Mocs formally open Food City Fueling Station

Food City and UTC representatives attend a May 25 event in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes. Photo by Angela Foster.

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Mark Wharton and Food City President/CEO Steven C. Smith officially opened the Food City Fueling Station to serve Mocs Athletics on Thursday, May 25. Smith presented Wharton with a check for $145,000 to stock the new addition for the next five years.

“This is definitely a game-changing partnership for our athletics program,” stated Wharton. “We are extremely grateful for Food City’s investment in our student-athletes. We are already seeing this initiative impact the performance of our programs and we are now able to sustain it for the next five years.”

Located inside the Wolford Family Strength and Conditioning Center and part of the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center, the Food City Fueling Station benefits all student-athletes at UTC. Food City is the official grocery store of Chattanooga Athletics.

“We’re certainly excited to be a part of the great things happening at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and we’re proud to serve as the sponsor of the new Food City Fueling Station.  We would like to thank the University of Chattanooga Foundation for the great work they do developing and supporting initiatives at UTC, along with the UTC Athletics team for their dedication to the success and wellbeing of student-athletes,” Smith said.

Under the direction of Mocs Director of Athletics Performance Gerry Pacitti, the Food City Fueling Station is managed by Sports Dietician Jordan Yseth. Not only is the space now stocked with nutritional products to aid student-athletes in their training, but it is also a place where they can go for expert guidance on proper nutrition based on their individual needs.

This investment from Food City has been very instrumental in all of the recent success of UTC athletic programs, including Southern Conference championships in soccer, women’s basketball and men’s tennis.

Photo gallery by Angela Foster

Food City and UTC representatives attend an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Food City and UTC representatives attend an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Steve Smith, Food City president and chief executive officer, right, talks with football player Ailym Ford, left, during an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Steve Smith, Food City president and chief executive officer, left, speaks during an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes. an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Steve Smith, Food City president and chief executive officer, left, speaks during an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes. an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Food City and UTC representatives attend an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Steve Smith, Food City president and chief executive officer, speaks during an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes. an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Food City and UTC representatives attend an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

UTC football coach Rusty Wright speaks Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Food City and UTC representatives attend an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Food City and UTC representatives attend an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Food City and UTC representatives attend an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Food City and UTC representatives attend an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Food City and UTC representatives attend an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Food City and UTC representatives attend an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Food City and UTC representatives attend an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Food City and UTC representatives attend an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Food City and UTC representatives attend an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Food City and UTC representatives attend an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Food City and UTC representatives attend an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Food City and UTC representatives attend an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.

Food City and UTC representatives attend an event Thursday, May 25 in the Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center to announce that Food City will be funding a Fueling Station featuring healthy food options for athletes.