Leah Knizner is in her first season as Illinois’ Director of Football Performance Nutrition in 2023. She oversees all of the nutrition needs for the Fighting Illini football program, providing fueling, performance nutrition education, and counseling services to the student-athletes.

Knizner joined the Illini from UPMC Shadyside in Pittsburgh, where she was a Clinical Inpatient Dietitian. She previously worked with the Clemson football team in 2021 as part of the Gatorade Sports Nutrition Immersion Program, providing education and counseling, nutrition supplemental support, and performance testing for the nationally-ranked Tigers. Knizner also has experience as a Dietetic Intern at the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. 

Knizner was a Big Ten student-athlete at Penn State from 2015-19, where she played basketball for four seasons. She joined the Nittany Lions program as a walk-on in October 2015, before earning a scholarship in 2016. Her father, Matt, was also a student-athlete at Penn State, playing football for five seasons and helping Penn State to the 1986 national title after a 12-0 record and win over Miami (Fla.) in the Fiesta Bowl.

Knizner was born and raised in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, where she was a two-time captain and one-time MVP of the basketball team at Hempfield Area High School. 

Knizner is a Registered Dietitian (RD), a Licensed Dietitian-Nutritionist (LDN), and a member of the CPSDA (Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association).