Meagan O'Connor, M.S. '15, and Nici Mense, '13, Help Pro Athletes Eat Their Way to Victory
By Lia Kizilbash Gillet
Meagan O'Connor meets with pro-athetes daily as the dietitian of the USA Weightlifting team.
(Photo: Kathleen Miller Photography)
Managing the daily nutritional needs of professional athletes is a demanding career for Meagan O’Connor, M.S. ’15, RDN, CSSD, ISAK-1, LDN, the dietitian of the USA Weightlifting team, and Nici Mense, ’13, RD, the team dietitian for the New York Jets.
Mense, who recently completed her seventh season with the team, is the team’s first full-time dietitian. Properly fueling players so they feel the difference in their performance is something she learned while playing soccer at NIU. That experience led her to earn a Master of Science in nutrition and dietetics and pursue a career in sports nutrition.
“Growing up, my mother introduced me to a healthier lifestyle by providing nutritional snacks after school and before sports practices,” she said. “I remember her putting flaxseed in our pancakes. When I went to college, I found soccer to be more demanding on my body than I had anticipated, and I needed to fuel myself properly to match my performance on the field. This realization changed my perspective. I’ve always loved sports and food, so bringing them both together made the most sense, and I knew I wanted to help other athletes experience what I did.”
For O’Connor, it was a similar, natural progression leading her to work as the team dietitian for the Iowa Cubs (a Chicago Cubs triple-A affiliate team), the Chicago White Sox, the Charlotte Hornets and as a scientist/sports dietitian for Gatorade Sports Science Institute. Growing up playing sports, O’Connor says she was interested in finding ways to make her a better and healthier athlete and individual.
“One of my high school teachers, Mr. Latorre, gave us a project to take a deep dive into three potential careers we were interested in pursuing, and we had to choose one to present to the class,” she shared. “This was when I realized I wanted to be a sports dietitian.”
Working with USA Weightlifting for six years, O’Connor attends team camps and international competitions and meets with athletes individually. She also has a private practice, Plate to Platform, LLC, specializing in strength athletes and team sports. She meets one-on-one with athletes from all over the country, collects scientific data and speaks at conferences or to groups of athletes.
“I am part of something bigger than myself," O'Connor remarked. "It makes me so proud to see the progress athletes make while working with them."
Committed to the New York Jets, Mense is in lockstep with the team’s schedule.
“My days differ depending on what time of year it is,” she said. “It’s the busiest during training camp through the end of the season. We will work seven days a week unless it’s our bye week. In the mornings, we make shakes, stock our fueling stations and do body composition testing. We ensure players fuel and hydrate properly before, during and after practice. They receive recovery shakes, snacks and fruit for post-practice recovery. While they are in meetings throughout the day, that’s a time to get work done or plan for the weeks ahead, whether planning the travel menu for the airplane or the post-game food menu for the week.”
Occasionally, athletes need a warm-up period when working with a dietitian.
“It can take time after first educating a player,” said Mense, “but it’s always so awesome to see when it starts clicking for them. Unfortunately, there are times when a player doesn’t listen to the education and injures themselves or continues to not make changes.”
“It can be challenging proving to teams, athletes and coaches that dietitians are here to help them and that we are not the food police,” O’Connor said. “It sometimes takes time before people trust you as part of their team.”
Still, both O’Connor and Mense feel fulfilled in their roles and continue to push their athletes, knowing that nutrition is key to fueling performance, recovery and long-term health.
“Sports dietitians are finally being recognized as an important part of a high-performance team,” said O’Connor. “Some organizations and sports are still playing catch-up, and including dietitians on the team will only continue to expand.”
NIU helped Mense in more ways than she imagined.
“NIU truly helped me grow into the person I am today," Mense said. "I received an athletic scholarship. I met some of my best friends there, and my student-athlete experience really helps me to connect with other professonal athletes. Having been in their shoes, knowing the work and sacrifies they put in to achieve what they want to achieve, is a tremendous asset to my role."
O’Connor, who came to NIU for her Master of Science and dietetic internship combination, agreed.
“I truly grew during my time at NIU,” she said. “Both the coursework and internship helped me to see the big picture and to logically apply what I was learning in the real world.”
The two dietitians are far from finished learning. O’Connor describes herself as “obsessed” with her field, constantly evolving and gaining knowledge.
“If I am the same human or sports dietitian three years from now, then I am doing something wrong,” she declared. “The more open-minded I am, and the more I am able to learn and grow as a professional, the better I can help athletes with their goals.”
Never think something is too big to attain,” said Mense. “I’m so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone applying for my role, and I will continue to push myself throughout my career.”
By staying at the forefront of their field, Mense and O’Connor provide essential advice and strategies to the athletes they work with, helping them to achieve their goals and perform at their best. With their dedication and expertise, it’s clear that pro athletes are truly eating their way to victory.