Liberty University Club Sports Athletics
Tatiana Payne - Staff Directory
- Title:
- Sr. Associate Athletic Director
- Email:
Tatiana Payne has been a member of the Liberty University Club Sports Department since its inception in 2008 and currently serves as Senior Associate Athletic Director for Club Sports. In her role, she provides strategic leadership for key departmental areas including academic advancement, events, facilities, marketing and media, alumni engagement, recruitment, sport performance, scheduling, development, and academic integration. Throughout her career at Liberty University, Payne has been passionate about creating meaningful opportunities for student-athletes to excel academically, athletically, and professionally while supporting the university's mission of Training Champions for Christ.
In addition to her administrative leadership, Payne has built an extensive coaching career in both synchronized skating and figure skating, bringing more than 35 years of skating experience and nearly 25 years of coaching experience to the ice. As the founding coach of both Liberty University's Synchronized Skating Team and Figure Skating Team, she played an instrumental role in establishing and growing the university's skating programs. She served as Head Coach of the Synchronized Skating Team from 2008-2020 and has returned to that role for the 2026-27 season. She also founded and served as Head Coach of the Figure Skating Team from 2010-2015 before continuing as Assistant Coach from 2015-2023. Following her return to Virginia in 2026, Payne resumed her role as Assistant Coach for the Figure Skating Team while once again leading the synchronized skating program.
During her time living in Southeast New Hampshire, Payne coached within the local skating community, working with skaters of various ages and competitive levels while continuing to serve Liberty University Club Sports in a remote capacity. She remained actively connected to Liberty's skating programs, serving as a liaison and supporter of both teams while helping develop skaters within the New England figure skating community. This experience, combined with her years of collegiate coaching, strengthened her expertise in athlete development, leadership cultivation, program growth, and team building.
A professional member of U.S. Figure Skating, Payne has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to advancing collegiate skating. She once served on the U.S. Figure Skating Collegiate Committee, helping shape policies and procedures for collegiate synchronized skating and intercollegiate figure skating. During her tenure at Liberty, she also played a key role in hosting six U.S. Figure Skating Intercollegiate Sectional competitions at the LaHaye Ice Center, helping establish Liberty University as a destination for intercollegiate figure skating.
A native of upstate New York, Payne trained under internationally renowned coaches in Montreal, Quebec, and Lake Placid, New York, developing a strong technical foundation that has influenced her coaching philosophy throughout her career.
A Liberty University graduate and longtime athletics administrator, Payne brings a unique perspective that combines coaching, mentorship, and sport administration. Her coaching philosophy emphasizes technical excellence, personal accountability, servant leadership, and character development. She is committed to creating an environment where athletes are challenged to reach their highest potential both on and off the ice
