A native of Carol Stream, Illinois, TJ Thurmond is in his second year as an athletic trainer at Louisiana Tech. Thurmond started working at LA Tech in 2020 and primarily works with the LA Tech Men’s Basketball program.
 
Prior to arriving in Ruston, Thurmond completed work as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer at Tulane University in New Orleans where he worked primarily with the Football, Beach Volleyball and Track and Field programs for the 18-19 and 19-20 seasons.
 
Thurmond has also completed two NFL summer internships with the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars. Additional experience includes helping provide medical coverage to the First and Second Rounds of the 2016 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and helping provide medical coverage to the Iowa Special Olympics all 4 years of college.
 
Thurmond earned his Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training from Iowa State University in 2018 and his Master’s in Health and Wellness Management from Tulane University in 2020. He is CPR/AED certified through the American Heart Association, licensed through the state of Louisiana and a member of the National Athletic Trainer’s Association.