Mayrena Hernandez

Mayrena

Mayrena Hernandez, PhD, MPH, LAT, ATC

Assistant Professor in Athletic Training

Department of Kinesiology

 mih012@shsu.edu | 936-294-1160 | LDB 107S

Curriculum Vitae

Bio

Dr. Mayrena Isamar Hernandez is an Assistant Professor of Athletic Training at Sam Houston State University and Director of the Healthy Activity Toward Promoting Injury Reduction (HAPIR) Lab. A certified and licensed athletic trainer, she earned her BS in Athletic Training with honors from the University of Texas at Arlington, an MPH in Nutrition from Kansas State University, and a PhD in Kinesiology (Biomechanics) from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her mixed‑methods research explores how sport specialization and socioeconomic status affect youth athletes—particularly in underserved communities—and examines how clinicians’ decision‑making may be influenced by athletes’ backgrounds. She has published in leading journals like Sports Health and Journal of Athletic Training and received the 2024 NATA Doctoral Research & Education Foundation Award. A former collegiate athletic trainer and first-generation scholar, she is deeply committed to advancing health equity in sports medicine.

Education

  • PhD, Kinesiology with an emphasis in Biomechanics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI

  • MPH, Master of Public Health with an emphasis in Nutrition, Kansas State University, KS

  • BS, Athletic Training with Honors, University of Texas at Arlington, TX

Areas of Expertise

  • Athletic Training

  • Public Health

  • Youth Sports Injuries

Selected Publications

  • Biese KM, Winans M, Hernandez MI, Schaefer DA, Post EG, Sanfilippo JL, Bell DR. (2021) Comparing High School Sport Specialization Trends Between Division I and Club Collegiate Athletes. Sports Health

  • Biese KM, Winans M*, Hernandez MI, Schaefer DA, Bell DR. (2020) The Association of High School Sport Participation and Injury History in Collegiate Club Sport Athletes. Journal of Athletic Training JAT0021-21R1

  • Hernandez MI, Post EG, Biese KM, Schaefer DA, Bell DR, Brooks MA (2020) Perceptions of Factors Related to Sports Specialization between Parents and Children. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation JSR.2019-0357

  • Biese KM, Post EG, Schaefer DA, Hernandez MI, Brooks MA, McGuine TA, Bell DR (2020) Evaluation of Adolescent Sport Specialization and Injury Mechanism by Sex: A Secondary Analysis. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport JSAMS_2019-822-R2

  • Lisee C, Montoye AHK, Lewallen NF, Hernandez MI, Bell DR, Kuenze C (2020). Assessment of Free-Living Step Accumulation using Actigraph Accelerometers among Individuals with ACL Reconstruction. Journal of Athletic Training JAT0425-19