Danielle LaFata Named Nutrition Director for BYU Men's and Women's Basketball Programs – BYU Athletics – Official Athletics Website

PROVO, Utah – Danielle LaFata, MA, RD, CSSD, CLT has been named nutrition director for BYU's men's and women's basketball programs.

“Since becoming head coach at BYU, I have been deeply committed to player development and utilizing all of our resources to help players excel,” said BYU men’s basketball head coach Kevin Young. “Danielle is world-class in her field and cements our development program as one of the best in the country. She has worked with some of the best athletes in the world, including her work in the NBA, where she played a critical role in helping players take their game to new levels. We are thrilled to have her at BYU.”

“I am excited to have Danielle join our team,” said BYU women’s head coach Amber Whiting. “She has worked with the top athletes in her respective sports and her resume speaks for itself. I know it will be a huge benefit to our program and will help my women get the nutrients their bodies need to perform at their best day after day.”

LaFata comes to Provo after spending the last four seasons as director of performance nutrition for the NBA's Phoenix Suns and WNBA's Phoenix Mercury. During their time with the Suns, they reached the playoffs four times, including helping them end a decade-long playoff drought in 2021. That same season they also appeared in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993.

During the 2020–21 season, she was instrumental in helping Devin Booker and Chris Paul become the first Sun duo to be named All-Stars since 2010. year, maximum contract extension with the Suns worth $224 million.

LaFata spent six seasons in Major League Baseball with the San Francisco Giants, helping the franchise win the World Series in 2012 and 2014. She also helped the organization win a then-record 23 National League pennants.

At the same time, LaFata worked with the United States men's national soccer team and traveled with them to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where they advanced through the group stage.

LaFata spent more than eight years as the Director of Pro/Elite Performance Nutrition, where she advised individual athletes and sports teams on ways to enhance their performance through proper nutrition and hydration. She also helped develop nutrition training materials for athletes and industry professionals and worked with the education team to expand mentorship programs. She is also proficient in functional laboratory testing, nutrigenomics, and integrative and functional nutrition.

She is a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics and a certified jump therapist. She earned her bachelor's degree in business administration from Central Michigan and earned a master's degree in nutrition and food science from Wayne State.