basketball

Tip Sheet: How proper nutrition fuels hoop dreams during March Madness

Taylor Thomas — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 13:56:15 +0000

Tip Sheet: How proper nutrition fuels hoop dreams during March Madness Taylor Thomas Thu, 03/12/2026 - 09:56

Sports enthusiasts are gearing up for the largest college basketball tournament in the nation: March Madness. As fans finalize their brackets and get gameday snacks ready, athletes are also fueling for prolonged and fast-paced competition. Registered sports dietitian Allison McKay and �鶹��Ƶ Athletics sports dietitian Quinten Patterson, who is also the preceptor for dietetics students completing supervised practice hours in the Graduate Program in Nutrition and Dietetics, explain what keeps college basketball players energized through the final buzzer.

Allison McKay (left) and Quentin Patterson (right) share professional perspective into collegiate athletes' nutritional needs. Photo by Mary Cunningham.

For fans’ March Madness watch party menus, Patterson and McKay recommend a balanced blend of carbs, proteins, healthy fats, and plant-based foods. Nuts, fruits, vegetables, and chips and dips are great snacks to help you cheer your favorite team through to the finals.

But how can student athletes fuel their Sweet 16 dreams? Learn more from Patterson and McKay about how nutrition impacts college athletes:

How does nutrition support student-athletes' demanding schedules?

Patterson: Between classes, travel, training, and competition, student-athletes’ busy schedules burn a lot of calories, up to over 4,000 calories in a single day. Enjoying nutrient-dense snacks sourced from whole foods helps give our athletes the bump in energy to get through their busy day. Nuts, fruits, yogurt, and granola are a few examples of whole foods that are delicious, nutrient-dense, and easy to carry around.

What role do nutrition and rest play during long tournaments like March Madness?

McKay: Athletes experience both mental and physical stress during prolonged competitions and tournaments, so sleep, rest, and proper nutrition are critical elements. Not having enough energy during these times can increase possible irritability, anxiety, and can reduce concentration, which can increase the risk of injury. Recovery and nutrition can support resilience and help athletes perform their best in repeated efforts, like March Madness.

What do college basketball players eat on game day to maximize energy and focus?

Patterson: Game day meals have three main components: High-quality proteins, complex carbohydrates, and nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables. Players start their game day with a balanced breakfast in the morning and a pre-game meal a couple of hours before game time. It’s important to avoid fried or other high-fat foods in the hours before tip-off. These foods take a while to digest and can slow down our players on the court.

How can athletes reduce the stress of high-stakes tournaments and games?

McKay: Ensuring adequate fueling, especially carbohydrates, can help reduce stress during heavy training or competitions. Micronutrients such as magnesium, iron (if deficient), zinc, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, and B vitamins can support the muscles and nervous system. Omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in foods like salmon and chia seeds, can reduce inflammation and support joint health. Student athletes can require up to two or three times more protein than the average person. Most people need between 0.36 - 0.45 grams of protein per pound of body weight. However, collegiate athletes typically need almost double that—between 0.54 - 0.91 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

How do nutrition needs change when teams play multiple games in a short time span, like the March Madness Tournament?

Patterson: Nutrient timing is important to ensure athletes are ready to go for the next round. Players’ bodies respond better to ingested carbohydrates and proteins in the couple of hours after the game to shuttle those nutrients to their proper places. Post-game meals look similar to pre-game meals in that they are full of high-quality proteins and complex carbohydrates. Healthy fats are a great inclusion here to top off energy stores.

What foods help athletes stay focused during high-pressure games?

McKay: Mental acuity in athletes starts with stable blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates are critical for focus and quick decision-making, as the brain relies heavily on glucose for fuel. Before a high-pressure game, eating easily digestible carbohydrates, like oatmeal, rice, pasta, toast, a bagel, yogurt, or even a smoothie can help to ensure a constant energy source for the competition. During a prolonged event, the athlete may need to have additional carbohydrates from sports drinks or gels to sustain energy levels and prevent fatigue.

How important is hydration during March Madness?

McKay: Ensuring proper hydration is highly important. Even a mild level of dehydration can negatively impact concentration and performance. Starting the game fully hydrated is necessary, and replenishing fluid and electrolytes lost through sweat can make all the difference.

