Dr. Tom and Anne Fehring (’75) Officially Name Wake Forest Head Football Athletic Trainer Position
10/20/2025 9:55:00 AM | Football, General
Gift Ensures Continued Leadership in Student-Athlete Health and Safety
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest University is proud to announce that Dr. Tom and Anne Fehring of Charlotte, N.C., have officially named the Head Football Athletic Trainer position in support of Wake Forest Athletics Sports Medicine and Athletic Training. The position, currently held by Alison Mitchell, will now be known as the Fehring Family Head Football Athletic Trainer.
A graduate and former football player at Wake Forest, Dr. Fehring is a nationally recognized orthopedic surgeon and respected voice in adult reconstructive surgery. He is the former President of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, and in 2024 he was named the the North Carolina Orthopedic Surgeon of the Year. Tom currently serves as a Medical Director on the Board of SAFR Sports, a football helmet safety company dedicated to improving player protection and reducing head injuries. Anne, also a 1975 Wake Forest alumna, shares her husband's passion for advancing student-athlete health and safety through their family's generous investment.
Their gift will enhance Wake Forest's ability to invest in cutting-edge medical technology and equipment, foster innovation in sports health care, and continue providing world-class support for student-athletes across all programs.
Alison Mitchell, MS, LAT, ATC, was announced as the Fehring Family Head Football Athletic Trainer on April 14, 2025. Mitchell joined Wake Forest after serving as the Head Football Athletic Trainer at Texas State University, where she oversaw healthcare, rehabilitation, and performance strategies for the football program while managing the sports medicine staff.
Prior to her time at Texas State, Mitchell built an impressive career working with Power Four football programs, including stops at Miami, Syracuse, Michigan, and South Carolina. While at Miami (2022–24) and Syracuse (2020–22), she played a key role in injury prevention, return-to-play protocols, and sports performance integration. She also spent time as an Athletic Training Intern with the Carolina Panthers, gaining valuable NFL experience.
A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Mitchell earned her Master of Science in Advanced Athletic Training from the University of South Carolina and her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Salisbury University. She holds multiple certifications, including dry needling, Graston Technique, Mulligan Concept Manual Therapy, and Mental Health First Aid USA.
Beyond this investment, the Fehrings have been steadfast supporters of the Deacon Club and Football Excellence Fund, and major contributors for the Sutton Sports Performance Center and Football Locker Room projects. They also established the Doc Martin Sports Medicine Endowment Fund to enhance student-athlete healthcare and safety.
Tom and Anne, both 1975 graduates, have three children and continue to embody the values of Pro Humanitate through their support of Wake Forest Athletics and the broader University community.
What They're Saying
This announcement comes during the 75th anniversary celebration of the Deacon Club, the official fundraising arm of Wake Forest Athletics. Since its founding in 1950, the Deacon Club has empowered generations of Demon Deacons through scholarship support, excellence funds, and strategic investments in facilities and leadership positions—delivering on Wake Forest's promise of a World Class Student-Athlete Experience.
The Fehring's were recently recognized on Sept. 11, 2025 at Wake Forest's home football game against NC State for their generosity and commitment as a part of this year-long initiative.
To learn more about the Deacon Club's 75th Anniversary Celebration and ways to support Wake Forest student-athletes, visit DeaconClub.com.
Supporting Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University is known for its distinctive combination of world-class academics, unrivaled campus experience, intimate learning environment and Power 4 athletics in a top-growing metro market. A Charter member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Demon Deacons have won 59 conference titles and are one of nine ACC schools to win 11 or more national championships. Additionally, with 1.7 million people within 30 miles of campus, Wake Forest anchors the Winston-Salem and Triad market, which ranks as ESPN's seventh-best nationally from a viewership perspective.
Wake Forest's comprehensive excellence includes its highly regarded school of medicine, business school, law school and an innovative department of engineering. Additionally, Wake Forest has campuses across Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Washington, DC – providing many academic offerings to students from across the nation and around the world.
Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu and at GoDeacs.com.
A graduate and former football player at Wake Forest, Dr. Fehring is a nationally recognized orthopedic surgeon and respected voice in adult reconstructive surgery. He is the former President of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, and in 2024 he was named the the North Carolina Orthopedic Surgeon of the Year. Tom currently serves as a Medical Director on the Board of SAFR Sports, a football helmet safety company dedicated to improving player protection and reducing head injuries. Anne, also a 1975 Wake Forest alumna, shares her husband's passion for advancing student-athlete health and safety through their family's generous investment.
Their gift will enhance Wake Forest's ability to invest in cutting-edge medical technology and equipment, foster innovation in sports health care, and continue providing world-class support for student-athletes across all programs.
Alison Mitchell, MS, LAT, ATC, was announced as the Fehring Family Head Football Athletic Trainer on April 14, 2025. Mitchell joined Wake Forest after serving as the Head Football Athletic Trainer at Texas State University, where she oversaw healthcare, rehabilitation, and performance strategies for the football program while managing the sports medicine staff.
Prior to her time at Texas State, Mitchell built an impressive career working with Power Four football programs, including stops at Miami, Syracuse, Michigan, and South Carolina. While at Miami (2022–24) and Syracuse (2020–22), she played a key role in injury prevention, return-to-play protocols, and sports performance integration. She also spent time as an Athletic Training Intern with the Carolina Panthers, gaining valuable NFL experience.
A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Mitchell earned her Master of Science in Advanced Athletic Training from the University of South Carolina and her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Salisbury University. She holds multiple certifications, including dry needling, Graston Technique, Mulligan Concept Manual Therapy, and Mental Health First Aid USA.
