MISSOULA – The 91次元’s famed Athletic Training Program will induct three new members to its hall of fame at noon Friday, Oct. 10, during its annual Homecoming Celebration. The event honors the program’s rich history and these distinguished alumni.
In 1971, UM was among the first universities in the country to launch an academic program specific to athletic training. In the five decades since, the program has produced some of the most impactful individuals in the sports medicine field.
The Hall of Fame Class of 2025 includes:
Dr. Keith Peterson
Peterson was a pioneering sports medicine physician who founded one of the largest privately-owned sports medicine clinics in the United States. Born in Iowa and raised in Seattle, Peterson attended the UM where he lettered in football and baseball. He went on to earn his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1960. After completing his medical training, Dr. Peterson and his wife Marilyn established The Sports Medicine Clinic in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood in 1963. The clinic became one of the premiere sports medicine clinics in the country, providing medical care to athletes ranging from high school students to professional sports teams. Over his illustrious career, Peterson served as an associate physician for all of Seattle’s major professional sports franchises, including the Seahawks, Supersonics and Mariners. In addition to his work with professional and collegiate athletes, Peterson was deeply involved in the sports medicine community. He was a founding member of the American Osteopathic Association of Sports Medicine and the International Council of Motorsport Sciences. He also established the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Camp in Seeley Lake and the Montana Rodeo Sports Medicine program to improve medical coverage at rodeo events. Peterson passed away in 2018, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneer in the field of sports medicine and a beloved figure to the many athletes and communities he served.
John “Jack” Redgren
Redgren was a pioneering figure in the field of athletic training. In the spring of 1962, Redgren began working under the late Naseby Rhinehart where he found his love for athletic training. He then went on to graduate from UM in 1964 before serving in the United States Army from 1965 to 1967. After his military service, Redgren attended the prestigious Mayo Clinic School of Physical Therapy and graduated in 1969. He began his athletic training career working under Lindsy McLean at the University of Michigan for two years before moving to Vanderbilt University, where he served as an athletic trainer for a decade. In 1981, Redgren transitioned to the private sector, where he dedicated over 40 years of his career to treating varsity, professional, and recreational athletes. He was known for his great personality, selfless mentality, and commitment to treating each person as an individual. Redgren lived by the principle of treating others as he would want to be treated. Redgren’s contributions to the field of athletic training were far reaching. He served on the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Professional Education Committee for 17 years and was inducted into the NATA Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Southeast Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame in 2007. He was also recognized by the Tennessee Athletic Trainers’ Society as the 1990 Joe Worden Clinic/Professional Athletic Trainer of the Year, and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 1996. In 2006, Redgren was named the co-recipient of The Contribution to Football Award by the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the National and College Football Foundation. Throughout his illustrious career, he was beloved by the many athletes, colleagues, and communities he served. Redgren passed away on May 12, 2017, at 74.
JC Weida
Weida grew up in Deer Lodge and graduated from Powell County High School in 1987. He graduated in 1992 from UM with a bachelor’s degree in health and human performance with a focus on athletic training and in 1995 with a master’s degree in exercise physiology. He was a student athletic trainer and graduate assistant under the mentorship of Montana Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame members Scott Richter and Dennis Murphy, as well as long time Grizzly team physician Dr. Rob Curry. He then spent one year at Pepperdine University before returning to UM in 1996 as an assistant athletic trainer and eventually became UM’s third head athletic trainer in 2013. Weida has been a part of building a program that now includes eight certified athletic trainers caring for 17 sports and around 350 athletes. Weida has cared for many athletes and traveled with a variety of different teams over the years. He was also an instructor in the athletic training program and is still a preceptor. Weida served as President of MTATA, a District 10 Executive Board member and a member and chair of the Montana Board of Athletic Trainers. He was instrumental in lobbying for the Montana athletic training licensure bill, as well as the Dylan Steigers Protection of Youth Sports Athletes Act, which is Montana’s concussion law for youth sports. Weida has done volunteer work as an athletic trainer for college and professional rodeo, Special Olympics of Montana as well as many high school basketball and wrestling events. He has spoken at many seminars over the years. Weida was inducted into the MTATA Hall of Fame in 2019 and received the NATA Service Award in 2025.
In addition to the new inductees to the Hall of Fame, UM is also awarding an Athletic Training Lifetime Achievement Award to Bob Botkin.
Botkin is a seasoned physical therapist and athletic trainer with over 30 years of experience in the field of sports medicine. After excelling as a three-sport athlete at Plentywood High School, Botkin pursued his passion for health by earning his undergraduate degree in health and human performance with a focus on athletic training from UM in 1995. During his time as a student, Botkin also played football for the Montana Grizzlies for two years. Following his undergraduate studies, Botkin gained valuable experience working as an athletic trainer for an orthopedic rehabilitation and sports medicine clinic from 1999 to 2001. He went on to earn his master’ s degree in physical therapy, graduating with honors from UM in 2001. Since then, Botkin has worked as a physical therapist and athletic trainer at Missoula Bone and Joint, where he provides sports medicine outreach services to 17 local high schools. Botkin has been at the helm of creating one of the largest athletic training clinical outreach programs in Montana enhancing access to athletic healthcare in Western Montana. Botkin is committed to advancing athletic training education as evidenced by instructing courses at UM, guest lecturing and serving as a clinical preceptor.
More information about UM’s famed athletic training degree program is available online.
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Contact: Dave Kuntz, UM director of strategic communications, 406-243-5659, dave.kuntz@umontana.edu.