Former University of Michigan track athlete Bri Nelson talks about her journey as a thrower and life outside of sport. Bri reflects on her collegiate recruitment process and how she became one of the top throwers in Michigan her senior year of high school. After struggling to progress her first couple years in college, a coaching change prompted a whole new approach to training. By the end of her senior year, Bri set the school record in the indoor weight throw. Despite having more eligibility, Bri stopped competing when she entered grad school due to a lingering back injury. She continued to support her teammates as an elected captain. On top of this, she began her transition from student athlete to student activist. Bri founded Wolverines Against Racism along with Roland Amarteifio to create space for student athletes to talk about the current racial injustices in our nation. She also worked hard to complete her Masters of Public Health in Nutrition Sciences. Having gone through her own journey of overcoming the pressure society puts on body image and toxic views on what "wellness" should look like, Bri has made it her mission to educate others on what it truly means to be healthy. She works to inform others on intuitive eating, how to respect what your body is telling you, and having a positive body image. You can follow her informative Health & Wellness account @betterwithbri_. Bri's episode reminds us to not be afraid of taking detours, and embracing who we are as people, not just athletes.

Former University of Michigan cross country and track standout Gina Sereno talks about her transition into the world of Triathlon. After growing up playing multiple sports, Gina didn't decide to focus on solely running until her junior year of high school. Despite joining Michigan's cross country and track program as a walk-on, Gina ended her collegiate career with five Big Ten individual titles and a seven-time All American. On top of that, she graduated with an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters in Management. Her love for training, desire to challenge herself, and consistency led her to not only success on the track, but in triathlon as well. Gina talks about being recruited by USA Triathlon's Collegiate Recruitment Program, and how it allowed her to get the mentorship and coaching she needed to be competitive in two new sports- swimming and cycling. As a pro triathlete, she trains 20 hours a week on top of working full time at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab. Gina sheds light on the training and technique required to compete at the highest level, what it's been like traveling the world to compete, and how she manages her busy schedule. As one of the hardest workers I know, Gina's story is nothing short of inspiring.

Julia St-Juste (Hall) ran in her first track race when she was 8 years old. She raced 400m around the track against one other girl. They took turns surging ahead of each other, and Julia got her first taste of victory when she crossed the line ahead. Since that moment, she knew track and field was the sport for her. Julia talks about what it was like competing for both her school and club team in Colorado growing up, and how she decided to compete at the University of Michigan. At Michigan, she was a member of the indoor 4x4 team that set the school record. Despite her success with the relay, Julia experienced many ups and downs as a college athlete. She talks about what it was like dealing with injury, the pressure she put on herself, learning how to find her identity outside of track, and regaining confidence as an athlete. Julia went on to compete for the University of Georgia for her final year of eligibility as a graduate student, where she was able to wrap up her collegiate athlete experience knowing she gave it everything she had. Today, Julia’s love for competing and appreciation for sport manifests itself in her everyday life. She is the biggest cheerleader for her sister, who will be competing at the Track and Field World Championships in the Heptathlon, and her husband Ben, who plays for the Washington Commanders. Despite being “retired”, Julia has a feeling she will find her way back to the sports world. Of that, I have no doubt.

Former University of Michigan cross country and track star Kathryn House talks about building confidence, the importance of self advocacy, and finding joy in competition. Growing up a multi-sport athlete, Kathryn reflects on her decision to choose running over hockey, knowing she wanted to compete collegiately at a high level. She reflects on the day she committed to  U of M after watching the Wolverines compete at the Big Ten Cross Country meet, and feeling welcomed by the women who would eventually become her teammates and lifelong friends. At Michigan, she was a multiple time Big Ten Scorer, received All Region honors in cross country, and narrowly missed making the NCAA Final in the 5k in the East Regional Preliminary round.  While Kathryn often made racing look easy, she battled many injuries and overcame various challenges to find success on the track. Behind the scenes, she worked harder than ever to figure out a training plan that worked for her, communicate what she needed, and get herself to the line not only ready to compete, but excited to race.  Kathryn discusses how sport has allowed her to learn how to advocate for herself and develop skills that have served her well in life outside of running. Maddy and Kathryn reminisce on their times at Michigan together, and how that experience has shaped their lives forever.

Former Valparaiso Cross Country and Track athlete Keith Button talks about his sports journey, passion for the outdoors, willingness to push his limits, and how he has fallen in love with the sport of climbing. Growing up in Farmington, MI, Keith's first sport was hockey. He discusses how he eventually discovered his talent for running, the life lessons he has learned through the sport, and meaningful friendships made along the way. After studying mechanical engineering at Valparaiso University, Keith went on to Michigan State where he got his PhD in biomechanical engineering. At MSU, Keith joined an Outdoors Club, where he first was introduced to climbing. Ten years later, climbing has not only brought him a sense of joy, accomplishment and adventure, but it was also the sport that led him to meet his wife as well as many other friends in the climbing community. Keith talks about how he finally found balance in his life, the thrill of tough climbs, and his how his willingness to venture into the unknown has led him to where he is today. A huge inspiration for anyone looking to try new things outside their comfort zone, meet new people, and tap into their adventurous side, this episode is one you won't want to miss.