MEDIA INQUIRIES: For reporters who wish to speak to Allison McKay or Quentin Patterson about collegiate athlete nutrition or sports dietetics, please email media contact Michelle Thompson at mthomp7@gmu.edu.

Allison McKay, MS, RDN, CSSD, has been a registered dietitian for more than 25 years and has experience providing nutrition education and Medical Nutrition Therapy in hospitals, long-term care facilities and has been a research dietitian in several longitudinal research studies. Prior to working at George �鶹��Ƶ, she worked at the Cancer Research Center at the University of Hawaii and was a consulting dietitian with Dietitian Consulting Services LLC in Seattle, Washington. She holds an MS in Exercise, Fitness and Health Promotion from �鶹��Ƶ and is a Board-Certified Sports Dietitian.

Quinten Patterson is the George �鶹��Ƶ Athletics Sports Dietitian. Patterson's experience in sports nutrition includes serving as a Seasonal Sports Dietitian for the Tampa Bay Rays Triple-A affiliate, the Durham Bulls, during the 2024 season, as well as assisting NCAA athletes prepare for the NFL combine with EXOS Sports Performance Center in Plano, Texas. Prior to joining George �鶹��Ƶ, Patterson was a registered dietitian at VIDA Fitness, where he provided nutrition counseling and support to clients as part of the organization's health and wellness initiatives. Patterson joined George �鶹��Ƶ Athletics in February 2026 and will serve as preceptor for dietetics students completing supervised practice hours in the Graduate Program in Nutrition and Dietetics.

Patterson previously served as a Renal Dietitian with DaVita, focusing on patient-centered care in a dialysis clinic environment. He also worked as a Clinical Dietitian with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, supporting psychiatric patient care. Early in his career, Patterson held a role at UT Southwestern Medical Center as a Research Assistant, contributing to biomedical and clinical research efforts in developmental nephrology.

�鶹��Ƶ �鶹��Ƶ

�鶹��Ƶ is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., �鶹��Ƶ enrolls more than 40,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. �鶹��Ƶ has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility. In 2023, the university launched �鶹��Ƶ Now: Power the Possible, a one-billion-dollar comprehensive campaign to support student success, research, innovation, community, and stewardship. Learn more at gmu.edu.

�鶹��Ƶ College of Public Health at �鶹��Ƶ

The College of Public Health at �鶹��Ƶ is the first College of Public Health in Virginia and a national leader in inclusive, interprofessional, public health research, education, and practice. The college comprises public health disciplines, health administration and policy, informatics, nursing, nutrition, and social work. The college offers a distinct array of degrees to support research and training of professionals dedicated to ensuring health and well-being for all. The college’s transdisciplinary research seeks to understand the many factors that influence the public’s health and well-being throughout the lifespan.

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Allison McKay MS, RD, CSSD

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Nutrition and March Madness for athletes and fans

Learn more about how College of Public Health and the Athletics Department are partnering to support George �鶹��Ƶ athletes.

Key Takeaways:

Sports dietitians Quentin Patterson and Allison McKay answer what college basketball players need to succeed in strenuous competitions like the March Madness tournament.
Collegiate athletes require a balanced and energy-dense diet, as well as adequate rest and hydration, to support them through schedules packed with classes, travel, training, and competition.
Foods like nuts, fruits, yogurt, oatmeal, rice, pasta, toast, and smoothies help athletes maintain the energy needed to compete in back-to-back competitions.

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George �鶹��Ƶ’s Marvin Lewis serves on NCAA Women’s Basketball Committee as March Madness nears

Katarina Benson — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 23:25:57 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ’s Marvin Lewis serves on NCAA Women’s Basketball Committee as March Madness nears Katarina Benson Wed, 03/11/2026 - 19:25

Marvin Lewis knows a little something about the anxiety that comes with waiting for your team’s name to be called on Selection Sunday, and the euphoria that follows when that dream of playing in the NCAA Tournament becomes a reality.

Lewis, �鶹��Ƶ’s assistant vice president and director of Intercollegiate Athletics, is now in his inaugural season among those charged with making it happen for those lucky few as part of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee.

