STARKVILLE – When it comes to winning, the path to victory is often paved when no one is watching.
Mississippi State is committed to ensuring no stone is left unturned on its quest to win championships in all sports and help athletes achieve individual dreams, as evidenced by the soon-to-open Templeton and Seal Performance Nutrition Centers.
Beginning in August, the Templeton Performance Nutrition Center (located inside the Templeton Athletic Academic Center) will provide Bulldog student-athletes a first-class location to receive specified fueling throughout each day. There will also be a satellite location dedicated to football – the Seal Performance Nutrition Center – housed inside the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex.
“We’re incredibly excited about all of this because of what it will allow us to do both on and off the field,” MSU Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director and CFO Eric George said. “This project will allow us to take the next step in providing our student-athletes the very best experience possible at Mississippi State as they receive the fuel they need to perform at their absolute peak.
These new areas give our athletes a space that is exclusively their own where they can eat and bond with their teammates and fellow student-athletes from other sports.
It will help foster the family feel that we already have here, while at the same time, give each individual the nutrition he or she needs to be at their best when it’s time to compete.”
The Templeton Performance Nutrition Center is located in the same area as what was previously a public dining hall inside the facility. The location will no longer be open to the public and will instead be solely focused on MSU athletes.
The cost for the Templeton end of the project is $2 million with the refreshing of the Seal multipurpose room coming in at a cost of $1.6 million.
Both locations will have the same features. At their base levels, both the Templeton and Seal Performance Nutrition Centers will increase the quantity and quality of food available for all Bulldogs. The quality part bears emphasizing. Student-athletes will have the option to pick from a menu tailored for them and their individual needs.
MSU Director of Sports Nutrition Pamela Bartz and Assistant Director of Sports Nutrition Sean Servalish will work hand in hand with a newly-hired performance chef selected by the athletic department who has previously worked with collegiate programs and served as a personal chef for professional athletes. The goal? To create meals and food options that not only taste good but are specifically geared to bring the best out of the Bulldogs.
Does an athlete need to build muscle and strength or is a player looking to get a little more lean? Now, there are food options to match those goals. Mississippi State isn’t just feeding its athletes, but truly fueling them, and it’ll always be uniquely geared based on what sport they play, what part of the season they’re in, when the next competition is and any other factors that should be considered to ensure everyone wearing maroon and white is able to function at their absolute best.
The two Performance Nutrition Centers will be open and available at specified time blocks throughout each day with morning, midday and dinner windows Monday through Thursday. Dinner will also be served on Sunday evenings, and Friday will include morning and midday open times. The aim is for the centers to be accessible at all the times student-athletes need them the most.
All told, it’s yet another gamechanger for Mississippi State athletics as MSU continues to ascend to among the country’s elite when it comes to facilities and features. Whether it’s a current student-athlete, or a future Bulldog, the Templeton and Seal Performance Nutrition Centers are set to provide yet another tool to help athletes reach and achieve both immediate and long-term goals.