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On today’s episode, we have Karl Barkley. Karl played basketball for four years at Swarthmore College. He is the founder of D3 Direct, the go-to source for reliable information on NCAA Division III athletics recruiting & admissions, where they believe no recruit or family should have to start their college sports recruiting process from zero.

On this episode, we discuss:

• How to think about what schools are right for you
• The power of mentorship throughout the recruiting process
• Thinking strategically and quality over quantity in the recruiting process
• Debunking the "D3 has no money" myth, and how families still make it affordable
• The two biggest recruiting mistakes: starting too late and overloading your schedule
• How to actually build your college list (and lead with more than just coach interest)
• Standing out to coaches: professionalism and the power of a handwritten note
• Why persistence pays off, plus Karl's #1 rule for parents and for athletes

And much more!

D3 Direct Website

The Student Athlete Sessions (D3 Direct Podcast)

If you have any questions for me or our future guests email [email protected]

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The views and opinions shared by coaches and other professionals on this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Hoops Through Life. Hoops Through Life is an independent entity, not affiliated with any school or coach, and is not responsible for the opinions expressed by these individuals.

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In honor of the school year about to start, we are re-releasing one of our student-athlete episodes. Good luck to everyone who has moved or is moving into college soon!

On today’s Bonus Episode Part 2 we have Sierra St. Cyr and Olivia Weinel. Sierra and Olivia are recent graduates and former women's basketball players from Shenandoah University.

On this episode we discuss:

- The support they leaned on throughout the recruiting process
- The importance of establishing relationships with coaches through the recruiting process
- How they prepared physically and mentally for their first year of college
- The adjustment from high school/AAU to college basketball
- How they got through “mental blocks” during the basketball season
- The process Sierra took to figure out her major
- How they deal with life without basketball

And much more!

If you have any questions for me or our future guests email [email protected]

If you're interested in connecting or working together, let's have a conversation - send me an email today - [email protected]

Check out Hoops Through Life on:
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The views and opinions shared by coaches and other professionals on this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Hoops Through Life. Hoops Through Life is an independent entity, not affiliated with any school or coach, and is not responsible for the opinions expressed by these individuals.

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On today’s episode, we have Coach Megan Yawman. Megan started her college coaching career as an assistant at Carnegie Mellon University, where, during the 2024-2025 season, she helped lead the Tartans to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in program history. 

This year, she was recognized as a Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Thirty Under 30 Honoree. The distinction celebrates not only on-court excellence, but also a coach's commitment to mentorship, community service, and their overall impact on student-athletes. 

Megan was recently named the head coach at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and will head into her first season as a head coach during the 2026-2027 year. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• Stats and what they mean and what they miss
• What she’s looking for in recruits right now
• What she would have done differently in her recruiting process
• The role of social media
• What to put in your social media profile
• Film and the pressure to post constantly
• What helps the transition to college
• Being on the right AAU team for you

And much more!

RPI Women's Basketball Recruiting Form

RPI Women's Basketball Instagram

RPI Women's Basketball Elite Camp Information

If you have any questions for me or our future guests email [email protected]

If you're interested in connecting or working together, let's have a conversation - send me an email today - [email protected]

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The views and opinions shared by coaches and other professionals on this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Hoops Through Life. Hoops Through Life is an independent entity, not affiliated with any school or coach, and is not responsible for the opinions expressed by these individuals.

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On today’s episode, we have Coach Kate McCann. Coach Kate started her coaching career as a graduate assistant at Springfield College, where, over 2 years on staff, she helped the team notch 37 wins and one NCAA DIII tournament appearance. She just finished up her first year as an assistant at Bowdoin College, where the polar bears finished 25-3, advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament, and finished the season ranked 11th in the final Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) poll. This year, Coach Kat earned a spot on the WBCA’s 30 under 30 team for the 25-26 season. The distinction celebrates not only on-court excellence, but also a coach's commitment to mentorship, community service, and their overall impact on student-athletes.

On this episode, we discuss:

• What Coach McCann would do differently if she were going through the recruiting process today
• How to stand out in your communication with coaches
• The timeline of communication with college coaches and what you can expect at each phase
• How current athletes at an institution are involved in the recruiting process
• How the conference and the institution can impact the recruiting process
• How to prepare for your first year of college

And much more!

