University of North Carolina Athletics
Staff Directory
- Title:
- Strength & Conditioning Coordinator
Email Thomas McKinney
Thomas McKinney II is in his third season at the University of North Carolina with the men's basketball team and his first working with both the men's and women's basketball teams as Coordinator of Strength and Conditioning for Basketball.
McKinney came to Carolina from Columbia University, where he was the Director of Strength and Conditioning for four and one-half years.
McKinney entered collegiate athletics at the University of Virginia as a student-athlete, achieving a B.A in English while earning two All-ACC honors for his participation on the Cavaliers track and field team. Upon graduation, McKinney entered the UVa Sports Psychology graduate program.
While completing his graduate coursework, McKinney became an Olympic-style weightlifter, achieving a silver medal at the 1992 National Collegiate Championships and bronze medals at the 1994 Olympic Festival and American Open Championships. Upon receiving his masters degree in Sports Psychology in 1994, McKinney went on to earn a gold medal at the 1995 National Weightlifting Championships, and a silver medal at the U.S. Olympic Festival that same year.
McKinney previously resided at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. His collegiate coaching career began at his alma mater, where he was an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the football, men's lacrosse, women's basketball, and field hockey teams. McKinney also was a sports psychology instructor.
McKinney departed the Cavalier athletic department to pursue the position of Director of Strength and Conditioning at Columbia University, where he designed and implemented strength and conditioning programs for the University's 28 athletic teams and mentored graduate students in the field of strength and conditioning. Five of his pupils -- Thomas Sheehan (Columbia), Kristen Christopher (Stanford), Bill Hughan (Missouri), Lisa Shall (Notre Dame) and Kenneth White (Providence) -- have gone onto successful careers as strength and conditioning coaches.
McKinney is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa) and Sports Metrics USA. He is also a Level 1 Coach through USA Weightlifting and USA Track and Field. He is the owner of Ready2Hoop.com, based in Chapel Hill.
He was married to the former Jennifer Brouillette on July 14, 2002.
