Making Memories On and Off the Ice: Brian Riedel (’17), Athletic Training
By Kim Westerman | March 2025
If you had told Brian Riedel, a graduate of the Athletic Training Program at UWSP less than a decade ago, that in seven years he would be part of a professional sports organization that would win the Stanley Cup, he likely would’ve been incredulous. But while he was not intentionally on a fast track to the top of his field, the fact that he spent the final year of his program working with the Stevens Point hockey team would be prophetic. Riedel is now the assistant athletic trainer for the Florida Panthers, the professional hockey team that won last year’s coveted Stanley Cup.
Riedel keeps his UWSP days close in mind and heart. He says, “School was always a challenge for me, but UWSP is a place that helped when I was struggling. Because we were a class of only 12 students, we were all pretty close — we ate together, studied together, hung out in nature together — little did I know that the work my final year with the hockey team would set me on my current path.”
Landing a job with the Florida Panthers was a dream come true. Riedel loves “living in paradise” and being able to travel the world with his wife, Tiffanie, and their two canine companions, Hank and Oakley. He attributes his successful career trajectory to his time at Point. He says, “My education at Point was a vigorous and rewarding experience. During my time there, I was immersed in various sports the university offered. Every single day in the Athletic Training Room, I was able to learn something new and push myself to a higher level. My success in my career can be credited to UWSP, paired with hard work, dedication, and colleagues who’ve supported me and helped pave the way.”
Now, Riedel works with elite athletes who are among the very best in the world, and he considers it an honor to be responsible for the health of his players, enabling them to perform their grueling duties, day in and day out. But he acknowledges that while the memories he and his team make on the ice are thrilling, it’s the memories off the ice that will stick with him forever. He says, “At Point, I learned how to be an adult. The AT staff and preceptors taught me what real work ethic looks like. Some might believe it is just putting your head down and working hard, but in reality, it’s much more. I have learned that the people you surround yourself with are of utmost importance. Point people are some of the best in the business and are always willing to go the extra mile to help make students as successful as they want to be.”
Still young and vibrant, Riedel has big goals for the future, which include honing his communication skills: “One of the biggest values we need to learn in the 21st century is putting down the electronics and having conversations with people. We get so consumed by all the gadgets around us that we forget the best part of life is getting to share it with others.”
Follow Riedel and the Florida Panthers’ journey this season as the defending champions of professional hockey, knowing that wherever this alum goes, a piece of Point is always with him.
