The accomplishments of the students and faculty at ACSM 2026 continue a tradition of scholarly excellence within Elon’s DPT program and demonstrate the impact of collaborative research experiences on student professional development.
Eleven students and two faculty members from Elon University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program represented the program at the 2026 American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, presenting six research abstracts and earning a student research award.
Second-year DPT student Catherine Sheehan received the ACSM Biomechanics Interest Group Student Research Award, recognizing the quality and impact of her group’s research contributions. The award highlighted Elon’s continued commitment to student-led scholarship and research excellence.
The annual ACSM conference, one of the world’s leading meetings for sports medicine and exercise science professionals, brought together researchers, clinicians, educators and students from across the globe. Elon DPT’s delegation included 11 second-year DPT students who presented findings from projects completed as part of a research course.
All six accepted abstracts featured DPT students as lead authors and presenters. Elon’s contributions included five poster presentations and one platform presentation.
The following abstracts were presented by Elon DPT students and faculty:
Relationship Between Tandem Gait Performance and Specific Physical Performance Measures Among Division I Athletes
Authors: Maci Yeager, Jennifer White, Kyra Batterham, Srikant Vallabhajosula and Jack Magill
Presenter: Maci Yeager
Cognitive Function in Athletes After Concussion and During Recovery
Authors: Carlos Guerra, Stephen P. Bailey, Rachel Rajczak, Emanuel Martinez, Caroline J. Ketcham and Eric Hall
Presenter: Carlos Guerra
Coefficient of Variance: An Alternative Criterion for Return-to-Sport After ACL Reconstruction Compared with Limb Symmetry
Authors: Graeme Pratt, Raajan Patel, Jaylen Dowell, Aidan Gallagher, Gary Johnson, MaryKay Hannah and Jack Magill
Presenters: Graeme Pratt, Raajan Patel and Jaylen Dowell
Performance Consistency, Quantified by the Coefficient of Variance, Demonstrates Strong Association with Hop Performance Compared with Limb Symmetry Index
Authors: Anna Longsdorf, Brittany Staves, Virginia Reep, Mary Kay Hannah, Aidan Gallagher, Gary Johnson and Jack Magill
Presenters: Anna Longsdorf, Brittany Staves and Virginia Reep
Changes in Cognitive Function Following Cardiac Rehabilitation
Authors: Stephen P. Bailey, Alex Boller, Katie Utley and James Godfrey
Presenter: James Godfrey
The Effect of Dual Tasking on Forward and Backward Gait in Older Adults
Authors: Catherine Sheehan, Karley O’Connell, Sandhra Shibu, Molly Boda, Bill Andrews and Srikant Vallabhajosula
Presenters: Catherine Sheehan, Karley O’Connell and Sandhra Shibu
The strong showing at ACSM 2026 reflects the Elon DPT program’s emphasis on integrating research into clinical education and providing students with opportunities to disseminate their work on a national stage. The presentations addressed topics including athletic performance, concussion recovery, return-to-sport assessment following ACL reconstruction, cardiac rehabilitation and mobility in older adults.
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Srikant Vallabhajosula
Professor of Physical Therapy Education
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Jack Magill
Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Education
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Caroline Ketcham
Associate Dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, and Professor of Exercise Science
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Eric Hall
Assistant Provost for Scholarship and Creative Activity and Professor of Exercise Science
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Bill Andrews
Professor of Physical Therapy Education
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Gary Johnson
Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Education
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Stephen Bailey
Professor of Physical Therapy Education