Lewis, who played in two NCAA Tournaments as a standout player at Georgia Tech and helped lead the Yellow Jackets to the 2004 NCAA Championship game, called his addition to the selection committee last April as the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) representative “a huge honor.”

Lewis was chosen for the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

“As a kid, I always dreamed of playing in the NCAA Tournament,” he said. “Then to have the experience at Georgia Tech to actually play in it, and then make it to the final game was special. But I feel like this is now a full-circle moment—with me now being an administrator helping to decide who’s in it. That’s probably the coolest thing for me. It’s pretty special.”

Lewis, however, won’t have much time to wax nostalgic because Selection Sunday is fast approaching on March 15, and there are scores of basketball games for him to watch between now and then from among the six conferences he’s been assigned.

He’s part of a 12-member committee charged with identifying the 31 best at-large teams to join the tournament’s 31 automatic qualifiers for the 68-team field that will compete for the national championship.

Committee members, who are led by chair and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Athletics Director Amanda Braun, have long been meticulously watching games, analyzing statistical profiles, reviewing results and weekly rankings, and applying a range of metrics and evaluation tools to build the most competitive tournament bracket possible.

“Over the past four months, I’ve watched more women’s basketball than I ever have,” Lewis said.

The selection to the high-profile committee is the most prestigious assignment yet for Lewis, whose star continues to rise in the field. But those who know him best are hardly surprised.

Former ACC Senior Associate Commissioner for Women’s Basketball Mary McElroy was the athletics director at Georgia State when she gave Lewis a reprieve from life as a certified public accountant by hiring him as an assistant athletics director for business in 2008. McElroy is a former Georgia Tech athletics department administrator and had known Lewis from their time there, recognizing his maturity and focus early on.

“I needed the help, and he had the experience and maturity I needed,” McElroy said. “So I took a chance on him.”

His new time-intensive duties mean that Lewis won’t be in Pittsburgh to watch the men’s basketball team compete in the A-10 Tournament. He’ll instead be in Indianapolis with fellow committee members as they absorb all the last-minute information before determining the women’s NCAA Tournament field.

Committee members cannot be present during discussions regarding the selection or seeding of a school or conference they represent.

“You just watch it on TV and everyone has an opinion or perspective on where their team should be seeded, whether their team should be in, or who should be placed in what order,” Lewis said. “But we spend hours debating, using the criteria the committee has established to make those determinations. It’s a lot more detailed than people would think.”

Under Lewis’ leadership, George �鶹��Ƶ Athletics delivered a historic 2024–25 season, capturing five A-10 Conference titles. Key highlights included:

Men’s basketball captured a share of the program’s first regular-season title, finishing with a school-record 27 wins and earning the team’s first National Invitation Tournament (NIT) appearance since 2009.
Women’s basketball won its first A-10 Tournament championship, recorded a program-best 27 victories, and advanced to the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance.
Men’s soccer secured the program’s first regular-season title, finishing 13–4–1 overall and 6–1–1 in conference play, while Head Coach Rich Costanzo was named A-10 Coach of the Year.
Women’s indoor track & field won first championship since 2014.
Men’s outdoor track & field won first championship since 2010.

The five championships marked the most conference titles in a single season in program history, surpassing the previous record of four titles set during George �鶹��Ƶ’s inaugural A-10 campaign in 2013-14. The achievement also represented the program’s most successful competitive year since the 1994-95 season. George �鶹��Ƶ student-athletes also earned 18 all-conference selections or individual titles, while 75 received weekly A-10 awards.

Lewis’ close relationship with A-10 Coach of the Year Tony Skinn, a George �鶹��Ƶ alum who helped lead the Patriots to the 2006 Final Four, helped pave the way for a breakthrough season for the men’s basketball program last winter.

The women’s basketball team also delivered a historic season under Head Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis, who guided the Patriots to the program’s first A-10 championship and was later named a finalist for the Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award.

Lewis’s impact has been equally significant off the courts. During his tenure, a record number of student-athletes were named Peter N. Stearns Provost Scholar Athletes, including 78 in 2024-25 and 74 in 2025-26, the first time George �鶹��Ƶ has recorded back-to-back years with more than 70 honorees.

