UNC Sports Medicine Staff
Troy Blackburn - troyb@email.unc.edu Dr. Blackburn received a B.A. in Exercise and Sport Science (Athletic Training Concentration) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1998), a M.S. in Sports Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh (2000), and a Ph.D. in Human Movement Science (Biomechanics Concentration) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2004). Troy's primary research interests lie in neural and biomechanical contributions to joint stability. His current focus is on the influences of series elastic musculotendinous stiffness on mechanical joint stability and neuromechanical function. These efforts are designed to evaluate the influence that lesser hamstring stiffness in females (compared to their male counterparts) has on the higher incidence of anterior cruciate ligament injury noted in females.
Dr. Tom Brickner - tbrickne@email.unc.edu Brickner is Board certified in Family Practice, with a Certificate of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine and has specialized training in cold weather and diving medicine. Brickner is married to Beth Brickner and has a step-daughter Emily, a daughter Amanda and a son Benjamin.
Dr. Mario Ciocca - ciocca@email.unc.edu Dr. Ciocca earned a B.S. in biochemical engineering from Columbia University in 1989. He received his MD in 1993 at New Jersey Medical School and then completed at UNC his residency in internal medicine in 1996 and a sports medicine fellowship in 1998. Dr. Ciocca is board certified in internal medicine and has a certificate of added qualification in sports medicine. He is an active member of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine and the American College of Sports Medicine. Dr. Ciocca is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at UNC and is involved with the lecturing of students and residents at the undergraduate school as well as the medical and nursing school. He has authored journal articles and book chapters on subjects including cardiac conditions, creatine, medications and supplements, psoriatic arthritis, and pneumothorax. He is currently involved with a study on concussions. Dr. Ciocca and his wife Cindy have four children, Luke-11, Jack-5, Michael-3 and Gabrielle-1. Dr. Alexander Creighton - alex_creighton@med.unc.edu Dr. Creighton's clinical practice at UNC is focused on sports medicine and complex shoulder injuries. He is a board certified member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Orthopaedic orthopaedic surgeons arthroscopic and open techniques using the latest of Sports Medicine, and Arthroscopy Association of North America. He is an annual faculty member at the Orthopaedic Learning Center in Chicago, IL, which teaches orthopaedic surgeons arthroscopic and open techniques using the latest technology technology. As well at taking care of the Tar Heels, he also takes care of the three high schools of the Chapel Hill/Carrboro school system. He and his wife, Pat, have a daughter Sophia Anne born June 28th, 2006.
Marc Davis - davis5@email.unc.edu Davis received his Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1974. After graduating from Carolina, he worked as a physical therapist at Danville Memorial Hospital in Danville, VA., from October of 1974 to May of 1975. He began his current tenure on the sports medicine staff at Carolina in July of 1975. Davis, a native of Wilmington, NC, and alumnus of New Hanover High School, is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association and the National Athletic Trainers Association. He was the recipient of the award for the outstanding physical therapist of the year for 1998 by the North Carolina Physical Therapy Association. Davis' duties at Carolina consist of providing physical therapy and athletic training services to Carolina athletic teams. In addition to the men's basketball team, he also serves as the head athletic trainer for the men's and women's swimming and diving teams. He also provides similar services to members of the general student body and faculty/staff who are recommended to him by Campus Health Service physicians. Davis also works with the basketball coaching staff to coordinate team travel. Davis is married to the former Paula Gee. They have an 18-year-old daughter, Irma Consuelo.
Lindsay DiStefano - ljs7@email.unc.edu Lindsay graduated from the undergraduate athletic training program at Boston University with a BS degree in 2003. She earned her NATA Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) credentials in 2003 and earned an advanced master's degree in Exercise and Sport Science (athletic training specialization) in 2005 at UNC-Chapel Hill. During her time as a graduate student at UNC, she was also a graduate assistant athletic trainer for the gymnastics, volleyball, and men's and women's tennis teams. Lindsay and her husband, Mike, reside in Durham.
