Middlebury has announced the promotion of Shelby Watts along with the hiring of Jess Hall and Abbie Seamans within the Sports Medicine Department. Watts has been elevated to an Assistant Director of Sports Medicine. Hall and Seamans join the staff as Athletic Trainers.

"I am proud to announce the promotion of Shelby and the hirings of Jess and Abbie," said Director of Sports Medicine Kelly Cray. "I have no doubt that Shelby will continue her quality leadership as she moves into her new role, while Jess and Abbie each provide years of experience and knowledge to our team." 

Watts joined the sports medicine staff in the summer of 2019. She came to Middlebury after serving as the Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer at Terre Haute South Vigo High School in Indiana for two years.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to work as an Assistant Director of Sports Medicine," said Watts. "I look to continue working to enhance our department while providing quality patient care for our athletes."

Hall comes to Middlebury after spending the last 17 years as the co-owner of Inspire Physical Therapy in Colchester, Vermont. She has also spent time at Vermont high schools including Burlington, Champlain Valley Union, Mount Mansfield and Essex, as well as helping on occasion as a Certified Athletic Trainer with the Vermont Lake Monsters and Vermont Lumberjacks. Hall earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and a Concentration in Athletic Training with a minor in psychology from the University of Vermont in 2000. A year later, Hall earned a Master of Education degree in Sports Medicine from the University of Virginia. 

"I am so excited for the opportunity to join and work alongside an amazing team of Sports Medicine professionals at Middlebury," said Hall. "I am honored to work with talented student-athletes and look forward to helping them remain healthy and strive toward their goals!" 

Seamans joins the Middlebury community after spending five months as an athletic training student at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) where she worked primarily with the Bruin softball program. Seamans graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science degree in fitness and wellness and graduated with a Master of Science degree in athletic training from the University at Buffalo in May of 2024. During her time in western New York, she worked with organizations like the Buffalo Bills and the UBMD Orthopedic and Excelsior Orthopedics. 

"I'm honored and excited to be starting my career at Middlebury," said Seamans. "I can already see the cohesive and family-like mentality within the staff and I am thrilled to be a part of it!"

Hall and Seamans began their time working in the department in late July.