The UNT Center for Sport Psychology and Athlete Mental Health consultants are doctoral and master's students from the Departments of Psychology and KHPR, respectively, who are pursuing their specializations in sport psychology. The consultants provide services to individual athletes, coaches, and sport teams within the UNT Athletic Department and to members of the DFW sport community. Their work is supervised by the Center's faculty.
Consultants 2024-2025
Name: Macey Arnold
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Bachelor of Arts in Exercise and Sports Science from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Sport Experience: Collegiate swimming; recreational running, swimming, biking, climbing, hiking
Research Interests: Experiences of 2SLGBTQIA+ Athletes; Multicultural Education in Sport Psychology; Mental Health in Athletes, Disordered Eating and Body Image Among Athletes; Athletic Injury; Mindfulness Interventions
Name: Claire Bailey
Degree: Master of Science in Sport and Exercise Psychology from the University of Kentucky; Bachelor of Science in Psychology from The College of William and Mary
Sport Experience: Collegiate and High School Track and Field; Collegiate Kickboxing Instructor; High School Basketball
Research Interests: Body Image and Eating Behaviors; Athlete Mental Health; Athletic Identity
Name: Sydney Bechtel
Degree: Master of Art in Sport and Performance Psychology from the University of Denver; Bachelor of Science in Counseling Psychology and Sport Psychology from Liberty University
Sport Experience: High school volleyball and travel/club indoor volleyball
Research Interests: Athletic and racial identity development, emotion regulation in sport, achievement motivation, and resiliency of athletes of color
Name: Kasey Chambers
Degree: Master of Arts in Psychology from Chatham University; Master of Arts in Education and Human Development from The George Washington University; Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Pennsylvania
Sport Experience: Collegiate and High School Basketball; Collegiate and High School Basketball Coach
Research Interests: LGBTQ+ Identities in Sport; Mental Health Stigma in Sport; Transition into Collegiate Athletics
Name: Dafina Chisolm-Salau
Degree: Master of Science in Applied Psychology with a focus on Counseling Psychology from University of Baltimore and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Sport Experience: High School Basketball and Track and Field
Research Interests: Injury and return to sport, career counseling/transition out of sport, social justice, and experiences of athletes of color
Name: Lexy Rae Clark
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology from Whittier College
Sport Experience: Club soccer, High School soccer, track and field, Collegiate track and field
Research Interests: Athlete mental health, return to sport after injury, how sport psychology is perceived by athletes and other professionals in sport
Name: Gavin Dunn
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Baylor University
Sport Experience: CHigh School Baseball and Football, HIIT Coach for High School Students
Research Interests:Retirement and Transition out of Sports for Athletes of All Ages, Routine and Stoicism in Sports, Athlete Performance Strategies, and Coaching Enhancement
Name: Isabella Franks
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Marquette University; Master's of Education in Counseling Psychology from Lehigh University
Sport Experience: Collegiate Tennis; Collegiate Tennis Assistant Coach; Collegiate Intrium Head Coach; High School Track & Field; High School Cross Country; High School Softball
Research Interests: Mental Health and Psychological Wellbeing of Athletes; Achievement Motivation; Burnout; Resilience; Performance Enhancement
Name: Matthew Gutierrez
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from St. Mary's University (TX)
Sport Experience: Sport Psychology Consultant for UNT Dance, KHPR Teaching Assistant, Gym Supervisor, Childhood Early Intervention Intern, Musician, Intramural Basketball
Research Interests: Motivational Climate within Youth Sports; Coach-Athlete Relationships; Mindfulness-Based Interventions
Name: Carmyn Hayes
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Certificate in Afro-American Studies from University of Wisconsin-Madison
Sport Experience: Collegiate Soccer
Research Interests: Help-seeking behaviors; Athlete Identity; Injury Recovery
Name: Nick Heldman
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Psychology from UNT
Sport Experience: U14 Select Soccer, High school and Collegiate Club/USTA Tennis, recreational rock climbing and intramural volleyball
Research Interests: Choking under pressure, overall well-being and life satisfaction and it's relationship with sporting performance, autonomy and mindfulness in peak performance
Name: Olivia Kit
Degree: B.A. in Developmental Psychology from Brock University; M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University
Sport experience: Travel soccer, high school cross country, volleyball, soccer, hockey
Research interests: psychological response to athletic injuries, athletes' mental health specifically anxiety and depression, coping mechanisms, grit
Name: Carolyn Lawley
Degree: Associate of Science in General Studies from Murray State College, Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Oklahoma Christian University, Master of Science in Kinesiology with an emphasis in psychosocial aspects of sport and exercise psychology from the University of North Texas (in progress)
Sport Experience: Professional (overseas), Collegiate, and High School Basketball; High School Track & Field; High School and Middle School Basketball Coach; High School Track & Field Coach; Youth Basketball Trainer
Research Interests: Athlete Mental Health and Well-Being; International Student-Athlete and Transnational Professional/Semi-Professional Athlete Experiences; Cultural Transition Challenges in International and Transnational Athletes; Athlete Identity after Transitioning out of Sport
Name: Carson Lecroy
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Sport Management with a minor in Communication Studies from Texas Tech University
Sport Experience: High school and travel basketball, youth basketball coach
Research Interests: Identity & athletic experience of LGBTQIA+ athletes, Motivation & adherence to exercise and physical activity, Sports experience among Youth Athletes
Name: Cachet Lue
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Texas Christian University, Master of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Minnesota (pending thesis defense)
Sport Experience: Collegiate soccer; High school soccer, basketball, track and field; Youth soccer coach and referee
