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Kelsey Vinson

Kelsey Vinson

Director of Sports Science
Kelsey Vinson is in her second season on the Tech staff. She works collaboratively with Coach Pry, as well as director of football strength and conditioning Dwight Galt IV, Tech's sports medicine and athletic training team and the rest of the football staff. She strives to reduce the risk of non-contact injury, improve athletic qualities conducive to sport success and promote game day readiness.  Through the use of wearable devices, Vinson examines volumes, intensity, explosive efforts, change of directions and speed, while also tracking sleep patterns, recovery and heart rate. Sports science data serves as an investment for the health and success of Tech student-athletes.

Vinson joined the Hokies after serving for a year as a sports scientist and data analyst with Bear Cognition, a data intelligence firm in Charleston, South Carolina focused on simplifying the world of data and analytics for businesses. She worked with coaches and athletes from various backgrounds in the ACC, SEC, Big 12, Sun Belt, Mountain West and American conferences. Along with collegiate programs, she worked with the US Olympic and Paralympic Committees, guiding decision-making to optimize sports performance. She utilized analytics and statistical models to highlight key performance indicators and help maximize competitive advantages.
 
Vinson previously established and developed a Sports Science program at Auburn, compiling performance metrics for 17 teams and more than 400 student-athletes. She worked as an applied sports scientist with the University of Virginia football team in 2021, following a year as a data analyst and recovery assistant with the Clemson Applied Science Lab.
 
Vinson completed her bachelor’s degree in health science from Clemson University in 2019 and received her master’s in applied health research and evaluation from the school in 2020.