On this episode of the RU Strong Podcast, we welcome an extraordinary former Rutgers student-athlete whose story goes far beyond the water.

Our guest is Rachel Maeng, former Rutgers Women’s Varsity Rowing coxswain, student leader, entrepreneur, and fearless advocate.

While competing at the Division I level in the inaugural Big Ten era, Rachel wasn’t just steering an eight-person boat, she was leading across campus. From serving on the Rutgers University Student Assembly executive board, to representing student-athletes on the Athletics Affairs Committee and SAC, to volunteering with Embrace Kids and the R Fund, Rachel was building impact long before she built companies

But her journey wasn’t easy.

She faced team conflict, battled years of undiagnosed back pain that eventually required surgery, navigated identity as a Korean Filipina adoptee growing up in a predominantly white community, and openly shares her experience with OCD, anxiety, and depression.

And yet, through adversity came clarity.

Rachel transitioned from athlete to advocate. From biomedical engineering to economics. From working with Rutgers Football and the New York Mets to launching and selling her own influencer agency. Today, she works at the intersection of sports, strategy, and entrepreneurship, advising brands, working with athletes, and continuing to serve Rutgers as an Alumni Affairs Senator.

This conversation is about:

• Losing confidence and rebuilding it

• When your sport “dies” before you do

• The physical toll of stress and leadership

• Mental health in athletes and entrepreneurs

• Betting on yourself and building something that matters

Rachel’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and rediscovering purpose when the original dream changes.

If you’ve ever felt misunderstood, out of place, injured, anxious, or called to something bigger, this episode is for you.

This is RU Strong!