Sharon Evans - evanss@email.unc.edu Sharon received her Nursing Degree from Alamance Community College and serves through the American Heart Association as a Basic Life Support Instructor. She has 7+ years of Emergency Medicine through Alamance Regional Medical Center and continues to do emergency medicine on a part time basis. She is Advance Cardiac Life Support Certified, also Pediatric Life Support Certified. She also is a member of the Association of Emergency Room Nurses and is seeking to become certified in College Health.
Nicole Fava - nfava@uncaa.unc.edu Nicole earned her BS in Exercise Science/Athletic Training from Ithaca College in 2001. She continued her education at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, receiving her masters degree in Exercise and Sport Science with a concentration in Athletic Training in 2003. Prior to returning to UNC, Nicole has served as an assistant athletic trainer at Appalachian State University where she worked with the women's basketball team and cheerleading squads. She directed the drug testing education screening and counseling program, served as the athletic department insurance coordinator, supervisor of the Roger E. Thomas athletic training room and lecturer in the Health Leisure and Exercise Science department. She has been an NATABOC certified athletic trainer (ATC) and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) since 2001. Nicole currently resides in Durham.
Dr. Kevin Guskiewicz - gus@email.unc.edu Kevin's research is focused on the assessment of sport-related concussion and the long-term effects of concussion. He has been the recipient of over 15 funded research grants on this topic, and has published over 45 journal articles and five textbook chapters related to concussion in sport. He serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Athletic Training, and is on the editorial boards of two other journals. Kevin was the recipient of the 1997 Kenneth Knight Outstanding Research Manuscript for the Journal of Athletic Training, the recipient of the 1999 NATA-REF New Investigator Award for Athletic Training Research, and the 2006 Medal for Distinguished Athletic Training Research. He was awarded Fellowship in the American College of Sports Medicine in May 2003, and was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education in September 2006. He and his wife Amy have 4 children Jacob, Nathan, Adam, and Tessa.
Doug Halverson - sdhalverson@uncaa.unc.edu Halverson is a 2002 graduate of UNC, where he earned a B.A. in Exercise and Sport Science with a specialization in Athletic Training. While serving as a student athletic trainer from 1999-2002, he worked with the women's soccer, volleyball, and track and field teams. He also served as the intern athletic trainer for the WUSA's Atlanta Beat in 2001 and 2002. Following his undergraduate degree, Halverson continued his education at UNC, where he served as a graduate assistant athletic trainer, working mainly with the Tar Heel football and men's and women's tennis programs. He received a M.A. in Exercise and Sports Science - Athletic Training in 2004. He has been a NATABOC Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) since 2002 and NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) since 2005. Halverson is a native of Winston-Salem and currently lives in Chapel Hill.
Dr. Bradley Hack- hack@smootpsych.com In addition to his work with student-athletes at Carolina, Dr. Hack has also counseled professional athletes from the NFL, NHL, WNBA, NASCAR, as well as members of the U.S. Olympic Team, in his private practice. He serves as a treating clinician for the NFL's substance abuse program. Dr. Hack has been an active leader in professional organizations throughout his career. He was appointed to the Executive Committee for the American Psychological Association's (APA) Division of Exercise and Sport Psychology (2002-2005) and also served as the Chair of the Education Committee for the Division. He was a primary author of the "Proficiency in Sport Psychology," which was adopted by APA in 2003 as the national standard for the education and training of sport psychologists. He was twice elected to the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Psychological Association (1998-2002), and received a presidential appointment as the Federal Advocacy Coordinator for NCPA (2004-2006). Dr. Hack also serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Clinical and Sport Psychology and was a contributing author for The Sport Psych Handbook (Murphy, 2005). He and his wife, Cassie, have two awesome kids, Rider (4) and Skylar (2).
