Petz finalizes athletic training staff

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman Director of Sports Medicine Kelsey Petz has finalized the Carson-Newman athletic training staff for the 2024-25 academic year. 

Petz has added four new faces, brought back a face that had left and promoted one. 

Rebecca Speight earns the promotion to Associate Director of Sports Medicine. Speight has spent the last three years with Carson-Newman.  She oversees athletic training for Carson-Newman's women's basketball and swimming teams.

Nick Peters comes back to C-N after working with the US Military, while Rachel Young, Rachel Jackson, Colby Reed and Dylan Walker are all new to the banks of Mossy Creek. 

Nick Peters makes his return to Carson-Newman after eight months away working with the US Army and Cognito Systems in Fort Campbell, Ky.  Peters will work with men's basketball and tennis.  Peters 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.

Rachel Young has been hired as the head football athletic trainer.  She spent the previous three years at Greensboro College, working with football, volleyball, men's basketball, men's golf and baseball. 

Prior to starting at Greensboro College, Young received her Master of Science in Athletic Training from Moravian University in May of 2021. During her time at Moravian University, Young completed clinical rotations at Furman and UNC-Chapel Hill with football and at Carson-Newman helping with men's and women's basketball. 

Young received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Western Carolina University in 2019. Young holds instructor certifications for the American Red Cross and American Heart Association.

Originally from Eastvale, California, Jackson received her Bachelor of Science in Applied Exercise Science from Azusa Pacific University in 2019 and her Master of Science in Athletic Training from University of Lynchburg in 2024.

Jackson has completed clinical rotations with Lynchburg's men's soccer, E.C Glass High School, Liberty High School, Azusa Pacific baseball, as well as an immersion with University of South Florida baseball.

Jackson is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association and is a certified BLS CPR instructor with the American Heart Association and a certified instructor for Stop the Bleed. She is also certified in REVIVE! - Opioid Overdose and Naloxone Education (OONE) program. She will work with Carson-Newman's baseball and football programs.

Reed will work with Carson-Newman's women's soccer and softball programs. 

A byproduct of Piedmont University, Reed graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Applied Health Science in May 23 before completing her masters in athletic training in May 24. 

She counts clinical rotations at Habersham Central and Gainesville High Schools.  She also worked with the University of Florida's football team. 

While at Piedmont as a student, she assisted with the Lions tennis, men's basketball and women's soccer teams.

Reed was an all-conference performer for the Piedmont women's basketball team. She averaged 9.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.  

Reed is a member of both the National Athletic Trainers' Association and the Southeastern Athletic Trainers' Association. 

Finally, Walker spent the last year working with the Chattanooga Football Club.  He also counts clinical experience with UT Chattanooga Football and The Citadel. 

Walker is First Aid and CPR certified.  He completed the CITI Program in Human Research: Biomedical Research Investigators: 1-Basic Course.

He is also a certified personal trainer for the National Council of Science and Fitness,  Walker holds membership with the National Athletic Trainers' Association, the Southeastern Athletic Trainers' Association and the Tennessee Athletic Trainers' Society. 

He will work with C-N's football team and spirit squads.