Ernest Eugene began his role as the head athletic trainer of the Orlando Magic in 2018. He joined Orlando after spending four seasons (2014-18) as assistant athletics director for sports medicine at Virginia Tech.

Eugene came to Virginia Tech following six seasons (2008-14) as the athletic trainer for the men’s basketball program at Marquette University, where he was promoted to director of sports medicine during his final year.

Prior to his time at Marquette, Eugene spent five seasons (2003-08) as the assistant athletic trainer with the Washington Wizards, where his duties included prevention/rehabilitation of injuries, travel administration and injury tracking. Before his tenure with the Wizards, he served as a seasonal intern athletic trainer with the NFL’s Washington Redskins in 2003.

A native of Washington, D.C., Eugene received a doctorate degree (Ed.D.) from East Tennessee State University in May 2018. He earned his master’s degree in allied health management from The Ohio State University, where he also served as a graduate assistant athletic trainer (2001-03). Eugene is certified as an athletic trainer (ATC), Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES), Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES) and in Graston Techniques. He also holds a Sports Manual Therapy Certification (SMTC) through the Institute of Athlete Regeneration, as well as a certification in Personalized Blood Flow Restriction Rehabilitation through Owens Recovery Science.

Eugene is an active member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), the National Basketball Athletic Trainers’ Association (NBATA), where he currently serves on both the 401(k)/Finance Committee and the Alumni Relations Committee, and the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).

Eugene graduated from George Washington University in 2000, earning a bachelor of science in exercise science, with a concentration in athletic training. In addition, while at Virginia Tech, he served as a board member with the Council on Revenue (COR) of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. He was also one of 32 collegiate athletic trainers appointed to the Intercollegiate Council for Sports Medicine in June of 2017. Eugene served as athletic trainer at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders camp in Medellin, Colombia in June 2019.

Eugene and his wife, Jackie, have two sons, Jayden and Mason, and one daughter, Harper.