Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website

Dr. Matt Frakes Named Director of Sports Nutrition

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Dr. Matt Frakes, a rising star in the collegiate sports nutrition field who led the dietetic efforts for the Louisville basketball programs this past season, has been named the director of sports nutrition at the University of Notre Dame. Frakes will begin his role on May 24, 2021.

“We’re excited that Matt will join our sports performance team at Notre Dame,” said Deputy Athletics Director Jody Sadler. “Aside from his knowledge as a dietitian, Matt’s intellectual curiosity, energy and  ability to build relationships with student-athletes is what drew us to him. We can’t wait for Matt, his wife, Kassandra, and his son, Kingston, to be part of our Notre Dame family.”

In his role as Director of Sports Nutrition, Frakes will be a member of Notre Dame’s sports performance leadership team and his group will oversee the strategic direction of nutrition for all student-athletes. This position will have primary responsibility over the nutritional efforts of the 11-time consensus national championship football program and maintain oversight of the other 25 Fighting Irish programs.

“It’s hard to put into words what it means to have the opportunity to serve as the director of sports nutrition at the University of Notre Dame,” Frakes said. “To be blessed with an opportunity to join a University that values tradition, excellence, faith, education and the community, embodies the values I strive to improve and instill in others, daily. I am looking forward to the challenge of supporting our student-athletes at the national championship level they respect and deserve.”

Frakes comes to Notre Dame after a year serving as a sports dietitian at the University of Louisville, where he worked primarily with the men’s and women’s basketball programs, volleyball program and softball program. In his time with the Cardinals, Frakes volunteered his time to co-lead the Black Coaches & Staff Association at Louisville and work with the SOAR (strategically organizing against racism) Committee.

Prior to moving to the commonwealth in 2020, Frakes finished his PhD in nutrition and hospitality management from the University of Mississippi. His research focused on the impact of nutrition and dietary intake on the recovery of sports-related concussions in student-athletes.

In his final year of his doctorate, Frakes spent a year as the associate director of athletic performance for sports nutrition education at the University of Louisiana (Lafayette) where he led a staff of 13 (full time, intern, student workers) to support the Ragin’ Cajuns student-athletes.

In 2017 Frakes began his collegiate athletic nutrition career when he was named the assistant sports dietitian and graduate instructor at the University of Mississippi. While in Oxford, he directed the nutrition education for the nationally-recognized baseball program, cross country/track & field programs and golf programs.

Frakes brings multiple certifications with him to South Bend, including being a registered dietitian-nutritionist (RD), a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) and a level one Anthropometrist (ISAK 1).

An active member in his profession, Frakes is a part of the Collegiate and Professional Dietetic Association (CPSDA) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and a mentor in the Diversity Dietetics Mentorship Program and the Merge Virtual Internship Program.

A native of Columbus, Ohio, Frakes received his B.S. (Dietetics) and M.S. (Food and Nutrition) from Bowling Green State University in 2011 and 2014, respectively.

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