Chris Hirth - chirth@email.unc.edu Hirth received his B.S. in physical therapy from the University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse in 1989 and his M.S. in Human Movement Science from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill in 1994. He has been a certified athletic trainer since 1994. His current responsibilities also include lecturing in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science in the areas of strength and conditioning, performance enhancement and athletic training including rehabilitation of lower extremity injuries. He is also involved lecturing nationally with the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Hirth is married to his wife Anna and they have son Blake. He enjoys spending time with his family, exercising and reading.
Dr. Dan Hooker - dhooker@uncaa.unc.edu
Jen Ketterly, MS, RD - ketterly@email.unc.edu Jen holds a BS in Nutritional Sciences from Cornell University, where she was also a varsity-student-athlete. She earned her masters degree in Clinical Nutrition with a sports nutrition emphasis from the University of Kentucky while completing her clinical training at UK¹s Chandler Medical Center and Lexington VA Hospital. Prior to coming to UNC-CH, Jen held a similar position at the University of Connecticut where she coordinated the campus nutrition services, wellness program development, and worked with both male and female teams and individual student-athletes. Jen is also the Registered Dietitian for the Center for Retired NFL athletes based at UNC and serves as an instructor and preceptor in the Departments of Exercise and Sport Sciences and Nutrition, and the Schools of Medicine and Public Health. She is a member of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition (SCAN) dietetic practice group.
Kevin King - kking@uncaa.unc.edu Prior to coming to UNC, Kevin spent over three years as a staff assistant athletic trainer working football in the ACC. He also served as a sports medicine intern with the following teams: Cleveland Browns (04', 03'), New York Giants (Summer 99', 98'), Pittsburgh Pirates (99'), San Diego Padres (98'), and the minor league Carolina Mudcats (99', 97'). He is a proud NATABOC certified athletic trainer (ATC) and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Kevin and is wife, the former Nicole Dube, reside in Raleigh.
C.B. Lehn - clehn@email.unc.edu Lehn graduated from West Chester with a degree in health and physical education in 1973 and received her certificate in physical therapy from the University of Pennsylvania in 1977. She was a staff athletic trainer at Penn from 1973-75 and arrived in Chapel Hill in 1977. She traveled to Russia as a trainer with the U.S. Deaf volleyball team in 1992, and in '93 served as a U.S. team trainer at the Deaf Olympics in Bulgaria. She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association and the National Athletic Trainers Association.
Sally Mays - smays@email.unc.edu Sally received a bachelor's degree in secondary education and athletic training from Washington State University in 1986. She then received a master's degree in athletic training from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1989. For five years she was the Head Athletic Trainer and Strength and Conditioning Coach for the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. She also taught athletic training classes and supervised undergraduate athletic trainers in an internship program. In 1994 she accepted a position as the Director of Athletic Training and Performance Enhancement for the University of Minnesota overseeing a staff of five athletic trainers, twenty five undergraduate students and three strength and conditioning coaches while coordinating and instructing the undergraduate athletic training internship program. Sally joins her co-workers in presenting and speaking nationally on a variety of topics, primarily rehabilitation and preventative health care programs that are athletic performance based. In 1996 she was named to the United States Olympic Team Medical Staff working with USA Volleyball in Atlanta, Georgia. She has also worked the US Olympic Festival in 1995 with USA Basketball and US World's Figure Skating Championships in 1998. Sally is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. She is a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC), a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Massage Therapist.
Joe Myers - joemyers@email.unc.edu
Scott Oliaro - soliaro@uncaa.unc.edu Oliaro assists the education program as a lecturer for both the undergraduate and graduate athletic training programs. He has authored several articles in various medical journals, including the Journal of Athletic Training. Oliaro has presented a variety of topics at national, district and local levels. He currently serves as the program director for the College Athletic Trainer's Society. Oliaro is a 1993 graduate of Cornell University where he earned a B.S. in nutritional sciences. At Cornell he was a three-year football letterwinner, a two-time captain and a two-year Ivy League selection at tailback. A native of Lansing, Mich., Oliaro grew up in Burlington, Vt. In 1999, Sports Illustrated named Oliaro Vermont's 42nd best athlete of all-time. Oliaro earned a Master's degree in athletic training from North Carolina in 1996 where he was also the Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer for UNC Field Hockey's National Championship team in 1995. Oliaro is a NATABOC certified athletic trainer and a member of the National Athletic Trainer's Association. In 1996, he worked the Olympic Games in Atlanta. Prior to coming to UNC, Scott spent two years as an assistant athletic trainer for American University and the Washington Capitals. He and his wife, Jeri, reside in Chapel Hill with their daughter - Mia Katherine - born on June 27th, 2005 and son Tyler Michael born May 17th 2007.
