In this episode of Her Y, we sit down with Kim Santiago—former UVU basketball player, nurse, Provo City councilwoman, and wife of BYU Athletic Director Brian Santiago. Kim shares her journey as a mother of four, including raising a son with autism, and reflects on her time balancing family life with leadership and public service. She opens up about the resilience she learned while playing sports, her faith that has anchored her through every season of life, and the role she and Brian now play in supporting BYU athletes both on and off the court. You won't want to miss the story of the woman at the heart of Cougar athletics!

Paisley Johnson-Harding knows what it means to be a Cougar—she’s lived it! From breaking records and winning championships at BYU to playing pro ball overseas and coaching the next generation at Timpview high school and Utah Valley University, her basketball journey has come full circle. In this episode, she opens up about the highs and lows along the way, what it was really like training with WNBA stars, why she’s so passionate about mentoring today’s players, and how it feels to be back on the sidelines in Provo.

Brielle “BK” Kemavor is a 6'5" middle blocker for BYU women’s volleyball who wrapped up a breakout sophomore season by earning All-Big 12 honors and helping lead the Cougars to their 13th straight NCAA Tournament. However, her story extends far beyond the statistics. In this episode, Brielle discusses the people and moments that have shaped her, particularly the unwavering support of her mom, who made numerous sacrifices to help her pursue her volleyball dreams. She shares what it’s like representing BYU on the court and at Big 12 leadership meetings, the lessons she’s learned stepping into a leadership role, and why her rubber duck collection is more serious than you might think. Get a glimpse into the drive, humility, and heart behind one of BYU’s rising stars!

Assistant swim coach Melissa Springer shares what it means to her to be back at her alma mater—this time on the deck instead of in the pool. She reflects on stepping away from swimming after the heartbreaking loss of her brother, how she ended up back in the world of swimming, and why she’s passionate about building "champions in sport and life". Along the way, Melissa shares her love for competitive jigsaw puzzling and showing up fully for her athletes.

Jessica Kehl has lived more lives than most! She is a BYU cheerleading alum, professional photographer, aerialist performer, mom of three, and an Aerialympics champion! In this episode, she joins us to talk about how she got from cheerleading on the sidelines at BYU to flying high above the stage at Hale Center Theater. Jessica tells us what it’s really like to train and perform aerial work, how she balances her creative passions with motherhood, and why she keeps chasing things that scare and excite her.

The Her Y team brings back one of our most inspiring episodes from Season 1 with BYU Cross Country and Track Coach Diljeet Taylor.

If you follow BYU sports, you’ve probably heard Diljeet's name because of her success in building one of the best programs in the country. In this podcast episode, Coach Taylor talks about growing up thinking her dreams didn't matter. Now, her purpose is to coach women chasing their running dreams and to empower someone every day.

After playing more than 100 games in a BYU jersey, women's basketball forward Emma Calvert is off to the Czech Republic to start her pro career. In this episode, she looks back on her senior season, shares how a surprise conversation convinced her to go pro sooner than expected, and opens up about what it means to take BYU—and her faith—on an international stage. Emma also talks about growing up in small-town Utah, her love of baking and pranking her teammates, and why being the “team mom” comes so naturally to her. From the paint to Prague, she’s taking everything she’s learned at BYU into this next adventure!

Meghan Hunter just wrapped up one of the most incredible seasons we’ve seen at BYU. She broke the 2-minute barrier in the 800 (twice!), set records, made the NCAA podium, finished her master’s degree, and was getting ready to get married...all at the same time. In this episode Meghan looks back on her final season as a cougar, shares the mindset that helped her keep showing up, and talks about what’s next as she steps into life as a pro runner, speech therapist, and newlywed.

Lauren McClain and the Her Y podcast will be back with another great episode next week! In the meantime, new BYU women's basketball coach Lee Cummard was recently featured on the Deep Blue podcast with Jason Shepherd. In this episode, Jason talks to Cummard about what we can expect from next year's Cougar squad, his unexpected journey to BYU, and why coming back to coach at his alma mater means so much to him.

Riley Chamberlain has helped BYU win three national championships—but her journey hasn’t always been easy. In this episode, the All-American distance runner opens up about bouncing back from disappointment, choosing faith over fear, and the deep sisterhood that powers BYU’s cross country and track teams. Plus, she talks about her Nike NIL deal, her love for the mile, and what she hopes her legacy will be as she heads into her senior year.