Slippery Rock University Athletics

- Highlights: SRU's first head athletic trainer and founder of the athletic training and physical therapy academic programs at SRU, a former swimmer that excelled in the backstroke and medley events at SRU, earned a pair of degrees from SRU before earning a doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh.
 
Dr. Rick McCandless, a native of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was employed for 30 years at Slippery Rock and is known in SRU Athletics as the "Father of Athletic Training" at The Rock. He earned his bachelor's degree from SRU in 1969 and came back to earn a master's degree in 1981.
 
After earning his master's degree, he was appointed the first head athletic trainer at SRU and served in that role from 1982-95. During that time, he also earned his doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh in 1992.  
 
McCandless established the athletic training and physical therapy academic programs at SRU by assisting with the development and accreditation of the undergraduate athletic training program and the doctoral program in physical therapy. He was promoted to a faculty position in allied health in 1982 and was promoted again to director of athletic training curriculum in 1985. Before retiring from SRU, he was assigned to the graduate faculty in 2000.
 
In addition to his positions at Slippery Rock, McCandless spent 22 years as a physical therapist at Butler Memorial Hospital, where he was appointed lead therapist at in 1998. He also served 25 years in the U.S. Army and U.S. Reserves as a member of the Army Medical Specialists Corps, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
 
McCandless earned the Army Commendation Medal from the U.S. Army, the Dr. Richard McLachlan's Award from SRU and the Excellence Award from Butler Memorial Hospital.
 
McCandless met his wife, Mary Ann, at Slippery Rock. When asked to describe the awards and honors he earned as a student at SRU, he lists nothing other than having the honor of meeting the girl that would become his wife. The couple have been married for 57 years. They have one adult daughter, Lyric Faith McCandless Schnur, and two grandchildren, Mac and Faith.