Guilford College has entered into a multiyear partnership with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, under which the academic medical center will oversee sports medicine services for the College’s 22-team intercollegiate athletics program.

Through this agreement, which was effective March 15, five certified athletic trainers employed by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist will provide daily sports medicine coverage for the College’s 434 student-athletes. In addition, Guilford athletes will have on-campus access to fellowship-trained orthopedic sports medicine physicians and primary care sports medicine physicians, all of whom hold faculty appointments at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

Current Guilford staff members Will Esten, head athletic trainer, and Amber Teffeau, assistant athletic trainer, will join the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist team and continue caring for Guilford student-athletes.

“We are delighted to join with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist in a mutually beneficial partnership that will result in exceptional care for our student-athletes,” said Guilford College President Jean Parvin Bordewich. “This cost-effective approach ensures critically important coverage for athletics while strengthening our relationship with a major community partner.”

Director of Athletics Bill Foti called the partnership transformational for Guilford’s NCAA Division III programs. “We are proud to collaborate with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist to deliver a comprehensive sports medicine model for our student-athletes. This elevated level of care will enhance their overall athletic experience. Our teams will be fully supported, and athletes will continue to receive convenient, on-campus treatment in the Mary Broos Athletic Training Room.”

The athletic training room, located in Alumni Gym, is named in honor of Guilford’s head athletic trainer from 1978 to 2008, who became the first woman to lead a collegiate sports medicine program in North Carolina.

Foti noted the growing nationwide shortage of certified athletic trainers at colleges and universities, a challenge prompting many institutions to partner with large health systems that offer deeper recruiting pathways, academic programs and operational scale. Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist currently provides sports medicine coverage for Wake Forest University and Winston-Salem State University locally, while Atrium Health based in Charlotte additionally provides sports medicine coverage for seven colleges and universities. Guilford College becomes Atrium Health’s first collegiate sports medicine partner in Guilford County.

As part of the agreement, Guilford Athletics will offer Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist promotional visibility through its website, social media platforms, and signage at athletic events.

“We’re excited to support student-athletes at Guilford College with nationally recognized expertise,” said Dr. Cynthia Emory, Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Executive Director of the Musculoskeletal Service Line at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. “With one of the largest athletic training programs in the nation, Atrium Health is committed to keeping athletes healthy and safe. This partnership reinforces our dedication to the Guilford County community.”

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist opened its first practice in Greensboro in 2006 and now operates more than 35 primary care, specialty, and urgent care practices throughout the city. In 2026, they plan to open a new outpatient surgery center, multispecialty medical office building, and cancer center on Horse Pen Creek Road, located roughly four miles from Guilford’s campus. Additionally, they are constructing a $262.8 million, 36-bed hospital at the same location in Greensboro, scheduled to open in 2029.