Wondering what college volleyball life is like for a Division 1 athlete? This episode of Bump, Set, Mic, the TNT Volleyball Podcast Presents the College Experience Series continues with a focus on the player perspective featuring players from Marist University in New York.

In this second episode of the series, Bump, Set, Mic co-hosts Chuck Dougherty and Brian Mooney sat down again with TNT Director of Operations Leon Kasperski to share and reflect upon his recent interview with Marist University players Claire Lewis (a 5th Year Senior Setter and Team Captain), Claudia Kasperski (a Junior Libero/DS), and Gabriella Flamish (a Sophomore Right Side).

Leon spoke with them about their experiences at Marist both on and off the court, from the Spring and Summer programs, the volleyball season itself, and what college life is like in general for them as Division 1 athletes. The players shared many thoughtful insights in their discussion with Leon that are benefitical for families and players interested in playing at the next level to hear. They talk about topics such as their intense schedules, travelling as a smaller D1 school to play powerhouse schools, their academic life at Marist and how they try to maintain proper balance as a student-athlete, some of the challenges they've faced in their collegiate careers, and the absolute importance of cultivating a positive team culture.

Segment 1: The Marist Volleyball Season & Competition Level (0:00 - 22:23)

In this segment, Leon and his guests discuss the intense Marist season schedule which includes coming back in early August for two-and-a-half weeks of all-volleyball, all-the-time before school starts, one that includes 2-3 practices per day during preseason. Also talked about are specific travel experiences to major programs across the country, powerhouse schools like USC, Tennessee, and Michigan State. Reasons why Marist deliberately schedules strong competition early in the season and how the team maintains a postiitve mentality when facing much larger, better-funded programs are also part of the discussion.

Segment 2: Academic Life at Marist & Student-Athlete Balance (22:44 - 42:31)

In segment 2, listeners hear the players talk about their actual majors - from education to economics to accounting - and explain how Marist supports their academic goals. They also go into more detaail about their schedule and how a recent change at Marist from Saturday-Sunday games to Friday-Saturday has impacted their social lives. Also coming up in the chat is how study abroad opportunities are supported for athletes at Marist which is not always the case in other places.

Segment 3: Team Culture, Challenges, and Growth at Marist (42:53 - 87:40)

In the final segment, the players share an abundance of valuable information. As part of the talk, they are very honest about some of the toughest parts of their experience. Claire, for example, shares her emotional journey through two major injuries, the mental challenges of missing her senior season, and her eventual decision to return for a 5th year. Other topics relevant to players at all levels that are presented and elaborated on are how to deal with playing time challenges, learning to support teammates even when not getting the court time one desires, and the importance of honest, open communication between players and coaches. Finally, the players vouch for the vital role that development of team culture plays, not only in how it impacts their on-court performance but also their overall experience in general.