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Doug Bennett is entering his 16th season with the Carolina Hurricanes and his ninth as head athletic trainer. He served as the team’s assistant athletic trainer for seven seasons, from 2010-17, before being promoted to head athletic trainer. Prior to joining the Hurricanes full time, he gained experience working with athletes at both the professional and collegiate levels. He served in the athletic departments at both the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Penn State University, worked as the head athletic trainer for the Johnstown Chiefs (ECHL), and also spent time in the National Football League, working with the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles.
A native of Johnstown, PA., Bennett is a Certified Athletic Trainer (NATABOC), a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and a Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES). He is also a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) and the Professional Hockey Athletic Trainers Society (PHATS). In 2007, he earned his Master’s degree in Exercise and Sport Science with an emphasis in Athletic Training from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Bennett earned his undergraduate degree in Kinesiology from Penn State University in 2004.
Bill Burniston is entering his 10th season with the Hurricanes full time, and his ninth as head strength and conditioning coach. Burniston served as assistant strength coach and fascial stretch therapist in 2016-17, after working for the Hurricanes on a part-time basis from 2013-16.
Burniston has more than 25 years of experience in the areas of injury prevention and athletic enhancement. In addition to his work with the Hurricanes, the New Jersey native has also served as the strength and conditioning coach for USA Baseball’s collegiate national team. He is one of the founding partners of The Performance Academy in Apex, N.C., a facility dedicated to the strength and conditioning of athletes.
Burniston received his B.S. in education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he worked with the school’s sports medicine team. He earned his Master’s degree from Seton Hall University. Burniston is a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) by the National Athletic Trainer Association (NATA) as well as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. His certifications also include Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES) from the National Academy of Sports Medicine and Flexibility Specialist (Level 3 Medical) from the Stretch to Win Institute.
Koryd Lavimoniere is entering his first year as Assistant Athletic Trainer with the Carolina Hurricanes. He joins the Hurricanes from the St. Louis Blues organization where he worked as their AHL Head Athletic Trainer for seven years with the San Antonio Rampage from 2018-2020 and then with the Springfield Thunderbirds from 2020-2025 when the affiliation relocated. He also worked as Head Athletic Trainer for the Norfolk Admirals of the ECHL from 2016-2018 and with the Louisiana IceGators of the SPHL from 2015-2016.
A native of Dartmouth, MA., Lavimoniere is a Certified Athletic Trainer (NATABOC), Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), and member of the Professional Hockey Athletic Trainers Society (PHATS). In 2015, he earned a Master’s degree in Exercise Science and Nutrition from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT where he worked as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer and as a Graduate Intern Strength Coach. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training from Westfield State University in Westfield, MA in 2012
Mike Maresca is entering his sixth season with the Hurricanes as the team’s massage therapist.
Prior to joining the Hurricanes, Maresca served as massage therapist for the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League (AHL) during the 2019-20 season. Maresca also gained experience at The Spa at 500, Art of Massage, New York Spine and Wellness and Massage Envy.
Maresca graduated from Coker College in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in physical education and earned his certification in Therapeutic Massage and Hydrotherapy from the Finger Lakes School of Massage in 2016.
Nick Mahaffey is entering his fourth season with the Hurricanes as Coordinator of Rehabilitation & Sport Science/Physical Therapist. Mahaffey is responsible for organizing the Hurricanes’ sport science initiatives and developing and managing rehabilitation programs for players. He works closely with the Hurricanes’ athletic trainers, massage therapist, strength and conditioning coach, and team physicians to provide the best medical care for the Hurricanes’ players at all times.
Prior to joining the Hurricanes full-time, Mahaffey gained experience working with athletes at both the professional and collegiate levels. He worked with the Dallas Stars medical staff during the 2019-20 season as a part of the University of Texas Southwestern’s Sports Physical Therapy Residency program. He also served in the athletic department at Duke University, working with the football program, and assisted the Hurricanes as an intern/gameday assistant during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.
Mahaffey is a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapist (DPT), board-certified Sports Clinical Specialist (SCS), and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). He is also a member of the American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy (AASPT) and the Professional Hockey Athletic Trainers Society (PHATS). In 2019, he earned his Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy from Duke University. Mahaffey earned his undergraduate degree in Exercise Science from Appalachian State University in 2014.
Kristin Pirigyi was promoted to Nutritionist for the Carolina Hurricanes in July 2025 after serving as the team’s Nutrition Consultant for seven seasons. Her experience in performance nutrition spans both professional and clinical settings. Prior to her role with the Hurricanes, Kristin worked as a Clinical Dietitian at Duke Regional Hospital and a Performance Dietitian with EXOS at Raleigh Orthopaedic. She began her career in sports nutrition as an intern at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Kristin is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD). She is an active member of the American Sports and Performance Dietitians Association and currently serves as Education Coordinator for the NHL RDs Leadership Board. Before pursuing a career in nutrition, Kristin earned her undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering. She later completed both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Nutrition and Dietetics at North Carolina Central University (2013–2016), where she transitioned into the field of sports dietetics.
