The Pennsylvania Pork Producers Council is excited to welcome Alyssa Chritz as the inaugural Penn State Sports Nutrition Fellow, a unique partnership between PA Pork and Penn State Athletics designed to advance sports nutrition education while highlighting pork as a high quality source of protein for student-athletes. The fellowship offers a hands-on opportunity for an emerging nutrition professional to gain experience working alongside Penn State Sports Nutrition while collaborating with PA Pork on consumer outreach, recipe development and nutrition education across the Commonwealth.
Chritz joins the program with an impressive background in both sports nutrition and athletics. She recently completed a master of science in clinical nutrition at the University of Michigan, where she served as a performance nutrition intern with Michigan athletics. In that role, she supported fueling strategies for the men's and women's basketball programs, assisted with body composition and hydration testing, developed evidence-based nutrition education materials, and traveled with the men's basketball team during its 2026 NCAA Tournament run to the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight.
A former student-athlete at The College of Wooster, Chritz earned her bachelor's degree in biochemistry and molecular biology while competing on the women's basketball team. Her experience as both an athlete and a nutrition professional gives her a valuable perspective on helping athletes optimize performance through sound nutrition practices.
"We are thrilled to welcome Alyssa as the first Nutrition Fellow," said Courtney Gray, executive director for the Pennsylvania Pork Producers Council. "Her experience in collegiate sports nutrition, combined with her passion for athlete performance and nutrition education, makes her an outstanding fit for this fellowship. We're excited to work alongside Alyssa to educate athletes, registered dietitians and consumers about the important role high-quality proteins, like pork, play in a balanced diet."
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