Beyond competitive success, Lewis has also focused on building the long-term foundation of Intercollegiate Athletics. In 2025, he introduced “Patriots United. Together We Thrive,” a five-year strategic vision designed to strengthen George �鶹��Ƶ Athletics through enhanced student-athlete support, improved resources and facilities, and deeper engagement with the Northern Virginia community.

His success and extensive college basketball background made Lewis an easy choice when the opening as the committee’s A-10 representative unexpectedly came up last spring. His appointment also marked the first time George �鶹��Ƶ has had a representative on the NCAA Division 1 Women’s Basketball Committee.

Lewis now gets to experience March Madness again, this time from a vastly different vantage point. Following the announcement of the NCAA field, he’ll attend tournament games at various sites before heading to the Women’s Final Four in Phoenix, Arizona.

“For a basketball junkie,” he said, “it doesn’t get much better.”

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The run that changed a program: George �鶹��Ƶ marks the 20th anniversary of its 2006 Final Four appearance

Katarina Benson — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 20:47:55 +0000

The run that changed a program: George �鶹��Ƶ marks the 20th anniversary of its 2006 Final Four appearance Katarina Benson Wed, 12/10/2025 - 15:47

The 2006 Final Four run by the �鶹��Ƶ men’s basketball team was an achievement so improbable, so unprecedented, that it transformed how the college basketball world viewed possibility itself.

Photo by George �鶹��Ƶ Athletics

Now, 20 years later, the Patriots will honor that magical postseason journey on Saturday, December 13, when they host Old Dominion University at EagleBank Arena. That run endures as one of the most defining moments in the university’s history and one of the NCAA Tournament’s most memorable Cinderella stories. What began as a hopeful March ended with a mid-major program standing on college basketball’s biggest stage.

They captured the hearts of the nation along the way.

“That definitely opened the door for mid-majors,” said George �鶹��Ƶ men’s basketball Head Coach Tony Skinn, who was the starting point guard on that Final Four team. “It showed that if you have belief, the right players, and the right coaches, anything can happen in the NCAA Tournament.”

That belief was tested again and again throughout that 2006 run.

Competing out of the relatively unknown Colonial Athletic Association, the Patriots became the league’s first Final Four representative, toppling one powerhouse after another.

They opened tournament play with a 75-65 win over a Michigan State, a team that had returned four starters from the previous season’s Final Four squad. The sixth-seeded Spartans had outlasted George �鶹��Ƶ by six points in an early regular-season meeting a year earlier.

Lamar Butler signing copies of Sports Illustrated at the Bookstore. Photo by Office of University Branding

Next came the North Carolina Tar Heels, the No. 3 seed and the reigning NCAA champions, who fell 65-60 in the Patriots’ second and final game in Dayton, Ohio. From there, George �鶹��Ƶ returned to the nearby Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., where a heavily partisan crowd watched four Patriots score in double figures in a 63-55 Sweet 16 win over fellow mid-major and No. 7 overall seed Wichita State University. That victory advanced the Patriots to the Elite Eight against overall No. 1 seed University of Connecticut.

Loaded with talent, the Huskies featured four players who would soon be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, and five who would be among the league’s top 40 picks. They were also led by Hall of Fame Coach Jim Calhoun.

Fueled by a massive and vocal �鶹��Ƶ Nation presence, the Patriots embraced the underdog role against UConn. After trailing by as many as 12 points in the first half and nine in the second, George �鶹��Ƶ rallied to shock the sports world with an 86-84 overtime win—one of the biggest upsets in NCAA Tournament history —punctuating the victory with a trip to the Final Four in Indianapolis.

“It was great for college basketball,” said Lamar Butler, a former standout senior guard on that Final Four team who now serves as George �鶹��Ƶ’s director of player development. “That’s what people watch the tournament for.”

Final Four watch party in the Johnson Center. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

In the years since, Virginia Commonwealth University (2011), Loyola Chicago (2018), UCLA (2021), and North Carolina State (2024) have also reached the Final Four as 11th seeds. LSU was the first to accomplish the feat in 1986.

“We believed in ourselves,” said Jim Larrañaga who serves as head coach at George �鶹��Ƶ from 1997 to 2011. “We weren’t hoping to win. We believed we would win.”

