Staff Directory
Salesi, Tony
Tony Salesi
- Title:
- Coordinator, Rehabilitation
- Email:
- Phone:
- 412-523-2143
Pitt’s long-time athletic trainer and team confidant, Tony Salesi joined the Panthers’ Athletic Department in 1986. Salesi serves as the Executive Athletic Director for the Performance Team and Coaches where he oversees athletic healthcare, administration, and delivery of services. He continues his role as head athletic trainer for Pitt men’s basketball and provides direct care for the basketball team.
Salesi works to deliver timely health and safety legislation, education, and guidelines for best practices to ensure that all Pitt athletes have access to the highest quality sports medicine.
A 1980 University of Pittsburgh graduate, Salesi began his athletic training career at Frazier High School. He then spent three years as a head trainer for the Keystone Rehabilitation Center in Indiana, Pa., working with the IUP football team.
Salesi, who earned his Master’s degree in health education from Miami University (Ohio) in 1981, returned to his alma mater in August of 1986, when he was appointed a clinical instructor for the University of Pittsburgh Sports Medicine department and head trainer for the Panthers men’s basketball, men’s soccer, and tennis teams. He then earned his physical therapy degree from Pitt in 1989.
In addition to his clinical duties, Salesi first took on an official administrative role beginning in 1998 as the Coordinator of Olympic Sports. Supervising 19 Olympic Sport Teams at the university, Salesi collaborated with his staff on all health insurance, physician services, budgets, and staffing responsibilities. He has gone on to hold a number of positions including: Co-Director for the Performance Team, Assistant Athletics Director for the Performance Team, and Associate Athletics Director.
In 2012, Tony Salesi received the Honorary Letterwinner Award for his dedication, service, and loyalty to the University of Pittsburgh Athletic Department.
Salesi is adjunct faculty through the School of Education, and he continues to teach his perennially popular undergraduate course: “Athletic Injury Prevention.”
Born April 9, 1957, Salesi and his wife Kathleen (Pitt grad MBA ‘85) reside in Penn Township. They have five children: Lauren Ashley (Pitt ’09 and Pitt Med ’17), Andrew Louis, Anthony Alexander (Pitt ’14), Matthew Aaron, and Joseph William (Pitt freshman).
Beyond the Bio
Favorite sports moment at Pitt?
Hard to choose just one. Jerome Lane’s backboard-shattering dunk, Levance Field’s shot at MSG to beat Duke, and Tony Dorsett rushing for 303 against Notre Dame.
What is your favorite thing to do in the city of Pittsburgh?
Biking the trails around the city and stopping for a great bite to eat.
I’m lucky to have the opportunity to work around people who like to talk sports.
Favorite quote?
“The more I practice the luckier I get” -Ben Hogan
Selected Publications
Blanc RO, Conley KM, Ingelis SC, SalesiKA, and WhiteJB. (2000) “The Athletic Trainer”. Chapter in Sports Injuries: Mechanisms, Prevention and Treatment. FUFH and StoneDA, eds. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins.
SalesiKA, 1996, “Manual of Sports Medicine”. Chapter Flexability, edited by Marc R. Safron, MD, Steven P. Van Camp, MD and Douglas McKeog, MD, eds. Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven Publishers
Faherty MS, Csonka J, Salesi K, Varnell M, Connaboy C, Nagai T, Lovalekar M. Changes in Static Balance and Dynamic Postural Stability Are Associated with History of Ankle Sprain in Male and Female Intercollegiate Soccer Athletes. International Ankle Symposium; September 15-17, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC.
Johnson CD., Faherty, MS., Varnell, MS., Lovalekar, M., Williams, VJ., Csonka, J., Salesi, K., Sell TC. (2016) A quantitative analysis of musculoskeletal variables, comparative to team norms, leading to a first-time, ACL rupture in a female soccer player. Journal of Sport and Health Science (In Review)
Varnell M, Keenan K, McFate D, Csonka J, Salesi K, Sell T. Musculoskeletal Characteristics of the Dominant Shoulder Complex between Intercollegiate Baseball and Softball Pitchers and Position Players: A Descriptive Study. Athletic Training and Sports Health Care.