Former University of Michigan and Notre Dame football player Adam Shibley has done a lot both on and off the field. Realizing he wanted to do more than just focus on school and football, he was inspired to go out and make a difference. The outcome? Tuff, an organization that provides uniforms, equipment and mentorship to underserved athletes. In just a few short years, roughly $400,000 have been raised and 4,100 student athletes have been served. Adam talks about the work, community, sponsorship and vision that went in to making his dream not only a reality, but an organization that continues to grow and help teams across the world today.  At Michigan, Adam won the Big Ten Medal of Honor, was a recipient of the Rose Bowl Game Keith Jackson Postgraduate Scholarship, member of the 2021 AFCA Good Works Team, semi-finalist of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award, recipient of the Rachael Townsend Leadership Award, and co-recipient of the 2018 Team's Scout Team Player of the Year Award (Defense). Adam reflects on his journey as a Wolverine, how he learned to prioritize his time to make the most of his experience, and what it meant to him to wear the block M. He also discusses his decision to go to Notre Dame for grad school to use his final season of eligibility, and how the programs differed. Adam's journey involved a lot of hard work, taking initiative, and some leaps of faith, but he doesn't regret any second. Learn more about Tuff here: https://gettuff.org/ Tuff Instagram page: @officialtuff_

Soccer player Eddie Sanchez's love for the game started as soon as he could walk, when he would kick a ball around with his dad. Little did he know where the game would take him. At the University of Portland, Eddie was named West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year, and by his senior year was not only named WCC Player of the Year, but also helped lead his team to a WCC title. Even cooler to note, his bicycle kick goal was featured on ESPN's Sports Center Top Ten (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANvgLO94V9g).  Eddie reflects on what it took to rally a team to the conference title- something they had as a goal for his entire career at UP. Not only did it require a lot of hard work, but team discipline and chemistry to create a community around Portland soccer. Playing at home in front of 2000 fans to win the conference title in 2016 will forever go down as a moment in history for UP men's soccer. Soccer has continued to be a huge part of Eddie's life. He plays in a competitive indoor men's league and co-ed team (shoutout to Los Chupacabras), and has also played with the Portland Timbers U23 team. He is also training for a half marathon. Apart from that, Eddie is proudly a first generation college student, husband, dog dad and all around great teammate and friend. You won't want to miss his story.

Former Princeton swimmer Skyler Liu discusses her journey to the pool- which actually began playing many other sports. Growing up in California, her parents encouraged her to try a variety of sports before she ultimately dedicated herself to swimming as a sophomore in high school. She talks about what it was like to train with her younger sister, and how swimming has brought them together. Skyler provides insight into what it is like to be an Ivy League athlete, balancing academics with athletics, and how she was drawn to Princeton after meeting the many amazing women who would eventually become her teammates.  As so many athletes have also experience, Skyler's career was cut short due to Covid. She talks about the uncertainty of whether or not the season would be reinstated her senior year. Despite the Ivy League's decision to forgo NCAA participation for the 2020-2021 academic year, Skyler found her way to the pool to train with her younger teammates for one last training block. Today, Skyler works for Nike and enjoys a variety of activities including skiing, biking and running. She talks about finding ways to use the energy that used to be devoted to swimming, and the joy of sharing sport with others. 

Former Michigan Cross Country and Track athlete Jena Metwalli's story is all about trusting the process, finding joy in what you do, working hard and believing in yourself. Coming from a small high school in North Carolina, Jena had no idea that she would graduate as a Big Ten scorer, regional qualifier, and make national teams in both cross country and track. But rather than shy away from the challenge, she went all in and continued to improve throughout her entire career (something that is difficult to do in the sport of running). Jena talks about the moment she learned to advocate for herself, her experience on the team at Michigan, and how she found her passion for public policy, leading her to her government consulting job in D.C. today.  Maddy and Jena reminisce about their college days, and talk about the bond that forms between teammates. Jena discusses what the transition to life after college sports is like, including running her first marathon, learning how to climb, and exploring her creative side. You'll enjoy getting to know Jena- the ultimate teammate, friend and someone you can always count on no matter what.

Anish Chandak sheds light into the world of Bollywood fusion dance. Born in India but growing up in Minnesota, he learned to dance at various Indian functions including Holi and Diwali celebrations. However, he noticed a lack of representation of the Indian dance community at the University of Minnesota where he went to school. In response, he started Jazba Entertainment and put on the first ever Bollywood fusion dance competition in the Twin Cities. This competition hosted Desi Dance Network teams from across the country to raise awareness for South Asian culture and raise money for Women in Need (WIN). WIN is a UK based nonprofit that helps women living in the slums and villages of Nagpur, India. Passionate about female empowerment in India and wanting to address the issues of sexual assault and help bring women treatment, safety and security, Anish not only raised a lot of money for this organization, but actively served as a fellow to interact with the patients firsthand in India. Anish talks about what it takes to make a difference in something you are passionate about, and how he has been able to be so actively involved in such an impactful organization.  Anish spent a year traveling the U.S. competing for Men of Dance (MOD, now called Movement of Desi), where he competed against the best Bollywood fusion teams across the country. Listen in to hear what it was like training 80-90 hours a week and what made their team so successful. Above all, this episode is beyond inspiring and a great introduction to the culture, talent and storytelling of Bollywood fusion dance teams.   Links:  Jazba Entertainment: jazbamn.com Women In Need: women-in-need.co.uk The MOD Project: instagram.com/the.mod.project