Bowdoin Recruiting Questionnaire

Bowdoin WBB Instagram

Bowdoin Elite Camp Sign-Up

If you have any questions for me or our future guests email [email protected]

If you're interested in connecting or working together, let's have a conversation - send me an email today - [email protected]

Check out Hoops Through Life on:
Hoops Through Life Website
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The views and opinions shared by coaches and other professionals on this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Hoops Through Life. Hoops Through Life is an independent entity, not affiliated with any school or coach, and is not responsible for the opinions expressed by these individuals.

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The Hoops Through Life podcast is BACK! We have some great guests lined up for you all over the next couple of months!

On today’s episode, we have Coach Kuartez James. Kuartez is a program coordinator working with adults with autism, a licensed behavior technician, a published author, a national speaker, and the founder of "Recruit University”. He has nearly two decades of coaching and leadership experience at the youth and high school levels. Through Recruit University, he has helped hundreds of student-athletes earn millions in scholarships and opportunities at all levels: NCAA DI, DII, DIII, JUCO, and NAIA. 

On this episode, we discuss:

• Working backward to start the recruiting process
• When the recruiting process starts
• What parents can look out for as they navigate information about the recruiting process
• Questions parents can ask coaches to assess if the coach is knowledgeable about the recruiting process
• The power of being proactive
• The importance of sports performance
• How to get started in the recruiting process

And much more!

Recruit University Website

Recruiting 101: A Guide To Being Recruited For College Sports

NCAA Eligibility Center

If you have any questions for me or our future guests email [email protected]

If you're interested in connecting or working together, let's have a conversation - send me an email today - [email protected]

Check out Hoops Through Life on:
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The views and opinions shared by coaches and other professionals on this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Hoops Through Life. Hoops Through Life is an independent entity, not affiliated with any school or coach, and is not responsible for the opinions expressed by these individuals.

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ANNOUNCEMENT:

After this episode. We will be taking a break during the college basketball season. We will be back with more episodes in March / April of 2026. In the meantime, if you have any questions feel free to reach out!

On today’s episode we have Nicole Adach. Nicole is a sport psychology professional and psychotherapist with over a decade of experience helping athletes and high-performing individuals strengthen their mental game, build resilience, and reach peak performance. Nicole currently serves as a Student-Athlete Support Clinician at Northeastern University, where she works with athletes to navigate the pressures of competition, balance their mental health, and develop skills that translate beyond sport. In her private practice, Nicole specializes in the intersection of mental health, wellness, and performance — bringing together her clinical expertise and her own background as a collegiate athlete. She’s particularly passionate about helping athletes explore their identity beyond sport and supporting them through the often challenging transition out of athletics.

On this episode we discuss:

• The importance of expanding and understanding self identity
• The importance of being in the present moment
• Grounding strategies to get into the present moment
• Building confidence + resilience

And much more!

If you have any questions for me or our future guests email [email protected]

If you're interested in connecting or working together, let's have a conversation - send me an email today - [email protected]

Check out Hoops Through Life on:
Hoops Through Life Website
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The views and opinions shared by coaches and other professionals on this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Hoops Through Life. Hoops Through Life is an independent entity, not affiliated with any school or coach, and is not responsible for the opinions expressed by these individuals.

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On today’s "best of" episode we have Coach Anthony Tucker. Anthony played for the University of Iowa and Minnesota State University Moorhead; where he was named to the All-Conference and All-Region teams. After college Anthony had an 11 year professional career spanning nine countries and including four finals appearances, one MVP award, one scoring title, and three assist titles. He also played in the NBA G League for the Windy City Bulls. His coaching experience spans from AAU to high school varsity, and he is the founder and head trainer at Hoop Habits; whose training method is designed to not only develop skills, but to teach athletes how to apply their training techniques and concepts to live game situations. In the fall of 2025, he will enter his first season as the Head Coach of the Holy Family Catholic High School girls basketball program.

