Get to Know Florida International University Athletics Dietician, Madi Buckley

Photo courtesy of Florida International University Athletics.

Name: Madi Buckley

Hometown: Huntingdon, Pennsylvania

High School: Huntingdon Area High School

Sport: Swimming

High School Accolades: Two-time letter winner in swimming, CWACC First Team All-Star, team captain, Future Farmers of America, Yearbook, member of the marching band, and drum major as a senior for the band

Undergraduate Experience: The Pennsylvania State University. Buckley was a part of the 2+2 program and spent her first two seasons swimming for the Penn State Behrend Lions, while her final two years of undergrad were spent at University Park. She was a member of the athletic department for the Penn State Nittany Lions as a nutrition intern. Buckley earned a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services. College Athletic Accolades: Buckley was a two-time letter winner and an Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) team champion with the Penn State Behrend Lions women’s swimming program. She was also a three-time All-AMCC selection (800 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle relay). What Being a Penn State Grad Means to Her: “My mother and grandmother are Penn State graduates, so I’m a third-generation graduate. We Are and always have been a Penn State family. I never saw myself going anywhere else. We have been going to the Penn State spring football game my entire life. I’m thrilled this year I will get to go back home to Beaver Stadium with the FIU football team when we play at Penn State. It’s amazing to be a graduate from this university and to hold a degree from a world leader and the gold standard in nutrition education.”

Graduate School Experience: Buckley graduated from Penn State in May 2022 and headed to Tellahasse, Florida to attend Florida State University for their Master of Science in Dietetics and Sports Physiology. She was one of less than 20 people admitted into her cohort and worked internships in a hospital, education, and athletic setting. Most notably, she worked at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) or Florida A&M. Before her arrival, the athletic department had few nutritional services. Over her two years with the Rattlers athletic department, she helped student athletes learn a great deal about fueling their bodies, helped the department receive funding and build partnerships for catering, and created improved fueling stations for student-athletes in all sports. While her work at Florida A&M was unpaid, she made a tremendous impact at the institution and the student-athletes taught her so much about different cultures and ways of life. She went on to complete her registered dietician board examination in the summer of 2024 and has been practicing for around a year as a full-time professional.

Full-Time Career Update: Buckley accepted a role as an Associate Director of Sports Nutrition of Big 12 member University of Central Florida (UCF). She lived in Orlando for around six months before relocating to the Miami area after accepting a role as Head of Sports Nutrition at Florida International University (FIU). For the first several months, she was the lone worker in the nutrition department. However, she’s successfully grown the department and is hopeful to continue hiring to help her in a variety of ways. She’s in charge of helping to make sure student-athletes across 15 varsity teams are fueled and aware of the food choices they’re making.

What Central Pennsylvania Means to Her: “One of the biggest compliments I’ve ever received is how proud I am of being where I’m from. Central Pennsylvania has the most beautiful rolling hills and it’s truly bred and built me as a person. It’s built my work ethic, my appreciation for community, my strong faith, and my appreciation for industries like agriculture and small business. I’ve tried to follow a life led by God and I know without him and the people who helped raise me back home, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I will always miss my people in central Pennsylvania and all it’s given me. It’s a blessing to be from there.” Life of a Young Woman in Sports: “I’m so proud to be a woman in sports and that there are a growing number of professionals who are women who are in this space. I’m proud of where I’ve gotten and what I’ve earned over the years. If you have a passion for something, work for it. Work towards your goals. I truly don’t feel like I go to work most days. The best part of what I do aside from helping people is I know I’m going to go to campus and laugh every day.”

Photo courtesy of KMD Studios.