Vail, CO, July 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Each summer, as academic institutions across the country prepare for new beginnings, Steadman Philippon Research Institute (SPRI) and The Steadman Clinic come together for “Hail and Farewell,” a tradition that is both commencement and a new student reception.
For more than 25 years, the event has honored the incoming class of surgical fellows and celebrated those completing their year of advanced training in one of the nation’s most respected sports medicine fellowship programs and specialized orthopaedic fellowships in foot & ankle and spine surgery. The Steadman Clinic also hosts a storied athletic training residency program.
This year’s ceremony will be held Thursday, July 30, at the Donovan Pavilion in Vail. Ten new fellows will begin an immersive year of hands-on surgical training, research, and clinical practice, while another 10 will be honored as they transition into positions at leading clinics, hospitals and academic medical centers across the United States. SPRI will also welcome a new AGA Research Fellow, representing the German Society for Arthroscopy and Joint Surgery.
Marc J. Philippon, M.D., Chairman of SPRI, Managing Partner of The Steadman Clinic, and co-director of the Sports Medicine Fellowship Program, emphasized the program’s longstanding reputation for excellence.
“Our fellowship is world-renowned,” said Dr. Philippon. “It attracts the best young physicians in orthopaedic care and sports medicine. Many of our graduates now practice at leading clinics, hospitals, and medical schools across North America—and several have returned to Vail to join our team at The Steadman Clinic and SPRI.”
Matthew T. Provencher, M.D., M.B.A., co-director of the fellowship and complex shoulder/knee surgeon at The Steadman Clinic, noted the program’s esteemed faculty.
“Our fellows learn directly from world-renowned surgeons across every major subspecialty—hip, shoulder, hand, knee, spine and foot & ankle—both in the clinic and in our research labs at SPRI,” said Dr. Provencher.
Dan Drawbaugh, CEO of SPRI, highlighted the unique integration of clinical and scientific training.
“Our fellows are mentored by world-class surgeons at The Steadman Clinic and also work closely with Dr. Johnny Huard and his exceptional research team at SPRI,” said Drawbaugh.
“This combination of clinical excellence and scientific research is what makes our program so distinctive and so highly sought after.”
The keynote speaker for this year’s morning program is Mininder Kocher, M.D., M.P.H., Chief of the Sports Medicine Division at Boston Children’s Hospital and a 2000 graduate of the SPRI sports medicine fellowship.
“I vividly remember my own Hail and Farewell ceremonies,” said Dr. Kocher. “It marks both the beginning and completion of an extraordinary journey.”
Dr. Kocher will also address local high school students from SPRI’s Future Innovators (SPRI FI science clubs, who will present their award-winning research projects to SPRI scientists and The Steadman Clinic surgeons.
“Seeing SPRI extend its mission into the community through programs like SPRI FI is inspiring,” he added. “Encouraging young people to explore science, medicine and research reflects the same spirit of mentorship that defines the SPRI community.”
Incoming Fellows, 2026–27
(Name, Fellowship, Residency)
- Ioanna Bolia-Kavouklis, MD, MSc, PhD — Sports Medicine, University of Southern California
- Ryann Davie, MD — Sports Medicine, Hospital for Special Surgery (N.Y.)
- Bryant Elrick, MS, MD — Sports Medicine, University of Colorado
- Jason Garry, MD — Sports Medicine, Emory University (Ga.)
- Petar Golijanin, MD, MBA — Sports Medicine, University of Texas, Austin Dell MC
- Hannah Harris, MD — Spine, The Ohio State University
- Samuel Lorentz, MD — Sports Medicine, Duke University (N.C.)
- Allison Morgan, MD, MA — Sports Medicine, NYU
- Lauren Shumaker, MD — Foot & Ankle, University of Tennessee HSC, Campbell Clinic
- Evan Zheng, MD — Sports Medicine, Harvard Combined (Mass.)
Research Fellow: Christian Schenk, MD — AGA Fellow, University Hospital Münster
SPRI is currently hosting Shuya Tanaka, PhD from Japan, who is serving a two-year research session with Dr. Marc Philippon and SPRI Chief Scientific Officer Johnny Huard, PhD.
Outgoing Fellows, 2025–26
(Name, Fellowship, Post-Fellowship Placement)
- Monica Arney, MD — Sports Medicine, Raleigh Orthopaedic Clinic (N.C.)
- Mikalyn DeFoor, MD, CAPT, MC, USAF — Sports Medicine, 10th Medical Group, U.S. Air Force Academy
- Elise Grzeskiewicz, MD — Foot & Ankle, The Orthopaedic Partners (Park City, Utah)
- Shane Korber, MD — Sports Medicine, Kaiser (Los Angeles, Calif.)
- Devin Leland, MD — Sports Medicine, McFarland Clinic (Iowa)
- Charles “Chuck” Lin, MD, MS — Sports Medicine, Kaiser (San Francisco, Calif.)
- Lucy Meyer, MD — Sports Medicine, Rothman Orthopaedics (Florida)
- Brendon Mitchell, MD — Sports Medicine, University of California, San Diego
- Colby Wollenman, MD — Sports Medicine, Texas Orthopaedic Association (Dallas, Texas)
- Patrick Young, MD — Spine, Andrews Sports Medicine (Alabama)
Research Fellow: Lorenz Fritsch, MD — AGA Fellow, Technical University of Munich
About the Fellowship Experience
SPRI fellows gain unparalleled exposure to elite sports medicine practice. In addition to clinical and research training, fellows work with international ski and snowboard teams training in the Vail Valley and provide on-field medical coverage for local high school athletics and NCAA Division I football at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.
- Dr. Marc Philippon, Dan Drawbaugh and Dr. Matthew Provencher