Bio

Junita Payne is in her 10th year as an assistant athletic trainer at the University of Tampa. 

In her current position, Payne is responsible for being the primary athletic trainer for UT's men’s and women's basketball teams. She also serves as an assistant professor, teaching Practicum in Athletic Training I and II. 

Payne previously served as an intern in Tampa’s athletic training department for one year, prior to being promoted. During her internship, she was the primary athletic trainer for men’s basketball. 

Prior to coming to UT, Payne was the head athletic trainer at the University of Michigan-Dearborn for five years. While at UMD, she worked with men’s and women’s basketball, hockey, softball and volleyball. Payne also led performance enhancement training for high school and college-aged athletes including, but not limited to, core, plyometrics, speed, agility, and over-head athletes. 

She has also held positions at Core Sports Fitness as a sports fitness training professional, Moon Valley High School as the head athletic trainer and equipment manager, Phoenix College as a graduate assistant athletic trainer and Pioneer High School as an assistant athletic trainer. 

Among her certifications are being a state of Florida Licensed Athletic Trainer. She is also certified with the American Red Cross for CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and Health Care Providers. Payne has also been a NATABOC Certified Athletic Trainer since 2003. 

Payne is a 2002 graduate of the University of Michigan, where she received a bachelors’ of science degree in athletic training. She then received her Masters’ of Science in sports health care from A.T. Still University in 2005.