Terri Jo Rucinski - Head Athletic Trainer - Baseball Support Staff

Terri Jo Rucinski

Title:
Head Athletic Trainer
Email:
tjrucinski@uncaa.unc.edu
Phone:
919-962-2067

Terri Jo Rucinski has been the staff athletic trainer for the baseball team since the fall of 2005. In addition to her athletic training duties, Rucinski is the Clinical Coordinator for the Campus Health Service Physical Therapy and Athletic Training Clinic, where she serves the UNC community as a staff physical therapist.

Rucinski also assists the education program as a lecturer for the graduate athletic training program, with emphasis on the prevention and rehabilitation of shoulder injuries. She has been involved with the Board of Certification for Athletic Trainers since 1989, serving on several examination development committees. In August of 2017, Rucinski was matched with REMINGTON, a golden retriever from the paws4people organization in Wilmington N.C. REMI is a medical alert assistance dog for Rucinski and also serves as a rehabilitative facility dog for UNC Sports Medicine. He assists with treatments, rehabilitations and helps to brighten days for the UNC athletes, PT patients as well as the UNC community.

Rucinski received her bachelor's degree in physical education teaching and athletic training from the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse in 1987. She went on to receive her master's degree in exercise and sport science with specialization in athletic training from UNC in 1989. Rucinski worked clinically in Milwaukee, Wis., at Froedtert Sports Medicine. While there she provided athletic training services to Menomonee Falls High School, the Milwaukee Ballet Company as well as a semi-professional football team. She returned to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, in 1994, to pursue her physical therapy degree, receiving her bachelor's degree in physical therapy in 1996.

Prior to Rucinski's return to UNC, she worked in Madison Wis., at the UW-Health Sports Medicine Physical Therapy Clinic. She provided athletic training services on a daily basis to Madison Area Technical College, now known as Madison College. She became certified as a strength and conditioning specialist in 1998 in order to assist the athletes at MATC with all aspects of their training. While in Madison she also provided athletic training services for the Madison Mad Dogs Indoor Football team and worked a summer with the Madison Mallards Baseball Club.