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Student-Athlete Refueling Station

The Canisius athletic department, in conjunction with Intense Milk® and Whole Foods Market, officially opened a Student-Athlete Refueling Station in the Koessler Athletic Center Jan. 14, 2019, designed specifically to help student-athletes refuel their bodies on a day-to-day basis.

"We are excited to be able to provide our student-athletes with a refueling station, centrally located in the Koessler Athletic Center," Canisius Director of Athletics Bill Maher said. "Part of the mission of the College is to help our student-athletes be their best – mind, body, spiritually, socially and athletically – and proper nutrition and hydration play a key role in that effort. By teaming with Intense Milk® and Whole Foods Market, we will be able to provide our student-athletes with the proper fuel their bodies need as we continue to build toward our goal of winning championships."

The fueling station, located on the main level of the Koessler Athletic Center, will feature various Intense Milk® products, including low-fat chocolate and white milk, whole milk, Greek yogurt, string cheese and orange juice. Whole Foods Market, a new partner with the Canisius athletic department, will supply natural and organic snacks to the refueling station as well, all in an effort to properly ensure proper hydration and recovery for student-athletes after team workouts and practices.

"Studies have shown low-fat chocolate milk to be an optimal post work-out recovery drink," Mark Serling, Senior Director of Sales, Marketing and R&D for Upstate Niagara Cooperative, said. "Intense Low-fat Chocolate Milk has the ideal combination of fluids, important nutrients and electrolytes to aid in muscle recovery and strengthening and to help prevent dehydration. We are thrilled to be part of the Golden Griffins' pursuit of championships on the court, field, track, pool and ice by offering student-athletes a delicious and healthy way to refuel themselves after each work out, practice or game."

"We are proud to support the Canisius Refueling Station, as proper nutrition is vital for student-athletes to achieve both peak mental and physical performance," Eric Graziona, Whole Foods Marketing Manager, said. "The products in the refueling station will help ensure that Canisius' student-athletes are always operating at the highest level, not only athletically, but in the classroom as well. This partnership truly highlights our core values of developing win-win partnerships with our suppliers, supporting our local community and educating future generations about the importance of health and wellness."

Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator Lisa Liotta, along with Canisius' sports nutritionist Melinda Yoder and head athletic trainer Andy Smith, plan and organize the proper products to be offered in the refueling station, and will also use the space in the Koessler Athletic Center to offer proper nutrition education to Canisius' nearly 400 student-athletes to ensure the College's student-athletes fully understand the importance of proper nutrition and hydration.

"We are really excited to provide this opportunity for our student-athletes," Liotta said. "The refueling station was started as a way to provide our student-athletes with healthy snacking options, not to take the place of a meal, but to enhance the fueling and recovery methods they were already using. Thanks to our partnerships with Intense Milk® and Whole Foods Market, our student-athletes now have access to smart food choices between meals. Healthy snack options are a pivotal piece of nutrition and overall body care throughout the rigors of year-long commitments to both academic and athletic excellence."