2x Olympic Gold Medalist Maggie Steffens Joins Team UCAN

February 5, 2021

Steffens turns to UCAN to take her training to the next level as she pursues 3rd straight Gold Medal

Maggie Steffens, considered one of the greatest water polo players in history, is teaming up with UCAN on her quest for a 3rd Olympic Gold Medal. Steffens is Captain of Team USA and ranks 2^nd on the All-Time scoring list in Olympic history. She was named MVP at the Olympics in both 2012 and 2016. For each of the last 3 years, Sports Illustrated named Steffens one of the 50 fittest athletes in the US. In her never-ending search of tools to up her game, Steffens found UCAN.

“Water polo is really an endurance sport, but with a lot of short, explosive movements,” says Steffens. “Consistent energy is key and fueling with UCAN before and after my tough training has made a huge difference in my energy levels and focus.”

Practices at the elite level often last for over 3 hours at a time, and up to 7 hours per day, including a mix of gym sessions, conditioning, drills, skills and game simulations. When Steffens is in the pool she relies on UCAN as her fuel source that won’t sit heavy in her stomach, but that will provide energy for multiple hours at a time.

“The 3-hour break between training sessions was a pain point for me – if I ate too late or too much, my stomach would feel awful for our afternoon session,” said Steffens. “Having UCAN before my afternoon sessions has completely resolved that pain point, and that’s what being an elite athlete is all about…finding ways to continually improve your training and your body’s ability to achieve.”

UCAN was originally created with a purpose to provide energy for a child with a rare condition that prohibits the body from producing its own blood sugar, resulting in frequent and dangerous episodes of hypoglycemia. Out of this need came SuperStarch®, a patented, slow-releasing carbohydrate that delivers steady, long-lasting energy with no spikes and no crash.

After conducting clinical trials on athletes, who also work to manage their glucose levels to reduce fatigue and optimize their nutrition, UCAN launched an assortment of products powered by SuperStarch. A few of the top athletes utilizing UCAN include the fastest active women’s marathoner Sara Hall, 4x Olympian Meb Keflezighi, pro triathlete Tim O’Donnell and 8x CrossFit Games qualifier Scott Panchik, amongst many others who have achieved world-class performances while using it in their training, racing and daily lives.

“The UCAN spirit is the mindset to perform at a high level, no matter the endeavor, and that spirit runs strong through Maggie,” says Shoba Murali, CEO of UCAN. “UCAN’s mission is to help eager athletes, including accomplished Olympians like Maggie, take what they do to even loftier heights through proper fueling. We’re proud to have Maggie as part of the UCAN Family.”

About Maggie Steffens:

Maggie Steffens is arguably the greatest female water polo player of all-time having achieved 2 straight Olympic Gold Medals and countless victories at the Olympic, World Championships, Pan American Games, FINA World Cup, FINA World League and NCAA levels. Steffens competed in water polo beginning in high school, made her first international appearance at age 16, and led her team at Stanford University to 3 first place finishes and 2 second place finishes at the NCAA tournaments from 2013 through 2017. Steffens graduated Stanford in June, 2017 with a B.S. degree in Science, Technology and Society. During and post-college, Steffens has competed for the US National Team, and in the Olympics twice, and ranks 2^nd on the All-Time scoring list in Olympic history with 38 goals. In both Olympic bouts, Steffens was the top goalscorer including setting an Olympic record for the most goals scored in a women’s water polo tournament in 2012, with 21 total goals. Sports Illustrated named Steffens one of the 50 Fittest Athletes in the country for 3 years in a row. Steffens co-founded 6-8 Sports, an athlete performance analytics company devoted to growing the sport of water polo, and lives in Danville, California.

About UCAN:  

Based in the US, UCAN is a company obsessed with the science of health and performance. UCAN enables athletes to gain confidence in their inherent abilities to surpass their performance by unlocking their body’s full potential through smart nutrition.  UCAN products utilize SuperStarch®, a patented, slow-releasing complex carbohydrate that delivers steady, long-lasting energy without triggering an insulin response. Originally created for a child with a rare metabolic disorder, UCAN Energy Powders, Energy Mix and Energy Bars are trusted by over 80 colleges, 40 pro teams, Olympic marathoners, elite triathletes, cyclists, group fitness coaches, thought leaders in health and performance, boxers,  and recreational athletes for foundational nutrition to unlock performance. Learn more at ucan.co and get the latest news in the UCAN world by following @GenUCAN on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. UCAN nutrition products are currently available in powder, granola and bar formats, in a variety of flavors, at 350+ specialty run, bike and tri stores around the country, Lifetime gyms, and can be purchased online at ucan.co or on Amazon.