REDLANDS, Calif. - The University of Redlands Athletics Department is pleased to announce the hiring of Ligia Herrera as its newest Assistant Athletic Trainer. Herrera brings a wealth of clinical experience, a bilingual skill set, and a passion for student-athlete health and performance to the Bulldogs' sports medicine staff.
 

Herrera's path to collegiate athletic training began far from the practice fields of Southern California. Born and raised in Venezuela, she moved to the United States in 2017 in pursuit of new opportunities — a transition that would ultimately shape both her personal resilience and her professional calling. Fluent in both Spanish and English, Herrera has since built a career grounded in connecting with athletes from all backgrounds, an asset that will serve the diverse student-athlete population at Redlands well.
 

Herrera's road to becoming a Certified Athletic Trainer was built on a strong academic record. She earned her Master of Science in Athletic Training from California Baptist University in April 2026, where she was honored as the program's Student of the Year. Prior to that, she completed her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Science at California State University San Bernardino, graduating Magna Cum Laude in December 2023. During her time at CSUSB, she was recognized on the Dean's List for six consecutive semesters and received a Presidential Letter of Recognition.
 

What sets Herrera apart is the breadth of clinical exposure she gained throughout her training. Her rotations took her through a wide range of collegiate and interscholastic settings, including:

Most recently, Herrera served as a Certified Athletic Trainer at the Arizona Volleyball Festival in June 2026, where she independently managed injury evaluations, concussion protocol activations, and clinical treatment decisions — experience that reflects her readiness to take on the responsibilities of a full-time collegiate role.
 

Throughout her clinical training, Herrera developed proficiency in a wide array of therapeutic modalities, including electrical stimulation, cupping, instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training, Hivamat, radial pressure wave therapy, and manual therapy techniques, among others. She also gained hands-on experience in rehabilitation program design, pre-participation physical examinations, and SCAT-6 baseline concussion testing.

Herrera holds several specialized certifications that complement her clinical training, including:

She has also remained active in her professional community as a member of the CBU Athletic Training Student Organization and through continuing education at events such as the CATA Annual Clinical Symposium and CBU's Emergency Skill Labs.

Beyond the training room, Herrera has volunteered her time with Cardiac Insight's "Who We Play For" initiative, supporting cardiac screening events for youth athletes at venues including LA Dodger Stadium and the LA Galaxy Academy — underscoring her dedication to athlete safety that extends well beyond the collegiate level.