Jose Barboza joined the University of Hawai‘i Athletics Department in September of 2024.
Barboza currently holds the position of Assistant Athletic Trainer. In his role, Barboza is responsible for developing injury prevention programs, initiating injury evaluation and treatments, recognizing emergency and critical care injuries, therapeutic interventions, wellness promotion, administrative tasks, environmental implementations, and educating for the women’s cross country and track and field teams.
Barboza previously worked at Central Methodist University as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer from 2022-24. In his role, Barboza obtained his master’s degree while taking responsibility for the men’s and women’s wrestling teams in addition to being part of the Athletic Training staff with the football team.
During his time at Central Methodist, he cared for the school’s first All-Americans for both men’s and women’s wrestling teams and the first-ever women’s individual national champion at 116 pounds. He also provided care for a first-time women’s U-23 Pan American World Champion at 59kg. Both men’s and women’s wrestling teams finished in the top 10 and top 20 nationally (Women’s tied for 7th in 2023, and Men’s at 14th in 2023 and 20th in 2024).
Originally from Austin, Texas, Barboza earned his master’s degree at Central Methodist becoming the first in his family to obtain a college degree. He obtained research articles for his thesis in “The Effects of Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and Burnout Syndrome Among Healthcare Professionals and Athletes Within Health and Performance.” He received a bachelor’s in Athletic Training and a minor in Exercise and Sport Science at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. He graduated summa cum laude in addition to athletic training honors within the Iota Tau Alpha Honors Society.
Barboza is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association in addition to the Southwest Athletic Trainers Association, and an advocate for education and recognition for Latinx Athletic Trainers.
He is currently resides in Honolulu.
