Dr. Michael Maloney

Program Founder, Chief of Sports Medicine

Dr. Maloney is a board certified and fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in Sports Medicine. He most commonly treats injuries and conditions to the Shoulder, Elbow and Knee- including Rotator Cuff, Shoulder Instability/Labrum tears, Elbow Ulnar Collateral Ligament and biceps injuries and Knee ACL, Meniscus Patellofemoral joint and Cartilage injuries in both children and adults. 

Dr. Maloney is currently a Dean’s Professor of Orthopaedics and the Chief of Sports Medicine. The Sports Medicine team provides medical care for 9 local colleges, 5 professional teams and most of the High Schools in the region.  

He also serves as the Medical Director of the URMC Ambulatory Surgery Center. 

Dr. Maloney is the founder and Director of CHAMPP- the Center for Human Athleticism Musculoskeletal Performance and Prevention- a multi-disciplinary and integrated approach to athletic performance, injury prevention and wellness emphasizing care of the entire patient. We treat patients/athletes of all skill levels including Olympic athletes and those in MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL and the PGA/LPGA. 

Dr. Maloney has been practicing at the University of Rochester since 1998, and has extensive experience with Arthroscopic surgery, ligament reconstructions, soft tissue repair and the use of biologics- Platelet Rich Plasma and Stem Cells. He has developed novel surgical solutions to complex shoulder instability conditions. Dr. Maloney is actively involved in the Center for Musculoskeletal Research working on models for injury repair and the use of biologics as well as novel treatments for osteoarthritis. He also has extensive work in the field of Patient Reported Outcomes. 

Conner Lorenzo

Director of Operations, Fitness Science   

Education: Lorenzo is a Board-Certified Athletic Trainer and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist holding several other performance/movement credentials including USAW, FMS-C and SFMA-1. He received a Masters in Athletic Training from Daemen College and Bachelors in Exercise Science from Fredonia State University.

Background: Since 2018, Lorenzo has served in a variety of positions in the within Orthopaedics including Fitness Science program coordinator, performance specialist and athletic trainer. 

Prior to come to the University of Rochester, Lorenzo worked with the Buffalo Bills Athletic Training staff for two seasons.  

Strength Training

Andrew Cappadonia

Fitness Science Program Coordinator    

Role(s): University of Rochester Athletics Strength and Conditioning 

Education: BS Exercise Science SUNY Brockport, MS Exercise Science/Human Performance Ithaca College, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist  

Background: Prior experience includes personal training as well as completing an internship with the Syracuse Football strength and conditioning department.   

Hobbies include playing golf, hiking and traveling. I enjoy strength training and continuing to stay active however I can.  

Austin Blumbergs   

Exercise Specialist 

Role(s): Saunders Center Individual and Group Training, Brighton High School Strength and Conditioning Coach, assists with Nazareth University teams 

Education: BS Sports Studies: Human Movement Sciences, MS Business Administration from St. Bonaventure University 

Background: Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at St. Bonaventure University, played Division I lacrosse at St. Bonaventure, continues his lacrosse career playing professional in the NLL for the Halifax Thunderbirds 

Bryce Szudzik  

Exercise Specialist 

Role(s): Nazareth University Strength and Conditioning Coach 

Education: BS Exercise Science at SUNY Brockport, Certified Functional Strength Coach, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist  

Background: Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at SUNY Brockport, played DIII Football at SUNY Brockport, 2x Taekwondo national champion 

Cait Suchecki   

Exercise Specialist 

Role(s): University of Rochester Strength and Conditioning Coach, Webster Thomas Strength and Conditioning Coach 

Education: BS Exercise Science at SUNY Fredonia, MS Sport Management  

Background: Personal Training, Standford University Athletics Department, enjoys basketball, lacrosse, snowboarding, and hiking in the Adirondacks. Stays active by strength training and recovering with sauna and cold plunge 

Sydnee Carroll   

Exercise Specialist 

Role(s): Saunders Center Individual and Group Training, Nazareth University Strength and Conditioning Coach 