Darin Padua - dpadua@email.unc.edu Dr. Padua received his B.A. degree (Exercise and Nutritional Science, emphasis in Athletic Training) from San Diego State University (1996) and M.A. degree (Exercise and Sports Science emphasis in Athletic Training) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He then proceeded to the University of Virginia and obtained his Doctoral Degree (PhD in Sports Medicine, 2001). His primary research interests focus on neuromuscular control of knee and lumbo-pelvic stability, identification of risk factors associated with knee injury (focus on ACL injury), identification of evidence based prevention strategies for ACL injury, and validation of performance enhancement training techniques. Current research includes investigating predictive factors for ACL injury, biomechanical comparison of ACL injury prevention interventions, examination of modifiable neuromuscular factors that contribute to knee valgus angle and anterior tibial shear force, validation of clinical movement assessment techniques to predict muscle imbalances and injury risk, and validation of corrective exercises commonly used for injury prevention and performance enhancement.
Meredith Petschauer - mbusby@email.unc.edu Dr. Petschauer received her PhD from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro in Biomechanics, her Master's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Athletic training and her bachelor's degree from The College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio. Dr. Petschauer teaches Biomechanics, Emergency Care of Injuries and Illness, Fundamentals of Athletic Training, and Therapeutic Exercise. In addition to her responsibilities with the athletic training program she is the Director of the Undergraduate Honors Program for EXSS and serves part time as a general college advisor. Her research interests include prehospital care of the cervical spine injured athlete specifically considering lacrosse and ice hockey equipment. She and her husband Greg have two children, Madison and Grant.
Dr. Bill Prentice - prentice@email.unc.edu Prentice is the author of nine textbooks most notably Arnheim's Principles of Athletic Training, Essentials of Athletic Injury Management, Athletic Training: An Introduction to Professional Practice, Therapeutic Modalities in Sports Medicine and Athletic Training, , Rehabilitation Techniques in Sports Medicine and Athletic Training, Therapeutic Modalities for Physical Therapists, Techniques of Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, and two additional fitness books. He has published more than 75 journal articles and abstracts, and has made more than 160 lectures and presentations. Prentice served as the Athletic Trainer for the Women's Soccer Program at the University of North Carolina for 26 years since1980 and during that period the team won 17 NCAA and one AIAW National Championships. Prentice has been the recipient of numerous awards from the NATA including most notably the Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award in 1999; the Sayers "Bud" Miller Distinguished Athletic Training Educator Award in 1997; and, the Educational Multimedia Committee Videotape Production Award in 1997. In June 2004, Dr. Prentice was inducted into the National Athletic Trainers Association's Hall of Fame. In June 2006, the NATA established the William E. Prentice Doctoral Scholarship that will be presented annually in his name. He also received the Outstanding Alumni Award from the College of Physical Education, Recreation, and Athletics at the University of Delaware in 1989.
