“I’m so excited to see our athletes perform on the world stage,” she said. 

Colleton, a sports physical therapist (PT) for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard, will oversee medical care for six women competing in downhill and super-G speed events. The U.S Women’s Alpine team earned the maximum Olympic quota. 

“Our women’s Alpine team is so strong right now,” Colleton said. “It’s incredible to be around such a powerful team.”

The team is fresh off a strong performance at the Alpine Ski World Cup in Switzerland, where Breezy Johnson, the reigning World Champion in downhill, secured her first podium in Super-G. Last week, four-time Olympian Lindsey Vonn crashed during a downhill race in Crans-Montana, injuring her left knee, but she remains on track for the Olympic Games.

“The World Cup schedule doesn’t stop for the Olympic cycle; the athletes know the risk,” Colleton said. “It’s a calculated risk, and in this sport, the stakes are high, but World Cup standing, making finals and continuing their careers post-Olympics are just as important.” 

This marks Colleton’s third season with the team, but her first Olympic Games. Those watching the games on TV may spot Colleton at the top of the course. At the start, she addresses any last-minute medical needs before assuming her role as hype woman and team mom. 

“I’m the last person they see before they go on course,” she said. “I hand them a piece of candy and cheer them out of the start gate.”

With every push-off comes a tinge of nervousness. Skiing is hard on the body, and back and knee injuries are common, which is why Colleton wears an earpiece to track how her athletes are faring along the course.

“It’s a great day for a PT if everyone lands on their feet,” Colleton said. “It’s a better day if they land on their feet and at the podium, but really, I just want everyone to get down safe and healthy.” 

Building a professional edge at UD

After earning her doctor of physical therapy degree from the University of Southern California, Colleton, a first-generation college student, honed her skills at UD’s renowned PT Sports Residency Program, working directly with collegiate athletes and teaching in UD’s nationally ranked Doctor of Physical Therapy program. She also gained firsthand experience working with patients in UD’s Physical Therapy Clinic and with athletes in the field. 

“You work directly with athletic trainers as a member of the sports medicine team,” Colleton said. “That’s not happening in every sports residency program, and it really prepared me to work in professional sports.”

She also traveled with UD’s Division I Men’s Lacrosse team. She was among the first residents to attend the NCAA playoffs, working alongside Nicole Yates, now an assistant professor of kinesiology and applied physiology, who served as the team’s athletic trainer. 

“She taught me how to handle team dynamics, to collaborate, and having that experience while I still had a support network makes my current job less intense,” she said.  

Colleton also credits Airelle Giordano, director of clinical services and residency training, and Jeffrey Miller, associate director of clinical education and residency coordinator, as her mentors. 

“Airelle’s approach to concussion care has influenced so much of what I do professionally,” Colleton said. “Jeff taught me that every athlete needs an individualized approach and gave me the freedom to practice and be creative.”

That creativity paid off recently. Colleton points to an athlete who was injured on the slopes.

“Any other season, I would have sent her home. But it was an Olympic year, and my creativity and expertise allowed me to create a treatment plan that got her to the qualifying race, helping her achieve her dream,” she said.

Without UD’s PT Sports Residency Program, Colleton wouldn’t be living her dream. 

“UD let me determine the type of clinician I wanted to be. Creativity was valued there, and it allowed me to flourish and propelled me into the pro sports world,” Colleton said. “I landed my dream job one year out of residency — not many people get to say that.”