OUR MISSION
The goal of the Saint Louis University Sports Nutrition Program is to empower athletes to reach their highest potential while ensuring long-term health and vitality. We offer personalized care and evidence-based nutrition education to support optimal health, wellness, safety, and performance. We believe that sustainable, health-promoting dietary practices are best achieved through education, self-reflection, and behavior change. Nutrition is a crucial developmental skill that benefits athletes not only during their time at Saint Louis University but throughout their entire lives.
ROLES
Member of Sports Medicine and Sports Performance
We collaborate with Sports Medicine and Sports Performance to provide our student-athletes with a competitive edge. Proper nutrition enhances athletic performance through ensuring your body has the necessary fuel for sport, supporting physiological adaptations from training, and preventing deficiencies that could deplete energy levels and increase the risk of injury. Additionally, nutrition significantly impacts cognitive function, which is key for success both in the classroom and on the field. For details on all sports nutrition services available to athletes, please refer to the Services section below.
Dining Center Liaison
The sports dietitian serves as a liaison between athletics and our food service provider, ensuring that the dining experience at the Billiken Nutrition Center meets the unique needs of our athletes. Located inside the O'Loughlin Family Champions Center (OFCC), the Billiken Nutrition Center offers breakfast Monday-Friday from 7-10 a.m. and dinner Monday-Thursday from 5-8 p.m., along with a team dining suite for training table meals. The dietitian collaborates closely with the foodservice team to tailor menus, provide nutrition education, and organize hands-on events and activities, ensuring athlete satisfaction and the effective integration of nutrition into their training regimens.
Fueling Station Oversight
Located within the OFCC, the fueling station provides convenient access to supplemental food items tailored to meet the specific needs of our student-athletes. Items are carefully selected for quality, likeability, special dietary needs, and likeliness to promote athletic performance. The fueling station is open Monday – Friday from 7-11AM and 2-6PM during the Fall and Spring semesters. Athletes are allowed 4 items each day and all items are completely free of charge. Athletes are encouraged to contact their sports dietitian for any questions, concerns, or feedback.
SERVICES
Individual Nutrition Counseling
The Sports Nutrition staff offers individual nutrition counseling for all athletes both in and out of season. We value and respect the uniqueness of every person and understand that “good nutrition” looks different for everyone. Topics include, but not limited to meal planning assistance, nutrient timing, food allergies and intolerances, digestive issues, injury recovery, dietary supplement review, supplement programming, emotional eating, body image, eating disorders and disordered eating, symptoms such as fatigue and poor appetite, and medical conditions such as iron deficiency anemia, stress fractures, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Athletes are encouraged to contact their sports dietitian to set up an appointment.
Team Nutrition Education
The staff determines team-specific nutritional needs by assessing their unique challenges and obstacles. Team education topics include, but not limited to energy needs, nutrient timing, balancing meals, recovery nutrition, hydration, carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins and minerals, and supplements. Athletes and athletic support staff are encouraged to contact their sports dietitian to set up a nutrition lesson for their team.
Other Services
Other services include, but not limited to, dining hall tours, grocery store tours, cooking demos, and tabling events per athlete or athletic support staff request.
STAFF
The Sports Nutrition staff includes one full-time registered dietitian, Olivia Andriole. Olivia graduated from the University of Maryland, where she was a member of the synchronized ice skating team and worked as a group fitness instructor. She completed her dietetic internship at Tulane University and earned her Master’s in Exercise Science with a focus in Strength and Conditioning from The George Washington University. Currently, Olivia works with athletes across all sports at Saint Louis University, using her experience and knowledge to support their performance and wellness through tailored nutrition strategies.
EXPERIENCE OPPORTUNITIES
Since starting at SLU, Olivia has had the privilege to precept dietetic interns and provide volunteer opportunities to help expand sports nutrition services for athletes. If you’re interested in gaining experience in the field of sports nutrition, please contact Olivia for more information.
CONTACT
Olivia Andriole, MS, RD
Email: olivia.andriole@slu.edu
