Sports Medicine On-Campus Staff

On-campus, there are four certified athletic trainers. We are allied healthcare providers who hold national certification and New York State licenses to practice Athletic Training.  We are your first line of healthcare access. Come see us with any questions or concerns about your health or athletic performance. We have a strong education on a wide array of topics related to healthcare and can help with things like nutritional issues (including information about supplements), weight training or performance improvement, and general medical conditions.  We are available for injury and illness evaluation daily and are present at every home competition. The athletic training facilities are open for treatment and rehabilitation daily.
 

Certified Athletic Trainers

Barbara-Jean "BJ" Ercolino was appointed Head Athletic Trainer at St. Joseph's University, Long Island by Director of Athletics Melody Cope in July 2025.

Ercolino brings over two decades of experience in athletic training and sports medicine to the Golden Eagles athletic department. She most recently served as Director of Medical Services for Athletes Unlimited, where she oversaw medical operations for professional women's basketball, volleyball, and softball. Her role included staffing oversight, injury reporting, EMR implementation, and wellness protocol development for elite-level athletes across multiple sports.

Prior to her work with Athletes Unlimited, Ercolino spent 17 years at NCAA Division I Stony Brook University, serving as an Associate Athletic Trainer and Adjunct Professor. While at Stony Brook, she provided direct coverage for several varsity programs, including women's lacrosse, football, men's soccer, and volleyball, and acted as the department's Insurance Coordinator. She also served as a preceptor and taught courses within the school's CAATE-accredited athletic training program.

Ercolino's experience also extends to the international stage, having served as Head Athletic Trainer for the USA Lacrosse Women's National Team during multiple world championship cycles, including the 2015 U19 World Cup in Scotland and the 2022 senior team's world championship run.

A licensed and board-certified athletic trainer in multiple states, Ercolino holds a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology from the University of Arizona and a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from High Point University, where she graduated cum laude. She is also a NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist and holds certifications in Graston Technique and BFR Therapy.


Emma Burns - eburns@sjny.edu
Assistant Athletic Trainer

Emma Burns was appointed Assistant Athletic Trainer at St. Joseph's University, Long Island by Director of Athletics Melody Cope in July 2026.

Burns returns to St. Joseph's after completing her clinical round with the Golden Eagles athletic training staff in the Fall 2025 semester while completing her Master of Science in Athletic Training at Stony Brook University. She graduated in May 2026 with a perfect 4.0 GPA and served as President of the Iota Tau Alpha Athletic Training Honor Society.

During her clinical rotation with SJLI, Burns provided comprehensive medical coverage for numerous varsity programs, delivering on-field and sideline injury management for both home and away contests. She also conducted concussion evaluations, developed treatment plans, and gained valuable experience adapting care in a variety of competitive settings. Burns was part of the sports medicine staff that supported the women's soccer team who won the 2025 Skyline Conference Championship.

In addition to her experience at St. Joseph's, Burns completed NCAA Division I clinical rotations with Stony Brook men's soccer and men's lacrosse, where she assisted with post-surgical rehabilitation, therapeutic modalities, fluoroscan X-ray imaging, and return-to-play protocols. She also worked with Colgate women's ice hockey, providing care throughout the ECAC Playoffs while assisting future professional women's hockey players.

Burns holds a Master of Science in Athletic Training from Stony Brook University and a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from SUNY Morrisville and was a student-athlete on the women's ice hockey and field hockey teams. She is BOC certified, maintains American Heart Association CPR/AED certification, and is a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association.


Niky Gomez - ngomez@sjny.edu
Assistant Athletic Trainer

Niky Gomez was appointed Assistant Athletic Trainer at St. Joseph's University, Long Island by Director of Athletics Melody Cope in July 2026.

Gomez joins the Golden Eagles after spending four years as a certified athletic trainer with the Northwell Health STARS Athletic Training Program and most recently with The Schwarz Institute. Throughout her career, she has provided athletic training coverage for numerous Long Island high schools, including Plainedge High School, Great Neck North High School, and Long Island Lutheran Middle and High School.

While serving as an athletic trainer in the secondary school setting, Gomez performed on-field injury evaluations, administered emergency first aid, supervised athletic competitions, and developed rehabilitation and home exercise programs for injured student-athletes. Her primary sport assignments included varsity football and nationally ranked boys' and girls' basketball teams at Long Island Lutheran. She also gained clinical orthopedic experience while working alongside physicians at Northwell Health, assisting with patient evaluations, reviewing medical histories and imaging, preparing injections and ultrasound equipment, and supporting daily clinical operations.

In addition to her secondary school and orthopedic experience, Gomez served as the athletic trainer for the Kingston Capitals of the Women's Premier Soccer League during the summer of 2023 and previously worked as a Certified Athletic Trainer and Physical Therapy Aide at Evolve Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation, where she assisted patients through rehabilitation programs while continuing to provide athletic training coverage for Long Island Lutheran.

Gomez earned her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training with a minor in Psychology from Marist College. She is BOC certified and maintains American Heart Association Basic Life Support certification. Gomez is also a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association, Eastern Athletic Trainers' Association, and New York State Athletic Trainers' Association.


Mikaila Rattazzi - mrattazzi@sjny.edu
Assistant Athletic Trainer

Mikaila Rattazzi was appointed Assistant Athletic Trainer at St. Joseph's University, Long Island by Director of Athletics Melody Cope in August 2026.

Rattazzi joins St. Joseph's after completing her Master of Science in Athletic Training at Hofstra University in May 2026. During her graduate education, she gained extensive clinical experience at the NCAA Division I, II, and NJCAA levels, completing rotations with Hofstra women's soccer, Hofstra baseball, Adelphi men's lacrosse, Nassau Community College fall athletics, and Garden City High School spring athletics.

Throughout her clinical rotations, Rattazzi provided comprehensive medical coverage for a variety of collegiate and high school athletic programs, developing skills in injury evaluation, therapeutic modalities, rehabilitation, and injury prevention. She also volunteered with Hofstra University's sports medicine staff during Division I performance testing and pre-participation medical examinations, assisting team physicians and athletic trainers in preparing student-athletes for competition.

In addition to her clinical experience, Rattazzi has served as an Emergency Medical Technician with Excel Sports Performance Academy, providing on-site medical support for youth and high school sporting events across baseball, lacrosse, ice hockey, and soccer. She also worked as a Physical Therapy Aide at Therapeutic Solutions and served as both a kinesiology teaching assistant and tutor at Hofstra University, further strengthening her background in patient care and education.

Rattazzi earned her Master of Science in Athletic Training and Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology from Hofstra University, where she concentrated in Strength & Conditioning and minored in Pre-Athletic Training Studies. She is BOC certified, a New York State Certified Emergency Medical Technician, maintains American Heart Association Basic Life Support certification, and is a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association.