Van Bruggen announces training staff changes

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Carson-Newman Associate AD for Sports Medicine Mike Van Bruggen has announced the hiring of four athletic trainers to work with 11 sports at C-N.

"I am really excited about our new staff members," Van Bruggen said. "They are an incredibly talented, hardworking group of young Christian people.  I am looking forward to watching them pour themselves into our student-athletes and seeing how they change lives for an eternity.  With change comes great opportunity and we are going to hold onto this opportunity with both hands and enjoy the ride into the future of healthcare for our student-athletes." 

Nick Peters will work with the C-N men's basketball and tennis programs. Becca Branstetter will be charged with the car of women's soccer and softball athletes.  Bri Walton will aid football as well as the cross country and track and field programs.  Finally, Rebecca Speight will work with women's swimming and women's basketball.  

Peters has spent two years at Concordia University in Ann Arbor, Mich., where he was responsible for coverage of the volleyball, men's basketball, softball and e-sports teams.  Prior to that, he spent a year at Catawba College. 

Peters received his bachelors from Saginaw Valley State and his masters from Bowling Green State University. 

Peters is American Red Cross CPR certified and has been trained in QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention.  He has also completed designated reporting training. 

A product of Liberty's undergraduate program and UNC Pembroke's masters program, Speight comes to Mossy Creek after spending two years working an internship in sports medifice at Barton College. 

With the Bulldogs, she worked with men's and women's swimming as well as softball.  

She has received certifications from the American Heart Association in HearSaver First Aid and has completed the National Safety Council Blood Borne Pathogen Training.  

Branstetter returns to her undergraduate alma mater, she is in her first year back on the banks of Mossy Creek. 

Branstetter finished her masters in athletic training at Lee in May of 2022. 

Branstetter is CPR/AED BLS provider certified.  Previously, she has worked with the UT Chattanooga football program, as well as the Lee baseball program as she finished her master's degree.  

Walton spent the spring of 2022 with Carson-Newman's baseball program on a clinical internship.  Prior to that, she worked with the baseball program at Plymouth State, as well as the Tilton School's football team in New Hampshire. 

Walton is CPR, First Aid and AEC certified.