The University of Cincinnati Bearcats’ athletic department is pushing mental health prioritization for their 450-plus student-athletes amid national attention after hiring the department’s first-ever director of sport psychology. Lenecia D. Nickell will be embracing the new role as she pivots from Cypress, Texas, where she ran her own counseling practice and consulting service for 10 years.
The University of Cincinnati Bearcats’ athletic department is pushing mental health prioritization for their 450-plus student-athletes amid national attention after hiring the department’s first-ever director of sport psychology.
Lenecia D. Nickell will be embracing the new role as she pivots from Cypress, Texas, where she ran her own counseling practice and consulting service for 10 years.
While currently pursuing her Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision from Adams State University, Nickell’s M.A. in counseling from Sam Houston State is coupled with a B.S. in psychology from Texas A&M University.
“Our No. 1 priority is helping our student-athletes reach their potential and adding Lenecia to our team puts us in a position to provide the necessary resources to keep them healthy, safe and well – on and off the field,” John Cunningham, Cincinnati’s director of athletics said.
Nickell, a certified mediator and parent facilitator, worked in non-profits and elementary school settings in Texas and California. At Kids Inc., Nickell served children, adolescents and families.
Nickell will be overseeing all mental health care services for Cincinnati’s student-athletes.
Cincinnati athletics currently has a Student-Athlete Support Service (SASS) department with a staff of 11, led by Dr. Joe Luckey. The addition of Nickell is seemingly a pivotal step for student-athlete well-being as the SASS’s current goals are focused on academic matters such as an athlete’s GPA’s and graduation rate.
Two Cincinnati women’s basketball players spoke with The News Record in Fall 2021 on the state of mental health for student-athletes at Cincinnati.
With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic hampering student-athletes’ experiences, as many outsiders can concur, mental health has increasingly been discussed regarding athletes and the stigma surrounding it.
Often, an athlete’s mental health is negated for praise of their physical health so they can put on a show in front of fans. The pandemic has changed that. From national stars like Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles, athletes on the international stage have taken a stand for mental health becoming a priority in the industry.
Nickell is seemingly Cincinnati’s answer to giving the athletes an outlet, and a voice amid the busy lives of being a student-athlete.
