Beginning his 19th year as a member of the UNC Pembroke athletic training staff in the 2025-26 academic year, Michael Blackburn is a nationally-certified and state-licensed athletic trainer who oversees the athletic training department at UNCP. He is specifically responsible for, and handles the day-to-day operations of, the prevention and care of injuries for the Braves wrestling team along with overseeing the insurance coordination.
Blackburn spent the two years prior to coming to UNCP as an assistant athletic trainer at Western Illinois University where he was responsible for the daily medical healthcare of the men’s basketball and men’s and women’s golf teams. He was charged with overseeing one of WIU’s athletic training rooms, while also serving as a mentor for six graduate assistant athletic trainers. He also served as an instructor in the Department of Kinesiology at WIU.
A native of Medford, Wisc., Blackburn first got involved in athletic training as an undergraduate at Winona State (Minn.), logging numerous hours, specifically, with three different athletic teams. While with the Warriors, Blackburn undertook athletic training responsibilities with the women’s soccer, men’s basketball and baseball programs. In serving in those capacities, he assisted with the treatments and rehabilitation of other Winona State student-athletes as well.
Following his graduation from WSU, Blackburn applied for and received a graduate assistant athletic training position at East Tennessee State University where he was responsible for the daily medical coverage of the Bucs women’s soccer, women’s track & field and cross country squads. He also assisted with the implementation of a comprehensive medical healthcare program for all 16 Division I sports.
His longest-tenured job would come under the auspices of Ferris State (Mich.) where he was charged with the management of eight intercollegiate sports, including both men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball and the track & field programs from 2002-07. While in Big Rapids, he managed the daily operations of one of FSU’s athletic training rooms and directed student-athlete orthopedic clinics and vision screening schedules. He also coordinated medical coverage for the 2005 NCAA Great Lakes Regional Cross Country Championships, as well as the 2006 GLIAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
In addition to his duties at the college and university levels, Blackburn also logged time as the certified athletic trainer at the USA Bantam Hockey Camp in 2003, as well as the coordinator of medical coverage for the 2004 Michigan High School Sports Association Basketball Regional in 2004. A board certified athletic trainer by the National Athletic Trainers Association, Blackburn is certified in CPR, as well as in American Red Cross First Aid.
Blackburn received his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Winona State in 2000 and his master’s of arts certificate in physical education from East Tennessee State in 2002. He currently resides in Lumberton.
Updated: June 2025
