Islander Alumnus Augie Melendez ’17 Showcases Athletic Training Talents on Primetime TV

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Agustin “Augie” Melendez ’17 has taken the skills he honed as a kinesiology student at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi from the classroom to the football sidelines, and now, to the ringside of some of the world’s biggest professional boxing matches.

What started as a side gig as a “cutman” — the expert responsible for managing injuries and wrapping fighters’ hands during boxing matches — has transformed into Melendez’s official business venture called Combat Sports Medicine, LLC, where he is “fighting injuries, one round at a time.”

As a result of his new business and growing reputation in the combat sports industry, Melendez has recently found himself appointed as cutman for multiple big-name matches on Showtime Pay Per View; the most recent being the fight for the title of Super Middleweight Champion of the World between Canelo Alvarez and Jermell Charlo at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“I am blessed to have had the opportunity to work at the highest level of the sport I grew up watching,” Melendez said.

A native of Galveston, Texas, Melendez began his academic journey at the Island University in 2013. The son of Mexican immigrants, he said he gained valuable life skills as he navigated the intricacies of life as a first-generation college student.

“My parents sacrificed everything and worked so hard to provide for me,” Melendez said. “Looking back, it all happened so fast, but I made it to graduation and held my head high.”

Throughout his time as an Islander, Melendez was heavily involved in both academic and student-led organizations, including the Islander Student Athletic Training Association and Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity, Inc. In the fraternity, he served as both a founding member and chapter president. Melendez credited the university’s accredited Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) for making both his academic and professional goals possible.

“I confidently say that ATEP molded me into the well-rounded, certified, licensed athletic trainer I am today,” Melendez said. “I was placed on academic probation my second year in the program, and that hurdle forced me to truly focus and realize that I didn’t want to lose my dreams. I worked hard, and with the support of my professors, I ended that same year on the dean’s list, excelling in both coursework and clinical rotations.”

Dr. Mikaela Boham, TAMU-CC Kinesiology Professor, helped to mentor Melendez.

“Augie was well respected in the classroom, and his peers trusted and valued him and his personal experience,” Boham said. “He was always very self-disciplined and future-focused; it was obvious that he was passionate about athletic training and getting his education. It makes me proud to see all he has accomplished.”

Outside of the classroom, Melendez also competed as a boxer and even won the Corpus Christi Golden Gloves Tournament during his time as an Islander.

“Being around the ‘fight game’ for so long, I’ve had my fair share of injuries,” Melendez said. “In 2016, I was sidelined with a broken nose and a concussion. It was then that I had the epiphany of utilizing what I was learning to help other athletes and fighters like me.”

Upon earning his Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from TAMU-CC in spring 2017, Melendez earned a spot as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) in San Antonio and earned a Master of Science in Kinesiology from that institution in 2019. Following his graduate degree, he was hired as an assistant athletic trainer at UIW and worked his way up to his current role as head football athletic trainer in 2021. He now juggles the full-time athletic training job with his cutman business.

“My goal is to continue growing and excelling so that I can work with fighters full-time,” he said. “I have my parents’ work ethic, so this is just the beginning.”

Hoping to inspire the next generation of Islander alumni, Melendez hopes his story serves as a testament to hard work, perseverance, and a commitment to leaving an Islander Impact on the world.

“The journey to any dream isn’t easy, but have patience,” Melendez said. “Be patient with yourself, with your time, with your goals. Always do your best, and the rest will take care of itself; you just have to ride the wave — or in my case, roll with the punches — and good things will come.”