UC Davis Athletics

Melissa Hughes was hired at UC Davis in 2003 as an assistant athletic trainer and promoted to her current position as the Assistant Athletic Director of Sports Medicine and Head Athletic Trainer in 2022. She is the Healthcare Administrator and is charged with overseeing the sports medicine staff and athletic training services for approximately 650 student athletes across 25 varsity programs. Hughes is also responsible for developing athletic medicine strategies and implementing policies and procedures that ensure compliance with NCAA and conference rules and regulations, ensuring the health and safety of all UC Davis student athletes.
 
Hughes is a 1992 graduate of UC Davis where she received her Bachelor of Science in Sports Health and Human Performance. She then went on to earn her Master of Science degree at Sacramento State University in Kinesiology and Sports Psychology while working full time at Yuba Community College, before being hired at UC Davis in 2003.
 
Hughes spent 19 years as an Assistant Athletic Trainer providing comprehensive athletic training services and medical care to numerous teams, including UC Davis’s Men’s and Women’s Water Polo, Men’s Soccer, Equestrian, Men’s and Women’s Tennis, Gymnastics, Women’s Lacrosse, Swim and Dive, Football, Wrestling, Track and Field and Cross Country, Baseball and Softball.
 
Hughes is dedicated not only to the health and wellness of the student athlete, but also professional development of the younger generation. She was Co-Director of the UC Davis AT Fellowship Program from 2017-2022, and responsible for launching many athletic trainers’ careers. She assisted with the undergraduate student intern program from 2003 to 2014, guiding multitudes of students towards healthcare fields. 
 
Hughes is a member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and the California Athletic Trainers’ Association, as well as an American Red Cross CPR/AED for the Professional Instructor. She has extensive experience in injury rehabilitation skills, protocols, and techniques: including manual therapy, cupping, Kinesio-tape, Graston, Blood Flow Restriction, joint mobilization, and functional exercise.
 
Hughes is passionate about professional development and building relationships. She resides in Sacramento with her wife, and enjoys cooking, gardening, and outdoor activities.