Adrian Melendez rejoined the University of Florida in 2022 as the Director of Operations for Track and Field and Cross Country.
Prior to his return to Gainesville, Melendez served as the Assistant Director of Athletics for Soccer/ Track & Field/ Cross Country programs at the University of Illinois. Melendez had served as Director Operations for Swim & Dive/ Track & Field/ Cross Country programs since his return to Champaign in 2017. Between 2005-2012 at the University of Illinois, he served as Head Athletic Trainer before transitioning to Director of Football Operations. He spent parts of 12 seasons with the Fighting Illini.
Between Melendez’s two stints at the University of Illinois, he served as Director of Conference Center and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer for the I Hotel and Conference Center until 2016 when he transitioned to Tennant Service Manager for Fox Development.
Preceding the move to Illinois, Melendez was the Head Athletic Trainer for the University of Florida football program from 1998-2005, where he was also Manager of the South End Zone Training Facility. Before joining the football staff, Melendez worked two years as the Athletic Trainer for the Men’s and Women’s Track and Field programs.
Along with the athletic training experience working with sports as an undergraduate and graduate school, Melendez also gained valuable experience outside of the universities. In the NFL, he had internships with 2 NFL programs (Houston Oilers and Dallas Cowboys). He was also a Disney Marathon Medical Support member as team leader of the orthopedic tent for three years. Melendez worked with the Flynn Sports Management group, where he was the therapist for two-time Olympic gold medal sprinter Donovan Bailey, as he won the gold medal in the 4 x100 relay and silver medal in the 100m dash at the 1997 World Championships in Athens. He also cared for multiple other world-class athletes.
Melendez received his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Texas Christian University in 1991 with concentrations in athletic training, biology, and health studies. In 1996, Melendez earned his Master’s degree in Recreational Studies at the University of Florida while working as a graduate assistant athletic trainer for the football and track and field programs.