More than 10,000 fans packed what was then the Patriot Center when the team returned home following its dramatic win over UConn.

Before the tournament, George �鶹��Ƶ was largely unknown beyond the Mid-Atlantic region. That changed almost overnight. The team’s improbable run generated an estimated $677.5 million in free publicity from print and broadcast exposure, according to a study conducted by Robert Baker, former interim dean of the College of Education and Human Development and Professor Emeritus of Sport, Recreation, and Tourism Management.

The university also reported an 800% increase in traffic to its official website, while the university bookstore in the Johnson Center—typically averaging $11,000 in weekly sales—made shy of $1 million in the 10 days leading up to the Final Four. University admission inquiries increased by 350%, with out-of-state applications rising by 40%.

Butler still recalls when he playing overseas several months later, walking through a town in Croatia wearing a George �鶹��Ƶ shirt, and a local boy approached him.

“George �鶹��Ƶ–Final Four!” the boy exclaimed, much to Butler’s astonishment.

This weekend’s remembrance festivities will include the return of most members of the 2006 team, and the raising of a banner in EagleBank Arena in honor of the now-retired Larrañaga.

“It was one of those moments that, when you experience it, it never really leaves your mindset,” Skinn said. “To think that it was 20 years ago is unbelievable, but having a day to celebrate it is definitely exciting.”

This weekend, that memory returns to life as a new generation of Patriots gathers to celebrate the run that changed everything.

Learn about the Anniversary Event

�鶹��Ƶ Madness kicks off basketball season

ckearney — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 21:46:36 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ Madness kicks off basketball season ckearney Wed, 10/19/2022 - 17:46

Photo by �鶹��Ƶ Athletics

On Friday, October 14, in EagleBank Arena, �鶹��Ƶ Athletics officially kicked-off men's and women's basketball season. �鶹��Ƶ fans, including �鶹��Ƶ families who were on campus for Family Weekend, were introduced to student-athletes from each team and heard from men's basketball Head Coach Kim English and women's basketball Head Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis. Each team also took part in a scrimmage on the EagleBank Arena floor. The event included performances from the Green Machine and a variety of student organizations.

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�鶹��Ƶ men’s and women’s basketball schedules announced

Melanie Balog — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 19:46:09 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ men’s and women’s basketball schedules announced Melanie Balog Wed, 09/22/2021 - 15:46

�鶹��Ƶ's women's basketball team opens its season at Florida International on Nov. 9. Photo by Rafael Suanes

�鶹��Ƶ’s men’s and women’s basketball teams, led by head coaches Kim English and Vanessa Blair-Lewis, respectively, have announced their schedules for the upcoming season.

The women's season includes a national television package and home contests against 2021 NCAA Tournament teams St. Bonaventure and VCU. They kick off the season with two away games on Nov. 9 at Florida International and Nov. 12 at Loyola (Md.). Their home opener is Nov. 14 against Virginia Tech.

In addition, the women’s basketball team will host rivalry games with George Washington and Richmond at home and face off at home against 2021 NIT qualifiers Dayton and Saint Louis. �鶹��Ƶ's home/away partners include VCU, George Washington, Richmond, Massachusetts and Saint Joseph's. Get more details about the women’s basketball schedule.

�鶹��Ƶ's men's basketball opens its season at home against Stony Brook on Nov. 9. Photo by Rafael Suanes

The men’s team will play a home-and-home series against Revolutionary Rival George Washington as well as two games against St. Bonaventure and Saint Joseph's. The men will play their first game of the season against Stony Brook on Nov. 9, followed by two more home games Nov. 12 against the University of Pennsylvania and Nov. 14 against Morgan State. They open conference play at UMass on New Year's Day (Jan. 1). �鶹��Ƶ then returns to EagleBank Arena for its A-10 home opener against La Salle on January 4. Get more details about the men’s basketball schedule.

This year the A-10 Championships will be held at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The men’s championship will be held March 2-6, 2022, with the women’s following on March 9-14.

