Staff
Mike Jones, MAE, ATC/L NREMT-I
Head Athletic Trainer
Mike Jones, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine and head athletic trainer, is in his eighth year at UAB and sixth in charge of the Sports Medicine Department. Jones oversees the athletic training for UAB's 16 varsity sports and is the head athletic trainer for the football squad. In his Assistant Athletic Trainer role at UAB, Jones worked with the football team, including the program's trip to the 2004 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl. Jones previously served an Associate Athletic Trainer at the UAB Sports Medicine Clinic from 1999 to 2000 and as a Staff Athletic Trainer at the University of Cincinnati from 1998 to 1999, where he worked with the Bearcat football, swimming and diving teams. Jones earned a B.A. in secondary education in 1996 and a master's degree in health education from UAB in 1997. He joined the Blazer football team in 1993 after transferring from Jones Community College in Ellisville, Miss. He was among the first scholarship classes in the history of UAB football and is a Blazer letterman. As a graduate student, he worked with the Blazer football and volleyball teams. He serves as chairman of the Public Relations and Governmental Affairs Committee for the Alabama State Association of Athletic Trainers and, in May 2008, was elected to the Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers. A native of New Augusta, Miss., Jones has two daughters: Kerrigan and Mackenzie.
Bryan Koch, M.Ed, ATC/L
Associate Athletic Trainer
Bryan Koch joined UAB in 2001 and has spent his time since 2003 with the men's basketball team as their athletic trainer. Koch has oversight and supervision of athletic training for all men's varsity sports at UAB and is in charge of the department's drug testing procedures. Born and raised in Vincennes, Ind., Koch received his bachelor's degree in athletic training from Indiana State University in 1998. He went on to receive his masters in athletic administration from Auburn University in 2000, where he was responsible for the Auburn baseball team. After graduation from Auburn, Koch served as the head athletic trainer for the Samford University men's basketball team. After a year with the Bulldogs, he came to UAB as the assistant football athletic trainer. Koch worked for three seasons with both UAB football and men's basketball. In 2003, he relinquished his football duties to concentrate his talents solely on men's basketball. Koch is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA), the SouthEast Athletic Trainers Association (SEATA) and the Alabama Athletic Trainers Association (ALATA). He is married to the former Shawna Campbell, and the couple resides in Good Hope, Ala., with their daughter Campbell Brylee and their yellow lab, Dudley.
Melissa Adams, MA, ATC/L
Assistant Athletic Trainer
Melissa Adams joined the UAB athletic training staff in August of 2008. Adams comes to UAB from the University of Richmond where she served as an Assistant Athletic Trainer in charge of the women's field hockey and women's lacrosse teams from 2007-2008. Prior to the University of Richmond, she was a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer at Southeast Missouri State University in which she worked with the Redhawk women's soccer program and assisted with baseball. Adams began her career as an undergraduate student at Eastern Michigan University working as an Athletic Training Student with the Eagles athletic programs. Upon completion of her course work, Adams was an Intern Athletic Trainer at Auburn University with track and field. Adams received her B.S. in Sports Medicine from Eastern Michigan in 2005 and her M.A. in Higher Education Athletic Administration from Southeast Missouri in 2007. She currently is an assistant athletic trainer for the women's cross country and track & field team. A native of Chelsea, Mich., Adams is an active member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association, the Southeastern Athletic Trainers' Association, and the Alabama Athletic Trainers' Association.
Laurie Fincher, MA, ATC/L
Assistant Athletic Trainer
Laurie Fincher joined the UAB athletic staff in July of 2008. Fincher comes to UAB from West Alabama, where she served as an Assistant Athletic Trainer in charge of volleyball, as well as assisting with football, from 2006-08. Prior to West Alabama, she was a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer at UAB with her focus on assisting with the Blazers' football team. Fincher began her career as an undergraduate student at East Carolina working as a Athletic Training student with the Pirates' athletic programs. Fincher received her B.S. in Athletic Training from East Carolina in 2004 and her M.A. in Education and Exercise Physiology from UAB in 2006. She is an assistant athletic trainer for football, oversees synchronized swimming and supervises softball. Hailing from Raleigh, N.C., Fincher is an active member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA), the Southeastern Athletic Trainers' Association (SEATA), and the Alabama Athletic Trainers' Association (ALATA).
Gerald Mickler, M.Ed, ATC
Assistant Athletic Trainer
Gerald Mickler joined the UAB athletic training staff in June of 2010. Mickler comes to UAB from Arizona State where he served as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer where he worked with the football team from 2008-2010. Prior to Arizona State, he did summer internships with the Buffalo Bills in 2006 and 2007. Mickler began his career as an undergraduate student at Purdue University working as an Athletic Training Student with the Boilermaker athletic programs. Mickler received his B.S. in Science with a concentration in Athletic Training from Purdue in 2008 and his M.Ed. in Higher Education from Arizona State in 2010. He currently is an assistant athletic trainer for the football team. A native of Anderson, IN., Mickler is an active member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association. He and his wife, Elise, were married July 11, 2009. The couple resides in Birmingham, AL.
Greg Mytyk, MS, ATC/L
Assistant Athletic Trainer
Greg Mytyk joined the UAB athletic training staff in August of 2009. Mytyk comes to UAB from Birmingham-Southern College where he served as an Assistant Athletic Trainer in charge of the men's soccer and baseball teams from 2007-2009. Prior to Birmingham-Southern College, he was a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer at the University of Central Florida in which he worked with the men's soccer program. Mytyk began his career as an undergraduate student at Florida State University working as an Athletic Training Student with the Seminoles athletic programs. During his time at Florida State Mytyk had the opportunity to complete a summer internship with the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. Mytyk received his B.S. in Exercise Science from Florida State in 2004 and his M.A. in Physical Education from the University of Central Florida in 2007. He currently is an assistant athletic trainer for the men's soccer team. A native of Hobart, IN., Mytyk is an active member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association, the Southeastern Athletic Trainers' Association, and the Alabama Athletic Trainers' Association. He and his wife, Arielle, were married December 21, 2008. The couple resides in Hoover, AL.
Jen Wallace, MS, ATC/L
Assistant Athletic Trainer
Jen Wallace joined the UAB athletic training staff in July of 2009. Wallace comes to UAB from the University of Kentucky where she was a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer for Women's Softball from 2007-2009. Wallace began her career as an undergraduate athletic training student at The University of Alabama working with the Crimson Tide's athletic programs. Wallace received her B.S. in athletic training from The University of Alabama in 2007 and her M.S. in athletic training from the University of Kentucky in 2009. She is the Assistant Athletic Trainer for the Blazer softball and volleyball teams. A native of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Wallace is an active member of the National Athletic Trainer's Association, the Southeastern Athletic Trainer's Association, and the Alabama Athletic Trainer's Association.