Beyond this investment, the Fehrings have been steadfast supporters of the Deacon Club and Football Excellence Fund, and major contributors for the Sutton Sports Performance Center and Football Locker Room projects. They also established the Doc Martin Sports Medicine Endowment Fund to enhance student-athlete healthcare and safety.
Tom and Anne, both 1975 graduates, have three children and continue to embody the values of Pro Humanitate through their support of Wake Forest Athletics and the broader University community.
What They're Saying
- Dr. Tom and Anne Fehring ('75):
- "Wake Forest has been an important part of our lives since our student days, and we're proud to give back to a place that has given us so much. Supporting the health and safety of student-athletes is deeply meaningful to us, and we believe this investment will help ensure that Wake Forest continues to lead in caring for those who represent the University with integrity and excellence. It's a privilege to play a small part in that continued success."
- Head Coach Jake Dickert:
- "Tom and Anne Fehring's generosity reflects the very best of Wake Forest. Their investment in the health and well-being of our student-athletes demonstrates a deep commitment to the people who make this program special. The impact of their support will be felt every day in how we care for our players and help them grow as competitors and as people. We're grateful for their belief in our mission and the example they set for the entire Wake Forest community."
- Vice President & Director of Athletics John Currie:
- "Tom and Anne Fehring have been loyal and generous members of the Wake Forest family for decades, and their love for this University shines through in everything they do. As a former student-athlete himself, Tom understands how important it is to provide the very best care for those who wear the Old Gold and Black. We are deeply grateful for their investment in the health, safety, and success of our student-athletes and for their ongoing leadership within the Wake Forest community."
- Fehring Family Head Football Athletic Trainer Alison Mitchell:
- "It's an incredible honor to serve in a role that carries the Fehring Family name. Tom and Anne's generosity reflects how deeply they care about our student-athletes and the people who serve them. Every day, our staff works to create a safe and supportive environment where our players can perform at their best, and this gift ensures that mission continues for years to come."
- Associate AD, Head Athletic Trainer Niles Fleet:
- "This remarkable gift from the Fehrings directly enhances our ability to provide world-class care to Wake Forest student-athletes. Their support will allow our Sports Medicine team to continue advancing in injury prevention, treatment, and recovery—ensuring that our student-athletes have access to the best resources available. We're honored and thankful to partner with a family that shares our passion for innovation and commitment to excellence in athlete safety."
This announcement comes during the 75th anniversary celebration of the Deacon Club, the official fundraising arm of Wake Forest Athletics. Since its founding in 1950, the Deacon Club has empowered generations of Demon Deacons through scholarship support, excellence funds, and strategic investments in facilities and leadership positions—delivering on Wake Forest's promise of a World Class Student-Athlete Experience.
The Fehring's were recently recognized on Sept. 11, 2025 at Wake Forest's home football game against NC State for their generosity and commitment as a part of this year-long initiative.
To learn more about the Deacon Club's 75th Anniversary Celebration and ways to support Wake Forest student-athletes, visit DeaconClub.com.
Supporting Wake Forest Athletics
- Wake Forest Athletics Excellence Funds program launched in 2018 as an avenue for alumni, family and friends to directly impact a specific program of their choice through a budget-enhancing gift specifically to that program. Join the Goldings in their support of the women's golf program or make an experience-enhancing gift to the program of your choosing today!
- The Balogh Family announced a transformative gift in Sept. 2023 gift to help Wake Forest's initiative to sustain and elevate coaching or directorship positions though specific endowment gifts. In gratitude for the generosity of Ed Balogh and his wife, Kathy, the position currently held by football's wide receivers coach Ari Confesor will be forever titled, The Balogh Family Football Assistant Coach for Wide Receivers Position.
- The Lyons family moved forward in May 2023 to become the first to participate in the Coaching and Directorship Initiative at Wake Forest, establishing the The Lyons Family Men's Golf Associate Head Coach position and The Lyons Family Women's Golf Associate Head Coach position.
- In celebration of his 50th Wake Forest reunion and a lifetime of support for his alma mater, Jeff Triplette and his wife, Laurie, endowed the Triplette Family Volleyball Assistant Coach position in 2024. A longtime Deacon Club Board member and advocate for women's athletics, Triplette has played a key role in shaping the Coaching and Directorship Initiative. His historic investment will provide perpetual support for the volleyball program, enhancing recruiting, development, and competitive opportunities for student-athletes.
- Tony and Vi Golding have named the head coach position for Wake Forest Women's Golf, held by 2023 NCAA Champion Kim Lewellen, in recognition of their transformative support for the program in June 2025. Their gift reflects a decades-long relationship with Wake Forest and a shared vision to elevate opportunities for Demon Deacon student-athletes on and off the course.
Wake Forest University is known for its distinctive combination of world-class academics, unrivaled campus experience, intimate learning environment and Power 4 athletics in a top-growing metro market. A Charter member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Demon Deacons have won 59 conference titles and are one of nine ACC schools to win 11 or more national championships. Additionally, with 1.7 million people within 30 miles of campus, Wake Forest anchors the Winston-Salem and Triad market, which ranks as ESPN's seventh-best nationally from a viewership perspective.
Wake Forest's comprehensive excellence includes its highly regarded school of medicine, business school, law school and an innovative department of engineering. Additionally, Wake Forest has campuses across Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Washington, DC – providing many academic offerings to students from across the nation and around the world.
Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu and at GoDeacs.com.
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