to pursue his master’s degree at Franklin Pierce.

Ballmer came to the Ravens’ softball program last season with a background in strength & conditioning, and has now been moved to a role where he can put his experience to work benefitting all 24 of Franklin Pierce’s intercollegiate athletic programs. Prior to coming to Rindge, he spent time as an intern with the strength & conditioning staff at Brown University. Ballmer is a 2015 graduate of St. Bonaventure University, with a degree in sports studies, and originally hails from Birdsboro, Pennsylvania. He is continuing to pursue his master’s degree at Franklin Pierce.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (https://www.fpuravens.com). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics’ official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics’ online store (https://www.fpuravens.com/store).