Rattler Refuel
by Heather Kenedy
The St. Mary’s University Department of Athletics unveiled its new nutrition center — called Rattler Refuel — during Fall 2024.
The station, located on the lower level of the Alumni Athletics & Convocation Center, offers protein shakes and bars to benefit the sports performance and the holistic well-being of the 275 student-athletes, who receive a punchcard to the station each month.
Laurene Robinson, a junior Volleyball player from Bedford majoring in Computer Science, said fueling up has been a major benefit, especially when she doesn’t have time to get a full recovery meal between training and class.
“As a student-athlete, our lives are always on the go,” Robinson said. “Whether we’re heading straight from practice to class or vice versa, getting adequate nutrition is crucial to our performance. The convenience of grabbing a protein shake and a bar after a three-hour training session has made a noticeable difference in how I feel.”
Executive Director of Athletics Robert Coleman said Rattler Refuel “legitimizes what we are trying to accomplish, which is to fuel, hydrate and positively impact all our student-athletes.”
“We are not only enlisting sound nutritional habits for performance but also establishing fueling habits that will benefit our Rattlers for years to come,” Coleman said.
