Timothy Messina (MS, RSCC, CSCS) joined the UC San Diego athletic performance staff in June 2026. He is in charge of a comprehensive sports performance program for men’s basketball.
Prior to UC San Diego, Messina was an Assistant Sports Performance Coach for Campbell University from 2025-26. He designed and implemented strength and conditioning programs for the men’s basketball and men’s and women's golf teams. During his time at Campbell, the men’s basketball team made it to the semifinals of the Coastal Athletic Association tournament. He helped develop a First Team All-CAA player in DJ Smith and Third Team All-CAA player in Jeremiah Johnson.
Prior to Campbell, Messina spent two years at UC San Diego as an athletic performance coach for women’s basketball. He also assisted with men’s basketball during the 2023-24 season and was the men’s basketball interim performance coach during the Spring of 2024. During his time at UC San Diego, the women’s basketball team won the Big West Conference tournament and advanced to the NCAA tournament in the Tritons first year eligible, following a transition from Divison II to Divsion I. He helped develop First Team All-Big West player Sumayah Sugapong and Big West Newcomer of the Year in Sabrina Ma.
Messina spent two years at Stanford as an assistant sports performance coach. He primarily worked with the men’s and women’s basketball teams, while also providing support for the men’s tennis, squash and sailing programs. Additionally, Messina served as an Olympic strength and condition intern at West Virginia from Aug. 2021 to Jan. 2022. Messina is a 2021 graduate of Concordia University Chicago, where he earned his master’s degree in exercise science with a concentration on strength and conditioning. He earned his bachelor’s degree in nutrition, exercise and health sciences from the University of Nebraska in 2018. During his time in Lincoln, Messina served as a strength and conditioning intern for the Cornhuskers.