On this episode we discuss:

• Coach Tucker’s 5 pillars of player development
• The importance of building a plan and experimenting with development
• Why consistency is key
• Importance of open dialogue when training
• Creativity in development

And much more!

Hoop Habits Website
Hoop Habits Instagram
Anthony Tucker Instagram

If you have any questions for me or our future guests email [email protected]

If you're interested in connecting or working together, let's have a conversation - send me an email today - [email protected]

Check out Hoops Through Life on:
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The views and opinions shared by coaches and other professionals on this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Hoops Through Life. Hoops Through Life is an independent entity, not affiliated with any school or coach, and is not responsible for the opinions expressed by these individuals.

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On today’s episode we have Iuri Melo. Iuri is a licensed clinical social worker + therapist. He is the published author of "Mind Over Grey Matter," and "Know Thy Selfie," a national best seller for adolescents. Iuri specializes in treating Anxiety related disorders (Panic, OCD), Depression, & Trauma. His vision is to inspire youth and young adults everywhere to live deeply.

On this episode we discuss:

• The importance of how you interpret events
• The highs and lows of engaging in sports
• The virtuous cycle vs the downward spiral

And much more!

Video resources for adolescents

School pulse website

Know Thy Selfie - Book

Mind Over Grey Matter - Book

If you have any questions for me or our future guests email [email protected]

If you're interested in connecting or working together, let's have a conversation - send me an email today - [email protected]

Check out Hoops Through Life on:
Hoops Through Life Website
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The views and opinions shared by coaches and other professionals on this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Hoops Through Life. Hoops Through Life is an independent entity, not affiliated with any school or coach, and is not responsible for the opinions expressed by these individuals.

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On today’s episode we have Coach Shannon Bollhardt. Coach Bollhardt has spent her entire coaching career at Saint Michael’s College - her first 5 years as an assistant and she is currently entering her 13th year as the head coach. This past season Coach Bollhardt’s team registered their highest overall and league win totals in eight years while hosting their first postseason contest in 14 seasons.

On this episode we discuss:

• How the college’s current roster affects recruiting
• Factors coaches consider as they look into the transfer portal
• Questions to ask club / AAU coaches as you’re assessing if it’s the right fit for you
• What to include in an email to a coach
• How Coach Bollhardt + their staff use social media
• Reteaching the basics at the college level
• The relationship between athleticism and basketball IQ
• How to prepare for your first year of college

And much more!

Saint Michael's WBB Instagram

Saint Michael's WBB X

Saint Michael's WBB Recruiting Questionnaire

If you have any questions for me or our future guests email [email protected]

If you're interested in connecting or working together, let's have a conversation - send me an email today - [email protected]

Check out Hoops Through Life on:
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The views and opinions shared by coaches and other professionals on this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Hoops Through Life. Hoops Through Life is an independent entity, not affiliated with any school or coach, and is not responsible for the opinions expressed by these individuals.

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On today’s episode we have Coach C White. Coach White started her coaching career as a part time assistant at Bentley University; where she was also a standout player, scoring over 1000 points; currently 12th all time in assists, and 8th all time in three-pointers. She then spent 1 year as an assistant at Harvard University, but came back to Bentley as Bentley’s top assistant, where she remained until she was named the head coach in 2020. In the 24-25 season Coach White’s team notched an impressive 33-2 record, winning the NE-10 championship, for the 4th year in a row, and making it to the elite eight in the NCAA DII tournament.

On this episode we discuss:

• The small details coach White watches for when at AAU tournaments
• Parents role in the recruiting process
• Common misconceptions about NCAA DII
• DII and scholarships
• Questions coach White likes to ask student-athletes on visits
• Breaking down the skill that is most difficult to translate from high school to college

And much more!

Bentley Women's Basketball Instagram

Bentley Women's Basketball Recruiting Questionnaire

If you have any questions for me or our future guests email [email protected]

If you're interested in connecting or working together, let's have a conversation - send me an email today - [email protected]

Check out Hoops Through Life on:
Hoops Through Life Website
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The views and opinions shared by coaches and other professionals on this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Hoops Through Life. Hoops Through Life is an independent entity, not affiliated with any school or coach, and is not responsible for the opinions expressed by these individuals.