Virginia Tech Men’s Basketball is placing a growing emphasis on hydration, nutrition, and recovery, enabling players to perform at their peak potential
By Owyn Dawyot, Health and Wellness Reporter
Pictured is the Hahn Hurst Practice facility. Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams train and practice here year-round. By Owyn Dawyot – May 10, 2026
For many college athletes, health and nutrition is often something that gets pushed to the side. Between late-night studying, inconsistent sleep schedules, and having a social life, maintaining healthy habits can feel nearly impossible. However, inside the world of Division I athletics, players and staff are increasingly treating health and recovery not as optional, but as a critical part of success.
For Virginia Tech Men’s basketball player Jaden Schutt, prioritizing health started long before college. Growing up in a household where nutrition and fitness were constantly emphasized, he quickly learned that what he put into his body directly affected how he performed on the court.
“I would say in the last few years, honestly, just making sure I’m hydrated, I have enough sleep, and just eating a lot cleaner,” Schutt said. “I wake up and drink salt water, take hydration mix, and make sure that’s the first thing I’m getting in.”
While many athletes focus primarily on training and skill development, Schutt believes recovery and nutrition are equally important. He explained that his daily routine revolves around whole foods, hydration, and limiting processed ingredients.
“A lot of things I cut out are artificial dyes, sugar in general, and junk food,” he said. “I’m trying to burn fuel as efficiently and as clean as possible.”
Schutt said he began taking nutrition seriously around fifth grade when he started playing competitive sports regularly, claiming that seeing the difference in his own performances made it difficult to ignore how much nutrition mattered.
“I really didn’t want to have a bad game, so I was trying to do everything I could to play to the best of my ability,” Schutt said.
That mindset only intensified as he got older and watched the habits of people around him. Schutt described how observing his older brothers gave him firsthand examples of both healthy and unhealthy lifestyles.
“One brother took things really seriously, and another didn’t,” he said. “I kind of watched their habits and who was getting more success.”
For Schutt, the connection between healthy habits and athletic performance became obvious over time. He said that while athletes can temporarily adapt to unhealthy eating, the long-term effects eventually appear physically and mentally.
“I’ll notice my skin start breaking out, and my joints are hurting a little more. If I really take it seriously and eat the way I want to, I recover faster, feel better, and my joints are less painful,” Schutt admitted.
“If you take care of your body, it takes care of your mind.” – Jayden Schutt
Schutt also believes the benefits extend far beyond basketball. “If you’re feeling good, you’re going to be a nicer person,” he stated. “If your back’s hurting or you’re irritated, you go through life a little cloudy.”
He compared good health to carrying “sunshine” internally, explaining that taking care of your body positively affects your mentality and relationships with others.
The emphasis on health and recovery is not just coming from players themselves. Behind the scenes, sports nutrition staff members are helping athletes understand exactly how nutrition, hydration, and recovery impact performance.
Savannah Gustafson, director of basketball sports nutrition at Virginia Tech, works directly with athletes to optimize their diets and recovery routines throughout the season. According to Gustafson, hydration is one of the most overlooked but important aspects of athletic performance.
“We push hydration really heavily here to make sure we’re preventing injury risk and electrolyte imbalances,” Gustafson stated. She elaborated that this is extremely crucial, considering some players lose almost 10 pounds of fluid per practice from sweat alone.
Gustafson explained that athletes undergo hydration testing regularly so staff members can tailor hydration plans to individual players. Research on dehydrated Division I basketball players, she said, shows noticeable declines in shooting accuracy, focus, and energy output.
“They sent basketball players out already dehydrated, and their shooting percentage was down,” Gustafson said. “Their ability to exert energy was decreased.”
Sleep is another major priority for the program. While many college students stay up late playing video games or scrolling on social media, athletes are encouraged to maintain disciplined sleep schedules during intense training periods.
“They’re 18 to 22 years old, so they want to stay up late, but sleep is so important for recovery and coming in with a clear head each day,” Gustafson stated.
Nutrition before and after workouts is also carefully planned. Gustafson stated that athletes are typically given carbohydrate-heavy foods before workouts to provide energy, while post-workout meals focus heavily on protein and recovery supplements.
“We want them going into practice well fueled with carbohydrates,” she said. “Then, following a workout, we’re pushing heavy protein intake for recovery purposes.”
Among the recovery tools used by athletes is tart cherry juice, which Gustafson said can help reduce inflammation and aid recovery after strenuous practices.
Pictured is the men’s basketball team’s kitchen. This area is regularly stocked with convenient, healthy options for players to grab on the go as they’re making their way in and out of the locker room between practices and team lifts. By Owyn Dawyot – May 10, 2026
Despite having access to elite resources, Gustafson said many athletes still struggle with consistency when it comes to nutrition. Convenience plays a major role in eating habits, especially for busy college athletes balancing practices, travel, and academics.
Due to demanding schedules, athletes often rely on quick meals instead of cooking for themselves. Gustafson explained that while ideal nutrition is important, ensuring athletes simply eat enough during the season is also critical.
“In season, I’d rather them be eating than not eating,” Gustafson said. “If it has to be Chipotle, that’s fine with me.”
She also noted that many incoming freshmen arrive with very limited nutrition knowledge. “A lot of times, they’ve just been tall and strong their whole life, and that got them here. If they know what a carb, protein, and fat are, I’d consider that pretty advanced for a high schooler,” Gustafson stated.
Transfer athletes from smaller schools sometimes possess slightly more practical knowledge because they previously lacked access to nutrition staff and had to learn independently. However, Gustafson said many athletes still do not fully understand the relationship between nutrition, inflammation, immunity, and recovery until they arrive at a Power Five program.
Schutt said watching professional athletes has also reinforced the importance of recovery and health. He specifically mentioned players like LeBron James and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as examples of athletes who heavily invest in their bodies.
“You’re seeing LeBron getting oxygen tanks and doing all these things for his health,” Schutt said. “You start to realize how much professional athletes spend on their health because it’s their job.”
For Schutt, healthy habits have become less of a temporary in-season routine and more of a lifestyle. He admitted that when he was younger, he would celebrate the end of a season with donuts, cookies, and junk food. However, over time, he realized how difficult it became to regain conditioning after unhealthy stretches.
“It’s so hard to get back into shape,” Schutt claimed. “I’d rather sacrifice the opportunity to cheat on meals than let my body go.”
“Nutrition habits capitalize in a good or bad way.” – Savannah Gustafson
Gustafson emphasized that the effects of nutrition are somewhat of a snowball effect. According to her, the differences between a well-fueled athlete and an under-fueled athlete may not appear immediately, but they become very noticeable over the course of a season.
Beyond basketball performance, Gustafson said one of her goals is to help athletes build habits that will continue after sports end. Transitioning away from athletics can be difficult physically and mentally, especially for athletes whose daily routines have revolved around training for years.
She explained that many former athletes struggle after retirement because they no longer maintain the same level of activity but continue the same eating habits. Helping players understand long-term wellness, she said, is just as important as preparing them for games.
For Schutt, that long-term perspective already shapes the way he approaches health today. Even after basketball, he expects to continue prioritizing exercise, clean eating, and recovery.
“I think especially when I’m getting older, I’ll try to eat as healthy as I can and maintain a nice workout routine,” Schutt stated.
As conversations surrounding mental health, wellness, and performance continue growing in sports, athletes are increasingly recognizing that success depends on more than talent alone. Recovery, sleep, hydration, and nutrition are becoming foundational pieces of athletic performance rather than secondary concerns.
For athletes like Jaden Schutt, the goal is simple – treat the body well now in order to perform better today, and to live healthier tomorrow.
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