RUSTON - Louisiana Tech head athletic trainer Bob Burns announced that he has added three new full-time graduate assistants to his staff starting this fall.

Burns, who enters his third year at the helm of the program, has hired Blas Ruelas, Joe Resendez and Donald Julien as graduate assistant athletic trainers. The trio will join graduate assistants Jennifer Winningham and Sean Wilson, who both return for their second year at Tech.

Ruelas comes to Tech after earning his bachelor's degree in exercise science from Western Michigan University in April while he worked closely with the Broncos football, softball and gymnastics programs. The Kalamazoo, Mich., native will work closely with football and tennis this year.

Resendez, who will work with the Tech football, men's basketball and golf teams, comes to Ruston after earning his bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Texas-Pan American in 2003. The Brownsville, Texas, native recently finished an internship in the sports medicine department at Texas-San Antonio.

Julien, who will handle football, track and field, and bowling, comes to Tech after earning his bachelor's degree in athletic training science from Nicholls State University in May of 2004. Julien interned with the New Orleans Saints in the summer of 2003 and the Kansas City Chiefs in the summer of 2004.

Winningham begins her second year at Tech as a graduate assistant athletic trainer and will handle the Louisiana Tech volleyball and softball teams. The Huntsville, Tenn., native earned her bachelor's degrees in English and journalism from Tennessee Tech in 2003 while minoring in health and physical education.

Wilson also begins his second year at Tech and will work with the Bulldog football and baseball programs. The St. Louis, Mo., native earned his bachelor's degree in exercise science from Truman State in May of 2003.