Allegheny College Athletics

A fixture in the Allegheny athletic department for over three decades, Jamie Plunkett retired in July 2017 after a 34-year tenure as the Gators' head athletic trainer. Plunkett provided treatment to thousands of Gator student-athletes over the course of his career, and was a part of some of the most successful teams in Allegheny history, highlighted by the 1990 NCAA Division III national champion football team, and the 2000 baseball team that advanced to the semifinals of the Division III World Series. 

When hired by legendary athletic director Norm Sundstrom, Plunkett first worked in cramped accommodations in the old David Mead Fieldhouse and Montgomery Gymnasium. He helped oversee construction of the satellite athletic training center at the Robertson Athletic Complex in the late 1980's, before the construction of the David V. Wise Center provided Plunkett and his staff with state-of-the-art accommodations in 1997, and he worked tirelessly at ensuring that both the Wise and Robertson training centers were equipped with the most advanced features in order to maintain top-notch treatment and therapy to the student-athlete body.

In addition to the continual improvement of the athletic training department's amenities, he was also instrumental in growing the athletic training staff to its current model of one full-time director and two full-time assistants, along with a host of student assistants.

While he provided treatment, guidance, and friendship to thousands of student-athletes, Plunkett was also instrumental in helping a number of his student workers pursue careers in the medical field, as dozens of his former pupils have gone on to gain employment as doctors, nurses, physical therapists, emergency medical technicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners. Plunkett was also a vital member of the athletic department's senior administration team, as he served on the Hall of Fame selection committee and the Golden Gator Golf Outing committee for the duration of his career.

While he certainly made an indelible mark on the Allegheny campus, Plunkett is also a distinguished member of the Meadville community. An ice hockey standout during his youth in Ontario and college days at Cornell University, Plunkett has served as the head coach of the Meadville Area Senior High varsity hockey team for 32 years.  He has guided the Bulldogs to eight state titles, and garnered national attention in February 2017 when he earned his 1,000th career coaching win.