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Supreme Court ruling against NCAA is limited in scope, �鶹��Ƶ professor says

ckearney — Tue, 06 Jul 2021 17:36:19 +0000

Supreme Court ruling against NCAA is limited in scope, �鶹��Ƶ professor says ckearney Tue, 07/06/2021 - 13:36

Craig Esherick

The unanimous U.S. Supreme Court’s June ruling limiting the NCAA’s ability to restrict education-related benefits to athletes won’t have as broad an impact as some news outlets are reporting, said Craig Esherick, former Georgetown University men’s basketball coach, lawyer and associate professor in �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Education and Human Development.

“The Supreme Court found that the NCAA is subject to the Sherman Antitrust Act and permitted schools to award more educationally related expenses,” said Esherick, associate director for �鶹��Ƶ’s Center for Sport Management and academic program coordinator for �鶹��Ƶ’s sport management program. “But on the news, they are making it out like it is a broad ruling. The justices specifically recognized that college athletics is an intricate business relationship and gave wide berth to the NCAA and colleges’ business judgments.”

Esherick said that Justice Neil Gorsuch, who wrote the majority opinion, made a narrow decision that still allows for the NCAA to create limits on benefits unrelated to education.

“Certainly, the ruling will permit colleges to award their athletes more educationally related expenses, like graduate school scholarships or technology used for school work, but the justices also specifically said that doesn’t mean a college can buy someone a Lamborghini to drive to class,” Esherick said.

Esherick also commented on the NCAA’s recent decision to officially suspend rules that prohibited athletes from selling the rights to their names, images and likenesses. The new rules represent a major shift for the NCAA. The decision came hours before laws or executive orders in six states that would have had the same impact were set to take effect.

“There are going to be some athletes that will be able to make a large amount of money now,” Esherick said. “It will be interesting to see what that dynamic brings to athletes playing a team sport.”

Esherick also warned that student athletes shouldn’t ignore the most important financial benefit they get—for those on a full scholarship, a free education.

“The concern I have is that athletes will be spending so much time building up their social media presence that it will detract from their work in math or English class,” Esherick said.

To reach Craig Esherick directly, please contact him at cesheric@gmu.edu

For more information, contact Anna Stolley Persky at apersky@gmu.edu

�鶹��Ƶ George �鶹��Ƶ

�鶹��Ƶ is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., �鶹��Ƶ enrolls 39,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. �鶹��Ƶ has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility. Learn more at gmu.edu

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Vanessa Blair-Lewis brings her winning ways to �鶹��Ƶ

ckearney — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 22:32:21 +0000

Vanessa Blair-Lewis brings her winning ways to �鶹��Ƶ ckearney Wed, 04/07/2021 - 18:32

�鶹��Ƶ introduced new women’s basketball coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis on Wednesday at EagleBank Arena. Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services

�鶹��Ƶ introduced new women’s basketball coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis on Wednesday at EagleBank Arena, trumpeting her ability to build relationships—and a winning program.

Blair-Lewis, the ninth coach in program history, comes to �鶹��Ƶ from Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida. She told the supportive crowd on hand that she does not consider her profession as coaching. To her, it’s “a ministry.”

“A long time ago I realized it wasn’t about the X’s and O’s,” said Blair-Lewis, who grew up in the Washington, D.C., suburbs in Prince George’s County, Maryland and played for her father, Bob, at Largo High School. “It’s about pouring into the lives of young people to make them better now and for the future.”

Blair-Lewis led Bethune-Cookman to four Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championships and five postseason berths, including the program’s first trip to the NCAA tournament in 2019. Prior to her arrival, the program had posted two winning seasons in 19 years.

Vanessa Blair-Lewis, the ninth coach in program history, comes to �鶹��Ƶ from Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services

The four-time MEAC coach of the year inherits another challenge at �鶹��Ƶ. The Patriots went winless in the Atlantic 10 Conference last season.

“We really started out to find someone who had a blueprint for how to build a program,” �鶹��Ƶ Vice President/Director of Athletics Brad Edwards said, “and who also understands the strong commitment to the student-athletes’ well-being, to an inclusive culture and community involvement. I’m very proud to say that Vanessa Blair-Lewis is that coach and is that leader.”

