Winninger promoted to high performance director
The Orlando Magic named Lindsay Winninger their new high performance director, promoting her from director of rehabilitation.
“An expert in sports medicine and performance, Lindsay brings a wealth of experience working with world-class athletes to the position,” Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said in a news release. “In her time with us she has demonstrated great leadership and communication, while implementing strategic and creative injury rehabilitation and prevention practices.”
Winninger will replace David Tenney, who is leaving the Magic after three years to join the staff of expansion MLS franchise Austin FC, two sources told the Orlando Sentinel. Prior to joining the
Magic, Tenney served eight years as high performance director for the MLS’ Seattle Sounders.
Tenney supervised the fitness plans and recoveries of numerous Magic athletes during the coronavirus shutdown. Most notably, he helped Markelle Fultz return to full strength following a painful injury that hindered his first two NBA seasons.
Winninger also has an impressive past treating professional athletes from every major American sports league since 2012. She’s also worked with athletes in the Premier League, PGA, WTA and Chinese Basketball Association.
Prior to joining the Magic as a physical therapist in 2019, she worked as head physical therapist for U.S. Ski & Snowboard. She also was the private physical therapist for Olympic gold medalist skier Lindsey Vonn.
Vonn called Winninger a “close friend” in a 2017 Facebook post and credited her, among others, for being able to regain motor function and return to racing after surgery for a broken arm that caused severe nerve damage.
A former Division I tennis player who has a degree in exercise science from Saint Louis University and a master’s in physical therapy, Winninger will now be responsible for the Magic’s high performance staff. That includes management of athletic training, injury reduction and rehabilitation, strength and conditioning, sports science and player nutrition.