MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (May 13, 2025) – West Virginia University baseball head coach Steve Sabins and Director of the School of Sports Sciences Dana Voelker have announced the addition of Courtney Semkewyc as a Biomechanist and Service Assistant Professor, a role that connects the School of Sport Sciences and the Baseball Biomechanics and Performance Center. Semkewyc will lead the center's daily operations while contributing to teaching, research, and outreach in sport biomechanics and related areas.
 
"Dr. Courtney Semkewyc will be the lead biomechanist for WVU Baseball and help accelerate the impact our new Biomechanics and Performance Center can have on our team," Sabins said. "We have invested over 5 million dollars in building out a world class baseball lab. The best technology for baseball development will be found inside WVU Baseball and Courtney will lead the charge in maximizing the technologies.  She is a proven expert at making complex information and data actionable for players and staff. Her vast knowledge and experience inside the world of baseball biomechanics and human movement will change the trajectory of WVU Baseball for years to come. We could not be more excited to have Courtney on the team. Her appointment will further strengthen the relationship WVU School of Sport Sciences and WVU Baseball is fostering, a special relationship that has unlimited potential. The future of sport science and development is located in Morgantown."
 
Semkewyc joins WVU after working as a biomechanist at Tread Athletics and has years of experience in the private sector, professional baseball, and with product development companies. Running Tread's pitching lab, she integrated biomechanics and technology into player development to help players get the most out of their training
 
"I'm excited to join West Virginia University, working with WVU Baseball and the School of Sport Sciences," Semkewyc said. "The vision for the Baseball Biomechanics and Performance Center, along with the program's strong sense of community, was a driving factor in my decision to join the team. I'm grateful to the WVU leadership and coaching staff for the opportunity, and to my previous colleagues and mentors for their support in shaping my path. I look forward to building something impactful that blends research, innovation, and performance for the team, the university, and the community."
 
"Dr. Semkewyc's appointment represents an exciting opportunity for our students to engage directly with the tools, technologies, and practices shaping the future of the sport sciences," Voelker said. "Her industry-integrated experience will enhance professional readiness and position our graduates for meaningful, impactful careers. This collaborative partnership between the School of Sport Sciences and WVU Baseball gives students access to cutting-edge technologies and advanced data analytics that are redefining the sport industry."
 
Semkewyc will prepare tomorrow's workforce by enhancing student learning in emerging and established technologies, sport analytics, and data-informed decision-making, while supporting the WVU baseball program with advanced biomechanical evaluations and data-informed training. Technologies like motion capture systems, high-speed cameras, and force plates will help improve player performance and reduce injury risk.
 
A former college softball pitcher at the JUCO and Division III levels, Semkewyc received her BS from the University of Rochester in biomedical engineering with a concentration in cell and tissue engineering. She then attended Rutgers for graduate school, completing her master's thesis on traumatic brain injuries before discovering her passion for sports biomechanics, which led to a PhD dissertation on pitching mechanics in relation to injury and performance.
 
Before her time with Tread Athletics, Semkewyc worked at LLume: by Organic Robotics Corporation, Frozen Ropes USA, the New York Boulders, Noitom, and the New York Yankees, serving in roles ranging from assistant to Director of Sports Science.
 
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUBaseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.