Sport Medicine Staff - Long Beach State University Athletics

STAFF | DOCTORS | (562) 985-4660

	Jarrod Spanjer is the Associate AD for Student-Athlete Health & Wellness at Long Beach State where he oversees the coverage of 19 Division I sports. Spanjer works directly with men's basketball and men's golf. In his capacity as Associate AD, Spanjer supervises all four areas of the Health & Wellness team – Sports Medicine, Sports Performance, Sports Nutrition, & Mental Health/Case Manager. Spanjer came to Long Beach State after spending nearly seven years at Arizona State where he served as the primary athletic trainer for the men's basketball and men's and women's golf teams, as well as spending time working with the Sun Devils' track team from 2005 to 2006. Spanjer started his athletic training career as a graduate student at San Diego State where he spent two years (2000-2002). While at SDSU he was the head athletic trainer for the women's crew team, while assisting with the football program. After graduating from San Diego State, Spanjer spent one season (2002-03) at St. Joseph's College of New York where he worked directly with women's soccer, women's basketball and softball, and two years (2003-05) at LIU Brooklyn where he served as the primary athletic trainer for women's basketball, men's and women's track and field, and men's and women's soccer. In addition to earning a Master of Arts from San Diego State in 2002, Spanjer graduated with a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology in 1999. Spanjer and his wife Jenn have two children, a daughter, Taylor and a son, Jackson.
	Danielle Kobata is the Associate Athletic Trainer at Long Beach State. Kobata works directly with women’s volleyball, beach volleyball, and women’s golf. Prior to joining the Long Beach State staff, Kobata served as an Associate Athletic Trainer at CSU Northridge, working primarily with the baseball program. Kobata earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training from San Diego State in 2018. Kobata earned her Master of Art degree in Sport Psychology from Fresno State University in 2021. While at Fresno State, Kobata served as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer with their football program.
	Ian Baldwin MS, ATC hails from Bethany, Missouri. He earned his BS in 2007 and the acquired his MS 2 years later. Ian has worked at several universities and now lives in Southern California with his plant, Plantosaurus Rex.

	Charlenne Medina, MA, ATC, NREMT is an assistant athletic trainer at Long Beach State. She is assigned to women's basketball and women's tennis. Medina brings a wide range of experience to LBSU as she has worked in industrial, clinical, and secondary school athletic training. She has worked for Select Medical at LAX, West Coast Sports Medicine Foundation, and the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District. Medina also worked as an EMT for a private ambulance company and aids the Long Beach State EMT Program with skills teaching and instruction. Additionally, she serves in the California Athletic Trainers’ Association and the Far West Athletic Trainers’ Association Public Relations Committees. Medina completed her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training and Master of Arts in Sport Management here at LBSU.
	Alexis Colon, MA, ATC joined the Long Beach Athletic Training Staff in 2020 and will be working with Cross Country and Men's Volleyball. She gained professional experience by working with San Gabriel Elite Volleyball and Long Beach Polytechnic High School. Prior to joining the Long Beach State staff, Alexis served as an Assistant Athletic Trainer at St. John Bosco High School as well as Damien High School. She received her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training (2017) and Master of Arts in Sport Management (2020) from California State University, Long Beach.
	Christian Knighten, BS, ATC is assigned to Softball and Women's Soccer at Long Beach State. Graduated from California State University Long Beach in 2022. Before coming to Long Beach, he was the assistant athletic trainer at St. John Bosco High School where he taught sports medicine and was a part of the 2022 High School Football National Champions.
	Randy Nguyen, MS, ATC, is an Assistant Athletic Trainer assigned to Men’s & Women’s Cross Country and Men’s & Women’s Indoor/Outdoor Track & Field. His clinical experiences include working with St. John Bosco High School, combat sports, and a variety of rehabilitation clinics. He holds an instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization certification from HawkGrips which he incorporates into his practice. Randy is an alumnus of LBSU graduating from the Master of Science in Athletic Training program. His undergraduate degree is in Kinesiology from San Francisco State University.
	Garth Verdegaal, MS, ATC is an Assistant Athletic Trainer at Long Beach State. His assigned sports include Men’s and Women’s Water polo. Garth received his BS in Kinesiology in 2020 and completed his MS here at Long Beach state in 2023. Garth has also gained experience through working with the USA Water Polo’s Junior and Senior teams.