Staff

Head Athletic Trainer

Sean Hoppe is in his 7th year at Ridge View High School. He was previously employed at Loris High School for 6 years in Horry County, SC. Coach Hoppe is a graduated from Bowling Green State University in December 1998 with a BS degree in Health Education, and graduated with a Master's from United States Sports Academy in Sports Administration.

Coach Hoppe currently serves as the Co-Chair on the SCATA High School Student Athletic Training Aide Workshop and is the Co-Chair for the Medical Aspects portion of the SCACA Coaches Clinic in July of each year. He is a member of the NATA, MAATA, SCATA, and the Midlands Athletic Trainers Society. Coach Hoppe is an American Heart Association BLS Instructor. Coach Hoppe also serves as the Head Athletic Trainer for the Central SC Cobra's Women's Professional Soccer Team.

Coach Hoppe is married to the beautiful Brandy Hoppe and they have 5 beautiful daughters.

Trent O'Neal, ATC, SCAT

Assistant Athletic Trainer

Trent joined our staff beginning with the 2010-2011 school year coming from a background of 8 years in the field of athletic training including collegiate and professional team coverage.  Just prior to joining our staff, Trent was Associate Head Athletic Trainer at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC.  Trent earned a bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training from Appalachian State University and master’s degree from Winthrop University.  Trent served as an intern for the New Orleans Saints in 2002.  Trent resides in Columbia, South Carolina with wife Alexis, and two boys Maddux and Aiden.  Trent’s hobbies include spending time with family, golf, and tennis. 

Evan F Ekman Team Physician

Evan F Ekman, MD. Southern Orthopedic Sports Medicine

Dr. Ekman is the President of Southern Orthopaedic Sports Medicine and the Medical Director of the Palmetto Health Alliance/ Parkridge Surgery Center. He is also the Medical Director of the Columbia Inferno Professional Ice Hockey Team.

Dr. Ekman is on the editorial board of the Journal of the Southern Orthopaedic Association and Men’s Fitness Magazine. He serves on the Education Committee for the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. Dr. Ekman is on the Public Relations Committee of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and is a member of the, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, the South Carolina Orthopaedic Association, the Southern Orthopaedic Association, and the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. He is also a member of Articulum, an international multidisciplinary think tank.

Dr. Ekman has had over 50 peer reviewed publications, book chapters, and review articles. He has published in numerous journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, and the American Journal of Sports Medicine.

Dr. Ekman has been awarded the John Joyce Award from the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery, and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine and the Allen Lacy Endowment from the Southern Orthopaedic Association. Dr. Ekman has been an invited lecturer in approximately 45 countries around the world. Dr. Ekman earned his undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of Kentucky. He did his surgical internship and orthopaedic surgery residency at Wake Forest University/ Bowman Gray School of Medicine. Dr. Ekman did a research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health and took his orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship at the Kerlan- Jobe Clinic.