NEWPORT, R.I.-- Salve Regina University sports medicine has added Rhode Island natives Brandon Barnowski and Grace Pelletier as athletic trainers to complete a five-person staff equipped to support the Seahawk student-athletes beginning with the fall 2025 season. 

"We are very excited to add Brandon Barnowski and Grace Pelletier to our dedicated sports medicine staff," remarked director of athletics Dr. Sean Sullivan. "They will bring valuable experiences both in supporting student-athletes and understanding the physical demands and mental fortitude required to be a high-performing competitor. Brandon and Grace will be huge assets to a sports medicine staff that is wholeheartedly committed to ensuring the safety of our athletes while guiding them through injury rehabilitation and the return to competition process."

Barnowski most recently worked at St. Thomas University supporting football, wrestling, and women's soccer. Pelletier comes to Salve from Vermont State University Castleton where she pursued her master's degree while working with VTSU athletic training and Middlebury College athletic training. 

"I'm really excited to join an energetic group of ATs," said Pelletier. "The Salve community, throughout the whole campus, is super nice and super welcoming, which has definitely made the transition easy. I'm excited to get acclimated and get to know everyone." 

"It's very refreshing to come back home to Rhode Island with all the knowledge that I've gained, plant my roots somewhere and continue to develop and grow as an athletic trainer," added Barnowski. "It's great to be around a group of people who are so welcoming and work together as a unit." 

Barnowski, a University of Rhode Island graduate, worked with Rhody football in his senior year. He went on to earn his master's degree at University of Miami during which he completed clinical rotations with the UM football team, Pinecrest Strength & Conditioning and Ransom Everglades High School.  

"Actually, I had no idea what I wanted to do at first," recalled Barnowski. "I took an intro to athletic training class and it was something I could see myself doing. I grew up as an athlete and I myself had four surgeries—  so I know the hardship and the mental toughness that it takes to overcome that. I can blend my love for sports and knowing the hardship of overcoming injuries and what it takes to come back from that." 

Pelletier, who attended St. Mary Academy - Bay View, had a similar experience playing multiple sports growing up and receiving treatment and mentorship from athletic trainers along her journey.  

"I also had the injury bug a little bit throughout high school," remembered Pelletier. "When I was applying for colleges, I applied to a handful of PT programs but I liked the idea of being the first person to respond when someone gets hurt and, not only that, but then seeing them through their rehab and working with them until they get healthy and return to to play." 

Pelletier picked up field hockey her freshman year of high school, and continued in college. She also walked-on to the VTSU women's lacrosse team. In 2022 Pelletier and the Spartans field hockey team won the LEC Tournament and advanced to the NCAAs. Barnowski both played and worked with football teams at a variety of levels during his athletic and professional career.  

"I have a good amount of experience working with football," said Barnowski. "I worked preseason camp and regular season with URI. I did two preseason camps and regular season at University of Miami. I had one season at St. Thomas University, where I did preseason camp, regular season, postseason and spring ball." 

This will be Barnowski's fifth season working with a football program. 

Pelletier completed her college immersion semester with Middlebury Men's soccer when the team advanced to the final four. She will be working closely with field hockey in the fall, for which she is very familiar.