UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State Director of Athletic Medicine Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli passed away on Monday at age 68. He served more than 30 years with Penn State Athletics as Director of Athletic Medicine and 38 years in the medical field.
Sebastianelli is survived by his wife, Michele, and children, Alyssa and Geoff.
“Dr. Sebastianelli embodied the very best of Penn State,” said Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Patrick Kraft. “He cared deeply for our student-athletes as individuals, always prioritizing their health, safety, and well-being above all else. His influence on our athletics community was extraordinary. Through his compassion, expertise, and steadfast dedication, he shaped generations of Nittany Lions and touched lives far beyond our athletic programs, reaching every part of our University and community. He had a remarkable gift for making everyone feel seen, valued, and cared for. We are deeply saddened by his passing and extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and to all who were fortunate to know him as a friend.”
“My heart is truly broken today,” said football letterman Adam Taliaferro. “I speak on behalf of every Penn State Football Letterman when I say that Dr. Sebastianelli was so much more than our doctor, he was family. For me personally, his eyes were the first I looked into when I was paralyzed on the field. In that moment he gave me and my family something we desperately needed. Hope. Without him, my story would not be what it is today. Doc didn’t just care for us in the game, he walked with us through life. There are no words that can fully capture what he meant to me. His passing is not only a tremendous loss for Penn State Football, but for the entire Penn State community. If you spend even a little time in State College, you’ll hear countless stories of how Doc impacted lives, players, families, friends, and it was so much bigger than football. Every time he visited me in the hospital, he would kiss my forehead and say, “I love you.” That’s who he was. That’s how he lived. Doc, I love you. We all love you. And we will carry your legacy with us forever. You will be deeply missed.”
“For the short time I was able to know Dr. Sebastianelli, I could see why he was such an important piece of this incredible brotherhood we have at Penn State Football,” said head coach Matt Campbell. “The impact he had on this football program and athletics department was second to none. Penn State Football will be forever grateful for his contributions and the standard he set for everyone around him. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Sebastianelli family.”
Sebastianelli served as the Director of Athletic Medicine at Penn State, Associate Chief Medical Officer for Penn State Health, Centre County Region (since 2016), Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at the University Park Regional Campus, Kalenak Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Penn State College of Medicine and Sports Medicine Fellow Director in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation. He was on the Big Ten Sports Medicine subcommittee on eligibility while also serving for 16 years as chief of staff at Mount Nittany Medical Center and Mount Nittany Surgical Center.
Dr. Sebastianelli was a member of multiple societies including the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, American Orthopedic Association, American Medical Association and American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine. He was elected to the position of President of the American Orthopedic Association in 2020. Dr. Sebastianelli was a manuscript reviewer for the Journal of Orthopedics and Sports Physical Therapy, The American Journal of Sports Medicine and The Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. He was a long-time oral examiner for the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery and served on the Board of Directors for the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery.
His research and teaching interests were in Orthopedic and Sports Medicine. His clinical interests were in knee, shoulder, ankle, hand and ligament surgery. Dr. Sebastianelli served as a principle and co-investigator for several NIH grants including Investigation of Athletes at Risk for Traumatic Brain Injuries. Dr. Sebastianelli co-authored several books including Foundations of Sports-Related Brain Injuries and Concussion in Athletics: From Brain to Behavior. He published more than 95 articles in multiple peer-reviewed journals.
Upon stepping down from his role as Chief of Staff for Mount Nittany Health’s Medical Executive Committee, the Medical Executive Committee and Mount Nittany Health leaders established the Dr. Wayne J. Sebastianelli fund for Leadership Development. The fund supports educational opportunities in leadership development for Mount Nittany Health physicians and advanced practice providers, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
He received his B.A. (1979) in Biology and Anthropology, Magna Cum Laude and M.D. with honors (1983) from the University of Rochester. He completed his orthopedic surgery residency in 1988 and completed his sports medicine fellowship at Hershey Medical Center in 1989. He became board certified in 1991 in orthopedic surgery. In 2007, Dr. Sebastianelli received his Subspecialty Certificate in Sports Medicine, the very first year it was created, the culmination of a rigorous evaluation and testing procedure recognizing excellence in his specialty.