Taking care of the medical needs of 200 Division II Athletes is a tremendous and never ending challenge. The athletic training staff at New York Institute of Technology is dedicated to providing injury management, treatment, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries for all NYIT student-athletes.

The NYIT athletic training staff, under the direction of Dean Kamvakis, Head Athletic Trainer, and Charita Diaz, Assistant Athletic Trainer, is committed to ensuring the safe participation of NYIT's student-athletes and providing optimal care to return injured athletes to play rapidly and safely.

Athletic Trainers

Dean Kamvakis got his start in athletic training while attending St. Lawrence University. He became a student trainer under the supervision of SLU Head Athletic Trainer Ron Waske, the trainer for the New York Islanders when they won several Stanley Cup titles during the 1980s. Kamvakis worked with most of the sports at St. Lawrence, including football, hockey, lacrosse, basketball, and soccer, while earning a bachelors degree in Biology.

Dean Kamvakis
Head Athletic Trainer

After graduating, Kamvakis served as a graduate assistant trainer at Ithaca College for two 'years, and earned a master's degree in Physical Education. He then accepted a position at the Onondaga Sports Medicine Clinic in Syracuse, NY.

In 1993, Kamvakis joined the staff at NYIT as the Head Athletic Trainer. Kamvakis is a certified member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association, and is licensed New York State athletic trainer. He is an avid bass fisherman. Kamvakis' wife, Heidi, teaches health at Jericho High School. They have a son, Daniel, age eight and a daughter, Grace, age five.

Charita Diaz
Assistant Athletic Trainer

Charita Liz Diaz is in her first year as an assistant athletic trainer with NYIT. Diaz comes to NYIT after serving as the head athletic trainer at Hunter College for one year. Diaz got her start in athletic training as a student athletic trainer at Hofstra University, where she graduated in 2005 with a B.S. in athletic training and a minor in physical education. She then enrolled in Long Island University’s Exercise Physiology program and is currently completing her master’s degree.

 

Diaz serves as an athletic trainer with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) pro circuit and has been an athletic trainer for the Wheel Chair U.S. Open in 2006 and 2007. In 2007 she was hired as an assistant athletic trainer with the New York Dragons of the Arena Football League, where she had served as an intern for three seasons under Edward Modica.

 

A native of Queens, N.Y., Diaz has three siblings, Joey, Michael and Marita and greatly acknowledges the support of her parents, Maria and Jose.