Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Expands Partnership with The Zone, Taking Mental Performance from Freshman Pilot to Department-Wide
TROY, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Athletics is expanding its partnership with The Zone, the mental performance platform built specifically for athletic programs, scaling from a first-year pilot to a department-wide rollout across all Engineers varsity programs. What began as a focused pilot with RPI's freshman student-athletes will now reach every athlete and coach in the department, making mental performance a permanent part of the RPI athletics experience.
RPI first introduced The Zone to its incoming class athletes at the very start of their college careers, navigating the jump to varsity competition alongside the academic demands of one of the nation's leading technological research universities. After seeing what daily, athlete-first mental performance support did for those first-year athletes, RPI elected to bring The Zone to the entire department, affirming mental performance as core infrastructure rather than a one-time initiative.
"What excites me most is where this started with RPI's freshmen, the students just stepping into college athletics and the fact that it worked," said Ivan Tchatchouwo, Founder & CEO of The Zone. "The department saw what everyday support did for those athletes and decided every Engineer should have it. That's exactly how this is supposed to go: start where the need is clearest, prove it out, and build it into the fabric of the program. RPI is giving its athletes something they'll carry long after their playing days."
As a Division III program competing in the Liberty League, RPI joins a growing group of institutions treating mental performance as a year-round part of the athlete experience. The department-wide expansion gives every Engineers athlete and coach access to The Zone's full sport performance offering, which pairs everyday mental performance tools with one-on-one sessions with a sport performance professional.
Through The Zone, RPI student-athletes and coaches now have access to everyday mental performance tools and skill-building resources, plus the option to meet with a sport performance professional at times that fit their schedules. For athletes, that means consistent, athlete-first support for performance pressure, focus, confidence, and balancing the demands of school and sport. Coaches and athletic staff have that same support available to them, along with team-level visibility and tools to proactively engage their athletes and reinforce healthy habits — without ever accessing individual athlete data. Privacy and trust have been central to the partnership from the start.
"Renewing and expanding our partnership with The Zone reflects our commitment to student-athlete well-being and competitive excellence. By extending the platform's tools and skill-building resources to all student-athletes and adding opportunities to meet with a sport performance professional at times that work best for them, we are making support more accessible and responsive to their needs. We want every student-athlete to build the confidence, resilience, and habits that help them thrive in competition, in the classroom, and beyond RPI."
— Dr. Kristie Bowers, Associate Vice President & Director of Athletics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
By expanding department-wide, RPI reinforces its commitment to the holistic development of its student-athletes and joins the programs defining what comprehensive athlete support looks like.
About Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Athletics Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, located in Troy, N.Y., is home to the Engineers, who compete at the NCAA Division III level in the Liberty League. RPI Athletics is committed to the academic, athletic, and personal success of its student-athletes as they excel in the classroom, in competition, and in the greater Troy community.
About The Zone The Zone is a mental performance platform designed specifically for sports organizations. By combining mental performance tools, access to sport performance professionals, and athlete-first experiences, The Zone helps programs build healthier, higher-performing cultures and equips athletes and coaches with the skills and support they need to thrive on the field and beyond. If you are an athlete looking to get access to The Zone, click here.
Media Contacts: The Zone — Ivan Tchatchouwo · Ivan@itsthezone.com
