Tulane Athletics Team Physician Dr. Greg Stewart, Co-Director and Co-Founder of Center for Sport at Tulane, will serve as the chairman for the American Athletic Conference's newly formed COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group, which comprises medical professionals from each of the league's members institutions.

"There is no more important task ahead of us than protecting the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, officials, support staff and fans as we contemplate the reopening of our fall sports," said American Athletic Conference Commissioner Mike Aresco, "and to that end we have established a COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group with representatives from our 12 institutions, which will be chaired by Dr. Greg Stewart of Tulane University, and which will guide our efforts in establishing the health and safety protocols that will govern our athletic endeavors during the crisis. We are fortunate to be able to call upon the expertise and experience of these distinguished medical professionals as we make critical decisions in the days ahead regarding a safe return to athletic competition on our campuses."

The Advisory Group will address the unique challenges that The American and its colleagues in other conferences will be facing if, and when, there is a return to competition in all sports. Among these will be critical questions involving testing, tracing, sanitation, hygiene, and practice and training guidelines as well as protocols for dealing with COVID-19 positive cases. The Advisory Group will work closely with the Conference membership to develop and disseminate health and safety best practices and recommendations.

"The American has assembled a group of medical experts and key staff members at our institutions who will monitor closely current public health information regarding COVID-19," said Dr. Stewart.  "We look forward to providing our schools with guidance, assistance, recommendations and best practices and protocols for a safe return to competition for student-athletes, while also protecting the health and safety of administrators, support staff, officials and fans."

Stewart has been Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and has been involved in various aspects of sports medicine for more than 30 years. He currently Holds the  W. Kennon McWilliams Professorship in Sports Medicine.

"Our student-athletes here at Tulane receive the best medical attention in the nation and a lot of that comes back to the leadership and knowledge that Dr. Stewart provides," Tulane Director of Athletics Troy Dannen said. "I am thrilled to see that he will serve as the chair of this committee. The league is in a great position thanks to the expertise of Dr. Stewart."

Stewart has served as Tulane's Team Physician since 1987 and was recently inducted into the Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019. He also serves as the Director of the Tulane Athletics Sports Medicine Program and the sports concussion management program.

In addition, Stewart has been nationally recognized as an expert in non-operative treatment of musculoskeletal disorders in adults. He also specializes in disability prevention, rehabilitative medicine, sports medicine, and has a particular interest in sports concussion.
 

Members of The American's COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group:

Medical Advisory Group Chair - Dr. Greg Stewart, Tulane University, Head Team Physician

Dr. Jon Divine, University of Cincinnati, Head Team Physician

Dr. Joseph Armen, East Carolina University, Head Team Physician

Dr. Andrew Li-Yung Hing, University of Houston, Team Physician

Darrell Turner, University of Memphis, Associate Athletics Director – Sports Medicine

Dr. Lance Leclere, United States Naval Academy, Team Physician

Dr. Matt Davis, Southern Methodist University, Team Physician

Dr. Cory Keller, Temple University, Team Physician

Dr. Jeff Cunningham, University of Tulsa, Team Physician

Mary Vander Heiden, University of Central Florida, Director of Sports Medicine

Steve Walz, University of South Florida, Associate Director of Athletics/Director of Sports Medicine

Dan Cahill, Wichita State University, Director of Sports Medicine