Leigha Limbach enters her first year as Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine and Sports Performance at Fort Hays State in 2026-27.
Limbach came to Fort Hays State from Emporia State University, where she was an athletic trainer for nine years. Over her final four years at ESU, she served as the head athletic trainer, overseeing coverage for 15 sports. spent the last nine years working in athletic training at Emporia State University. Most recently, she was the head athletic trainer for each of the last four years, overseeing coverage for ESU's 15 varsity programs. Her head athletic trainer position followed stints as a graduate assistant and as a part-time assistant athletic trainer and part-time instructor.
In her time with the Hornets, she helped establish and maintain partnerships with a holistic healthcare team, including team physicians, physical therapists, counselors, sports dieticians and a hospital network. She was tasked with overseeing all aspects of the athletic training room, including tracking inventory, calibrating equipment, and supervising staff.
Limbach has served as the primary contact for athletic training at numerous large events, including two NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, four MIAA Championships and two football bowl games. An active member of multiple athletic training associations, Limbach has served on the board of the Kansas Athletic Trainers Society since 2021.
A native of Kearney, Neb., Limbach graduated from the University of Nebraska at Kearney with a Bachelor of Science in athletic training in 2017 before completing a Master of Science in health, physical education and recreation at Emporia State University in 2019.