Research Interests: Student-athlete mental health, student-athlete support systems, athletic injury, and athletic identity
Name: Gabby Lusk
Degree: B.S. Criminal Justice; M.Ed Education
Sport Experience: Dance, Basketball, Wrestling, Track
Research Interests: Youth Sport Psychology, Spirituality in Mental Health Practice, Environmental Factors and Performance, Athletes' Identity and Role Conflict
Name: Nick Magera
Degree: Master of Science in Kinesiology, Concentration in Sport and Exercise Psychology from University of North Texas; Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Sciences with Concentrations in - Addictive Disorders and Recovery Studies, Pre-Professional Health Sciences, Integrative Studies, with a Minor in Psychology
Sport Experience: U18 Ice Hockey; USTA and National Team Tennis; High School Ice Hockey, Football, and Track; Personal Training
Research Interests: Mental Health in Athletes; Emotion Regulation in Sport; Motivational Climate; Athletic Injury and Recovery Processes; Transition/Retirement from Sport; Mental Skills Training; Mindfulness in Sport Performance
Name: Jadyn Owens
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Texas Tech University
Sport Experience: Collegiate Dance, Collegiate Intramural Volleyball, High School Dance team, Club Volleyball, Swimming, Figure Skating
Research Interests: Intrinsic motivation in burnt-out/fatigued athletes, effects of mental fatigue in a competitive setting, mindfulness-based interventions, coach-athlete relationships, the effects of exercise on cognition
Name: Jodie Patcha
Degree: Master of Science in Kinesiology with a focus on Sport Psychology from The University of North Texas, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Saint Edwards University, Austin Tx
Sport Experience: High School Basketball and Track and Field
Research Interests: Help seeking behaviors among athletes, collegiate level and up, the effect of cultural views/stigmas on an athlete's help seeking behavior, personality type and coping methods
Name: Kayla Rae Patton
Degree: B.S. in Kinesiology Performance Psychology from Texas A&M University Kingsville; M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Houston Christian University
Sport Experience: Cross country, softball, cheerleading; Licensed athletic trainer for collegiate and youth baseball, football, soccer, basketball
Research Interests: Psychosocial interventions for athlete recovery, holistic athlete care, mental resiliency, athletic injury, and mindfulness in sport
Name: Kennedy Peacock
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Minor in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma
Sport Experience: Collegiate and High School Volleyball, and Club Volleyball Coach
Research Interests: Return to Sport after Injury, Mindfulness, Motivation, Performance Enhancement, Mental Toughness
Name: Miguel Portillo
Degree: B.A. In Psychology from University of North Texas
Sport Experience: High School Football and Basketball; Youth Basketball Coach
Research Interests: Mental Toughness; Performance Enhancement; Team Cohesion
Name: Cameren Pryor
Degree: Master of Science in Kinesiology w/ a concentration in Exercise and Sport Psychology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; Bachelor of Science in Psychology w/ minor in Communications from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC)
Sport Experience: Collegiate Track & Field
Research Interests: Athletic career transition/retirement out of sport, athletic transition psychoeducation/programming
Name: Mikaili Robertson
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Business Administration from Hood College; Master of Science in Sport and Exercise Psychology from Springfield College
Sport Experience: Collegiate and High School Baseball; Collegiate Baseball Coach
Research Interest: Black Student-Athlete Experience at PWIs; Resilience of Athletes with Hidden Disabilities
Name: Jessica Renteria
Degree: Masters of Science in Kinesiology; Sport Psychology concentration and Bachelors of Science in Sport Psychology from Texas Christian University, Associate of Arts in Psychology from San Antonio College
Sport Experience: Acrobatic Gymnastics and Track & Field; Acrobatic Gymnastics coach and judge
Research Interests: Athlete mental health, mental toughness, retirement/transition out of the sport, experiences related to athletes of color
Name: Akshaya Sureshkumar
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from The University of Texas at Tyler
Sport Experience: Collegiate Tennis
Research Interests: Mental health in athletes, mental health stigma in sport, mindfulness intervention, experience related to athletes of color
Name: Sean Udofia
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Baylor University
Sport Experience: High School Soccer
Research Interests: Mental Health in Athletes; Athletes Coping with Retirement; Injury and Return to Sport
Name: Briana Wallace
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Seton Hall University, Master of Science in Kinesiology with an emphasis in the psychosocial aspects of sport and exercise psychology from UNT
Sport Experience: Collegiate and high school softball, high school volleyball, basketball, track & field
Research Interests: team cohesion, the athlete -coach relationship, return to sport after injury, athlete mental health, motivation, mindfulness interventions
Name: Caleb Wilborn
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Texas Tech University
Sport Experience: High School and Collegiate Track & Field, High School Basketball
Research Interests: Athlete Mental Health; Depression & Anxiety Among Athletes of Color; Mental Toughness/ Flexibility
Name: Hunter Williams
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Historical Studies, Master of Science in Kinesiology: emphasis in Sport Psychology
Sport Experience: CCollegiate Soccer
Research Interests: Athlete Mental Health; Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in Athletes; Minority Athletes Mental Health
Name: Javon Williams
Degrees: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Colby College
Sport Experience: Collegiate and High School Football, High School Basketball and Track and Field, Football/ Performance Trainer
Research Interests: Minority Athlete Mental Health; Performance Enhancement; Help Seeking Behaviors of Minority Athletes
Name: Simon Wright
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Public Health and Psychology from Elon Univerity; M.P.S in Clinical Psychological Science from the University of Maryland- College Park
Sport Experience: 5 years of Collegiate Basketball, 8+ years of being a Youth Basketball Coach/Trainer
Research Interests: Athlete Well-Being; Experiennces of Athlete's with Histories of Trauma (ACEs); Positive Adaptation to Higher Levels of Competition; Coach-Athlete Relationship; Trauma-Informed Coaching; Coach Well-Being