Varnell MS, McFate DA, Keenan KA, Heebner NR, Salesi T, Csonka J, Kido Y, Schreppel B, Sell TC. The Effect of Intrinsic Musculoskeletal Characteristics on Shoulder Complex Injury in Collegiate Baseball and Softball Players. National Athletic Trainers’ Association Annual Meeting: June 24-27, 2013; Las Vegas, NV
Varnell M, Keenan K, McFate D, Csonka J, Salesi K, Sell T. Differences in Shoulder Complex Strength, Range of Motion/Flexibility and Posture between Intercollegiate Baseball and Softball Players. Journal of Athletic Training
Salesi works to deliver timely health and safety legislation, education, and guidelines for best practices to ensure that all Pitt athletes have access to the highest quality sports medicine.
A 1980 University of Pittsburgh graduate, Salesi began his athletic training career at Frazier High School. He then spent three years as a head trainer for the Keystone Rehabilitation Center in Indiana, Pa., working with the IUP football team.
Salesi, who earned his Master’s degree in health education from Miami University (Ohio) in 1981, returned to his alma mater in August of 1986, when he was appointed a clinical instructor for the University of Pittsburgh Sports Medicine department and head trainer for the Panthers men’s basketball, men’s soccer, and tennis teams. He then earned his physical therapy degree from Pitt in 1989.
In addition to his clinical duties, Salesi first took on an official administrative role beginning in 1998 as the Coordinator of Olympic Sports. Supervising 19 Olympic Sport Teams at the university, Salesi collaborated with his staff on all health insurance, physician services, budgets, and staffing responsibilities. He has gone on to hold a number of positions including: Co-Director for the Performance Team, Assistant Athletics Director for the Performance Team, and Associate Athletics Director.
In 2012, Tony Salesi received the Honorary Letterwinner Award for his dedication, service, and loyalty to the University of Pittsburgh Athletic Department.
Salesi is adjunct faculty through the School of Education, and he continues to teach his perennially popular undergraduate course: “Athletic Injury Prevention.”
Born April 9, 1957, Salesi and his wife Kathleen (Pitt grad MBA ‘85) reside in Penn Township. They have five children: Lauren Ashley (Pitt ’09 and Pitt Med ’17), Andrew Louis, Anthony Alexander (Pitt ’14), Matthew Aaron, and Joseph William (Pitt freshman).
Beyond the Bio
Favorite sports moment at Pitt?
Hard to choose just one. Jerome Lane’s backboard-shattering dunk, Levance Field’s shot at MSG to beat Duke, and Tony Dorsett rushing for 303 against Notre Dame.
What is your favorite thing to do in the city of Pittsburgh?
Biking the trails around the city and stopping for a great bite to eat.
I’m lucky to have the opportunity to work around people who like to talk sports.
Favorite quote?
“The more I practice the luckier I get” -Ben Hogan
Selected Publications
Blanc RO, Conley KM, Ingelis SC, SalesiKA, and WhiteJB. (2000) “The Athletic Trainer”. Chapter in Sports Injuries: Mechanisms, Prevention and Treatment. FUFH and StoneDA, eds. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins.
SalesiKA, 1996, “Manual of Sports Medicine”. Chapter Flexability, edited by Marc R. Safron, MD, Steven P. Van Camp, MD and Douglas McKeog, MD, eds. Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven Publishers
Faherty MS, Csonka J, Salesi K, Varnell M, Connaboy C, Nagai T, Lovalekar M. Changes in Static Balance and Dynamic Postural Stability Are Associated with History of Ankle Sprain in Male and Female Intercollegiate Soccer Athletes. International Ankle Symposium; September 15-17, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC.
Johnson CD., Faherty, MS., Varnell, MS., Lovalekar, M., Williams, VJ., Csonka, J., Salesi, K., Sell TC. (2016) A quantitative analysis of musculoskeletal variables, comparative to team norms, leading to a first-time, ACL rupture in a female soccer player. Journal of Sport and Health Science (In Review)
Varnell M, Keenan K, McFate D, Csonka J, Salesi K, Sell T. Musculoskeletal Characteristics of the Dominant Shoulder Complex between Intercollegiate Baseball and Softball Pitchers and Position Players: A Descriptive Study. Athletic Training and Sports Health Care.
Varnell MS, McFate DA, Keenan KA, Heebner NR, Salesi T, Csonka J, Kido Y, Schreppel B, Sell TC. The Effect of Intrinsic Musculoskeletal Characteristics on Shoulder Complex Injury in Collegiate Baseball and Softball Players. National Athletic Trainers’ Association Annual Meeting: June 24-27, 2013; Las Vegas, NV
Varnell M, Keenan K, McFate D, Csonka J, Salesi K, Sell T. Differences in Shoulder Complex Strength, Range of Motion/Flexibility and Posture between Intercollegiate Baseball and Softball Players. Journal of Athletic Training
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