Education: BS Exercise Science at Ithaca College, MS Exercise Science: Human Performance at Ithaca College, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist 

Background: Graduate Assistant at the Robert R. Colbert Sr. Wellness Clinic at Ithaca College, played club basketball, favorite exercise is the barbell bench press 

Hunter Wassink  

Exercise Specialist 

Role(s): Saunders Center Individual and Group Training 

Education: BS Exercise Science at Ithaca College, MS Exercise Science: Human Performance at Ithaca College, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist 

Background: Graduate Assistant at the Robert R. Colbert Sr. Wellness Clinic at Ithaca College, played club basketball, favorite exercise is the barbell bench press 

Will Markwick   

Exercise Specialist 

Role(s): Saunders Center Individual and Group Training, Joint Wellness and Adult Fitness Class Coach, trains local Fire Departments through UR Workplace Health 

Education: BS Sports Management at St. John Fisher University, MS Sports Management at West Virginia University, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Weightlifting Training Specialist (USAW) 

Background: Played DIII football at St. John Fisher University, enjoys golf

Zachary Ferrara   

Exercise Specialist 

Role(s): CHAMPP Program Coordinator, Physical Education Curriculum Model integrated into East High School, Bishop Kearney, Rochester Prep Charter School, and Academy of Health Sciences Charter School 

Education: BS Health and Physical Education at SUNY Brockport, MS Physical Education at SUNY Brockport 

Background: competed in DIII Pole Vault at SUNY Brockport, 2013 National Champion in Pole Vault, currently competes nationally at pole vault, collegiate Track and Field Coach at Nazareth University, outside of athletics Zach is a husband, father, and outdoor enthusiast 

Kaelin Shepard 

Exercise Specialist  

Education: BS Exercise Science SUNY Brockport 

Background: Summer internship at URMC Fitness Science 

Hobbies: I play soccer, I rock climb and play pickleball in my free time. I am also training to compete in my first HYROX competition.  

Haley Brucato

Exercise Specialist 

Education - BS Exercise Science, Minor in Biology SUNY Brockport, NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist 

Background - Prior experience in personal training, general population small group training, and small group/team sports performance training from youth athletes to college/professional athletes and everything in between! 

Hobbies include reading and all things music. I was a collegiate swimmer who now trains for and competes nationally in powerlifting! 

Sport Psychology

Craig Cypher, Psy.D., CMPC

Dr. Criag Cypher –  Dr. Cypher is a Clinical and Sport Psychologist with UR Medicine Orthopaedics and Physical Performance. He is the only New York State Licensed Psychologist in the Greater Rochester area to also be recognized as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant®, as administered by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. Dr. Cypher has over 20 years of experience engaged in sport psychology and mental performance work with athletes and elite performers across the lifespan from youth to professional. Dr. Cypher specializes in performance enhancement, psychological aspects of injury recovery, and helping athletes address mental health issues.  He is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Orthopaedics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, where he serves as a Sport Psychologist, heads up Performance Psychology within the department, and is the Lead of the Mindset Training program for UR Medicine Fitness Science, a multidisciplinary program for holistic athlete development. Dr. Cypher is a member of the American Psychological Association's Division for Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, and is listed in the Mental Health and Mental Performance Directories for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. He is a founding member and co-coordinator for the Association for Applied Sport Psychology MMA and Combat Sports Special Interest Group and serves on the organization's Web Presence Committee. Dr. Cypher received his Bachelor's Degree from Boston College, with a double major in psychology and English and received his Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology in Chicago. 

Nutrition

Holly Gilligan, MA, RD, CDN

Holly Gilligan –  Holly Gilligan, MA RD CDN is a registered dietitian and former college athlete. She has a master’s degree in nutrition science from Syracuse University, and completed her dietetic internship at Yale-New Haven Hospital, where she was then employed for 8 years. Holly‘s background includes extensive work with individuals as well as groups in many settings such as in-patient/outpatient clinical, 1-on-1 nutrition counseling across the spectrum of age/sport/health condition, group teaching and presentations, and outpatient eating disorder treatment.