Miami’s Performance, Health, and Wellness department was created to better serve its 400-plus student athletes. Performance, Health, and Wellness encompasses Mental Health and Performance Psychology, Nutrition, Physical Therapy, Sports Science, and Strength & Conditioning.
Sports Psychology
The mission of the Sports Psychology department is to provide comprehensive services to support student-athletes at becoming their best selves, to promote mental health, emotional wellness, and optimal performance. Our mission is accomplished through promoting a culture that reduces the stigma of mental health needs and identifies seeking help as a sign of strength.
We are committed to:
- Ensure that mental health care is provided by licensed practitioners qualified to provide mental health services.
- Clarify and disseminate protocols for both emergency and routine referrals.
- Provide a mental health screening in pre-participation evaluation.
- Create and maintain a health-promoting environment that supports mental well-being and resilience.
To view our staff please click here, name and bio for our sports psychology team can be found under the Performance, Health, and Wellness section of our staff directory.
For more information on our sports psychology department please click here.
Strength & Conditioning
The mission of the Strength & Conditioning Department is to provide a well-designed, collaborative training program based on proven physiologic principles. Our goal is to provide the student-athlete with the best-coached strength and conditioning program in the country. We are committed to the principles of ethical conduct, integrity, and excellence.
For more information on strength and conditioning staff, please click here.
Sports Nutrition
Proper nutrition is often overlooked as a performance edge for elite athletes. The Sports Nutrition Department at the University of Miami is dedicated to supporting the nutritional needs of its student-athletes to reach their highest level of performance both on and off the field. We strive to support our athletes and meet them where they are at regarding their knowledge on nutrition. We cultivate healthy habits for impactful and sustainable performance results tailored to each student-athlete and team.
We are committed to:
- Providing evidence-based nutrition practices and education for the highest standard of care.
- Fueling student-athletes in conjunction with their training and recovery for performance, recovery, and overall health.
- Staying at the forefront and applying the latest science within the field of sports nutrition.
- Developing individualized nutrition care to all student-athletes through dietary and body composition assessments.
- Creating opportunities for student-athletes to develop necessary nutritional habits that last beyond college.
- Supporting a multi-disciplinary team approach with collaboration among other performance departments.
- Complying with all NCAA rules and regulations.
View resources from the NCAA Sports Science Institute on nutrition here.
To submit a request to volunteer with UM Sports Nutrition, please click on this link here.
To set up an appointment with one of our UM Nutrition staff, please email using the link to the staff directory. They can be found under the Performance, Health, and Wellness section.
Physical Therapy
The physical therapy staff within the athletics department is comprised of residency-trained and board-certified clinical specialists in sports physical therapy.
Staff physical therapists work as a liaison between athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, and more recently with sports scientists to develop athlete specific goals of care. This includes prehabilitation, immediate post-operative rehab, re-integration to team activities, sport-specific activities, and management of chronic / long term injuries.
The physical therapy staff also coordinate pre-season baseline testing and provide clinical analysis to facilitate an interdisciplinary approach to care. They also provide second opinions and consultations and can be involved in the athlete recruitment process.
To find more information about the PT academic program, visit here. To find more information about PT residency, visit here. To find more information on PT research, visit here.
To view our staff click on the link to our staff directory, they can be found under the Athletic Care section.
Sports Science
The Sports Science department is comprised of dedicated staff who use scientific principles to support the health, safety, and performance of their student-athletes through research, education, and innovation.
The staff are able to help optimize performance through the interpretation and application of data that is collected during play via wearable technology.
To view our staff, click on the link to our staff directory. They can be found under the Sports Science section.
Concussion Awareness
The Univeristy of Miami is committed to improving efforts to protect the health and safety of our student-athletes. This includes the promotion of an interdisciplinary approach to concussion management to ensure a well rounded cohesive response for optimal recovery.
