University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn Sports Nutrition Overview
Fueling athletes to win in Sport, in the Classroom and in Life
The UConn Sports Nutrition department believes when an athlete is confident in their food choices this translates into confidence in life, physically, mentally and emotionally. Therefore, being confident in how one fuels and nourishes the body for optimal performance on a daily basis will provide athletes the opportunity to reach their highest potential in sport, in the classroom and in life. The UConn Sports Nutrition department is committed to providing student athletes with scientific- based nutrition resources and knowledge to improve their training, performance, and recovery through a foods first philosophy. As a part of the performance team, UConn Sports Nutrition works closely with athletic trainers, strength coaches, physicians, and mental health professionals to assure quality and continuity in the care of our student-athletes.
One-on-one nutrition counseling
Provide individualized nutrition counseling based on body composition and training goals. Our goal is to educate athletes on realistic, and maintainable fueling strategies in order to optimize their performance and overall health for today, tomorrow and beyond their collegiate years.
Team Talks: Team Nutrition Education
Provide education for all teams regarding nutritional demands specific to their respective sport. Team talks are interactive and topics include but are not limited to recovery, hydration, plate building techniques, travel nutrition, and supplement safety.
Whatcha Eatin’ Wednesday
A different food is featured monthly (the last Wednesday of every month) at the fueling station in efforts to expand student athlete’s palettes and add more variety into their current diet. Athletes will learn about the nutritional benefits of the featured food in relation to performance and overall health.
Grocery Store Tours
Provide individual/team tours to educate athletes on how to navigate the grocery store to assist them in meeting their nutritional needs and performance goals. Throughout the duration of this tour athletes will discover easy to make meal ideas for apartment & dorm living and healthy snack options for study & travel. Athletes will also learn how to read nutrition labels to better understand how to select products based on specific nutritional needs and body composition goals.
Cooking Classes and Demos
Provide cooking demos for athletes to have the opportunity to gain confidence in the kitchen! Athletes will learn from a chef how to cook and prepare easy to make recipes in their apartments or dorms. Recipes with health and performance benefits are provided to athletes during the duration of the demo. Athletes will receive samples of each dish featured on the menu.
Dining Hall Tours & Live Meal Coaching
Provide dining hall tours to incoming freshman to help familiarize athletes with the food options available to them on a daily basis. Athletes will also learn plate-building techniques based on their body composition and training goals. This tour can help athletes better understand how to fuel around a busy training and class schedule.
Nutritional Resources:
- Inflammation
- Macronutrients
- Nutrient Timing
- Sleep
- Supplements
- Sweat Composition
- Top 10 Fueling Tips
- Weight Management and Loss Tips
- Weight Gain
- Alcohol
- Athlete Plates
- Fad Diet Confusion
- Fueling on the Go
- Fueling with a Purpose and Disordered Eating
- Hydration
HUNGRY HUSKY Newsletter:
Nutrition Education via social media
Follow us on Instagram & Twitter! @FuelingHuskies
Contact: Liz Wluka- Director of Sports Nutrition
Email: Liz.Wluka@uconn.edu