“You don’t get in first place overnight, nor do you get in last place overnight,” said Blair-Lewis, who met with her �鶹��Ƶ players before the press conference. “It’s a place they don’t want to be. And it’s a place we don’t want to be. We have such an important responsibility to, yes, win a lot of games, but we have a bigger responsibility to win in the lives of these young people.”

Announced Tuesday as the new head coach, Blair-Lewis had been mentioned as a candidate for other coaching jobs during the 2015 to 2020 period when her Bethune-Cookman teams posted a 107-48 record, including 68-12 in the MEAC.

She said she was waiting for the right opportunity, comparing it to her young son accumulating tickets at a carnival to take home a coveted prize he pointed out high on a shelf instead of settling for a lesser one.

“I wanted that one right here,” Blair-Lewis said of the �鶹��Ƶ job, “way up there.”

“Coach Blair-Lewis will do at �鶹��Ƶ what she has always done,” �鶹��Ƶ President Gregory Washington said. “A) win. And B), more importantly, she will provide opportunities for young women and help them to develop in ways that will transcend the court.”

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Winning on the court and at life drives new �鶹��Ƶ women’s basketball coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis

ckearney — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 22:17:17 +0000

Winning on the court and at life drives new �鶹��Ƶ women’s basketball coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis ckearney Wed, 04/07/2021 - 18:17

Vanessa Blair-Lewis at Wednesday’s introductory press conference at �鶹��Ƶ’s EagleBank Arena. Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services

Vanessa Blair-Lewis sees coaching basketball as “a ministry” more than a job, but her career almost didn’t happen.

�鶹��Ƶ’s new women’s basketball coach was just a few years removed from her collegiate playing days when she headed to her alma mater, Mount St. Mary’s in Emmitsberg, Maryland, to rehabilitate a knee she injured while playing professionally in Sweden.

The daughter of a high school coach, Blair-Lewis never envisioned coaching in her future, but agreed to join the coaching staff there while hoping to resume her playing career. But in September 1998, Mount St. Mary’s longtime coach suddenly announced in September 1998 that he was retiring and that he and the school’s athletics director wanted Blair-Lewis as his successor.

The news was a shock to Blair-Lewis as she was preparing to attend law school at the University of Virginia. As it turned out, she found her true calling along the sidelines.

“I never wanted to be a coach while coming up,” Blair-Lewis said following Wednesday’s introductory press conference at �鶹��Ƶ’s EagleBank Arena. “But I accepted the position, and God had a career path ahead for me. It’s truly been a ministry.”

A four-time Northeastern Conference coach of the year while at Mount St. Mary’s, and a four-time coach of the year during her next 13 seasons at Bethune-Cookman University, Blair-Lewis inherits a Patriots team that failed to win an Atlantic 10 Conference game last season.

“I’m very excited,” said �鶹��Ƶ center Jazmyn Doster, a rising junior. “Her speech inspired a lot of excitement and hope for the future.”

Blair-Lewis’ legacy extends well beyond the court.

“She is the best coach in the country, but an even better person,” said Chandler McCabe, who was Blair-Lewis’ associate head coach at Bethune-Cookman and will follow her to Fairfax. “When we recruit kids, we want them to be with us for four years, but we want to be in their life for the rest of those years.”

It’s more than just lip service for Blair-Lewis. She and her husband, NBA referee Eric Lewis, have opened their home and housed several former players until they got on their feet following their graduations.

Developing players will always be important, but making sure they turn into people who can make a difference in society after their playing days is even more important.

“A long time ago, I realized that it wasn’t about the X’s and O’s,” Blair-Lewis said. “It’s about pouring into the lives of young people to make them better now and for the future.”

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Tip Sheet: How proper nutrition fuels hoop dreams during March Madness

How does nutrition support student-athletes' demanding schedules?

What role do nutrition and rest play during long tournaments like March Madness?

What do college basketball players eat on game day to maximize energy and focus?

How can athletes reduce the stress of high-stakes tournaments and games?

How do nutrition needs change when teams play multiple games in a short time span, like the March Madness Tournament?

What foods help athletes stay focused during high-pressure games?

How important is hydration during March Madness?

In This Story

Nutrition and March Madness for athletes and fans

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The run that changed a program: George �鶹��Ƶ marks the 20th anniversary of its 2006 Final Four appearance

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