Terri Jo Rucinski - tjrucinski@uncaa.unc.edu Terri Jo also assists the education program as a lecturer for both the undergraduate and graduate athletic training programs, with emphasis on the prevention and rehabilitation of shoulder injuries. She has been involved with the Board of Certification for Athletic Trainers for the past 17 years and has served on several examination development committees. Terri Jo received her B.S., in Physical Education Teaching and Athletic Training from the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse in 1987. She went on to receive her M.A., in Exercise and Sports Science with specialization in Athletic Training from UNC in 1989. Terri Jo worked in Milwaukee Wisconsin at Froedtert Sports Medicine until she returned to the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, in 1994, to pursue her physical therapy degree. She received her B.S. in physical therapy in 1996. She is also a Strength and Conditioning Specialist, receiving her certification in 1998. Prior to Terri Jo's return to UNC, she worked in Madison Wisconsin, at the UW-Health Sports Medicine Physical Therapy Clinic and was also the Head Athletic Trainer at Madison Area Technical College.
Dr. Tim Taft - ttaft@med.unc.edu Taft, a native of St. Louis, Mo., received his B.A. degree from Princeton University in 1964 and his M.D. from the University of Missouri in 1969. He completed his residency in orthopaedic surgery at Carolina in 1974 and has been the orthopaedic surgeon for the Tar Heels since that time. Taft is the Max Novich Distinguished Professor of Sports Medicine at the UNC Medical School. He has held numerous national leadership positions in sports medicine including serving on the Board of Directors for the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and being an examiner for the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is on the sports medicine advisory committee for the NC Medical Society, the NC High School Athletic Association and Special Olympics North Carolina. Taft was one of the team physicians for the 1979 U.S.A. Pan American Games Team, the 1980 U.S.A. Olympic Team and was head physician for the 1981 U.S.A. World University Games Team. He served as a staff physician for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and was the medical director for the Special Olympic World Games in 1999. He has been the team physician for numerous U.S.A. national teams including the U.S.A. basketball teams which won the 1986 Men's and the 1990 Women's World Championships. Taft and his wife, Judy, have two children, Todd and Becky. Becky is married to Aaron Fecher, and they have a son, Coby.
Scott Trulock - strulock@uncaa.unc.edu While working in the NFL, Trulock served as the Director of Research for the Professional Football Athletic Trainers' Society Research and Education Foundation. He also had the fortune of working with the Buccaneers for their 2002 Super Bowl Championship. Scott's return to UNC is a homecoming of sorts, as the Orlando, Fla., native completed his Masters Degree here in 1996 after serving as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer for 2 years. Scott came to UNC after graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Sports Medicine from Valdosta State in 1994. Scott and his wife, Jamie, have 2 girls Corinne (4) and Riley (1).
Dr. Gregory Tuttle - gtuttle@email.unc.edu
Dr. Kelly Waicus - waicus@email.unc.edu Originally from Moorestown, NJ, she received her undergraduate degree from Duke University followed by her medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1995. After completing a residency in Pediatrics at Children's Hospital in Cincinnati, OH, she returned to Chapel Hill for her Sports Medicine fellowship which she completed in 2001. She is board certified in Pediatrics and has a certificate of added qualification in Sports Medicine. Dr. Waicus is the primary team physician for volleyball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's track and field, women's tennis, women's lacrosse, cheerleading, and JV basketball. She is married to Tom O'Connell and has two daughters, Kelsey and Caroline.
Nina Walker - nwalker@uncaa.unc.edu Walker is a 1999 graduate of Boston University, where she earned a B.S in Athletic Training. While serving as a student athletic trainer she worked with Boston University's football, women's field hockey, women's lacrosse and women's ice hockey teams. She also did an internship at University of Massachusetts- Boston, where she was primarily responsible for the football, men's lacrosse and the basketball teams. Following her undergraduate degree, Walker attained a M.A. in Exercise and Sports Science with a specialization in Athletic Training in 2001 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She served as a graduate assistant athletic trainer, working mainly with the Tar Heel volleyball and rowing programs. She also volunteers for committees designed to promote the profession of athletic training such as the NATABOC Role Delineation Study and Public Relations Committee. She has been an NATABOC certified athletic trainer (ATC) since 1999 and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) since 2004. Walker enjoys spending as much time as possible with her mother, Nino.
Dr. Steve Zinder - szinder@email.unc.edu |
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