On Her Mark

Born and raised in Boston, Jillian Dempsey knows the grit it takes to find success. The Boston Fleet forward has been playing professional hockey for over a decade, almost exclusively in her hometown. She grew up in Winthrop, played in college at Harvard, then for the Boston Blades (CWHL), Boston Pride (PHF), and now the Boston Fleet. Today we dive in to: 

• Pursuing two passions -- one on the ice and one in the classroom 
• Jillian's gratitude for playing most of her professional (and collegiate career) in her hometown 
• Unique perspective of growth of women's hockey as an athlete with experience in 3 leagues
• How she has been spending her newfound 'free' time since focusing only on being a professional athlete  
• Fleet's focus for the end of season as they look toward playoffs and the Walter Cup 
• Her mantra for tough days 

For game tickets & info for Boston Fleet: thepwhl.com/bostonfleet

Follow Jillian on social: @jilliantdempsey

Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly

To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube

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Sports can change lives, and basketball changed Ugo Nwaigwe-Hirschman's life. She had a successful collegiate career, international professional playing stint, coached at the collegiate level, and is now combining her passion for the game and calling to 'do good' by joining the Shooting Touch team. Shooting Touch is a non-profit that uses basketball as a tool for global impact and change. Ugo is the new Director of Domestic Programming & Strategy. Today we dive in to: 

• What inspired the decision to jump from collegiate coaching to  non-profit work with Shooting Touch 
• The mission behind Shooting Touch & how it aligns with her goals to grow the game for young girls in Boston and Rwanda 
• Her Nigerian National Team playing days - what made her jump at the opportunity & her experience on the team 
• Importance of roles models and mentors for young girls and athletes 
• How the growth of women's basketball at the professional & collegiate levels has, and continues to, impact younger generations 
• Why understanding and prioritizing FIT in  jobs is so important 
• The impact former Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder had on Ugo's idea of success

Learn more about Ugo & Shooting Touch: shootingtouch.com

Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly

To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube

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The wait is over for the highly anticipated inaugural Unrivaled Basketball season. It's a full court 3 v 3 league founded by WNBA greats Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. The unique thing about the league is that is it founded on an equity-based financial platform giving the athletes a great salary and ownership. One woman who has been pivotal in the buildout is Chief Brand Officer Kirby Porter. Kirby is an award-winning sports entrepreneur and brand builder, a self-proclaimed 'marketing girlie,' founder of New Game Labs, the first marketing hire at Will Ventures, and former Harvard Women's Basketball captain. Today we dive into:

• Unrivaled Basketball -- how it works & the signficance for female hoopers and athletes everywhere
• The changing landscape of women's sports, collegiately and professionally
• NIL & tips for young athletes
• The importance of brand building for athletes
• How companies benefit from investing in women's sports 
• Kirby's Harvard basketball days - how lessons from the court transferred to successes in the corporate world
• Day-to-day non-negotiables adopted from the sports world

To follow & learn more about Unrivaled: unrivaled.basketball

Follow along with Kirby on LinkedIn.

Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly

To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube

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The last few months have been a whirlwind for Jess Mruzik - she won a national championship with Penn State, spent a few days celebrating the holidays with her family, and then moved to Houston to start her professional volleyball career with LOVB Houston. The standout outside hitter was a huge part of the historic season for the Penn State volleyball program, leading the team on and off the court. She is now etching her name in the professional history books as a member of the inaugural season of League One Volleyball League. Today we dive in to: 

• 2024 National Championship & entire tournament 
• Penn State Volleyball's season mantra: Bigger Than Us 
• Impact of iconic moment Head Coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley made history as 1st female coach to win a DI national title 
• LOVB - excitement for inaugural season & impact for younger athletes 
• Passion off the court (shoutout to grandpa!) 

Follow Jess on social: @jess_mruz19 

Learn more about LOVB: lovb.com

Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly

To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube

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Professional runner Heather MacLean is as Boston as it gets - she loves runs on the Charles River, Dunkin, the Celtics, and even worked her first job at Market Basket. But now Heather is living her dream racing the 1500 for New Balance (based in MA!) She wasn't the standout in high school, or even college, but she puts in the work and trains with the best. In 2021 she punched her ticket to Tokyo, surprising many (but not her team!) The taste of the international stage at that scale lit a fire and she wants more! Since then Heather has battled injury but is back healthy and ready to compete in the upcoming season! Today we dive in to: 

• VO2 Max Testing at The Track at New Balance 
• How she found running & what made her fall in love with the sport 
• The transition from college to professional running with an opportunity from New Balance and Mark Coogan 
• Training for 2020 Olympic Trials & punching her ticket to Tokyo with teammate Elle Purrier St. Pierre 
• Injury journey - the highs, lows, and lessons 
• Mindset that has helped her keep eyes forward in career 
• New Strava obsession 

Follow along with Heather on social: @heather_maclean31

Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly

To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube

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Hockey goalie Aerin Frankel is known as one of the best goalies in NCAA history. While a freshman at Northeastern University she helped carry the team to their first (of many consecutive!) Hockey East titles. She also earned the Patty Kazmaier Award and WHCA National Goalie of the Year Award in 2021, and the latter a second time the following ear. She is now bringing her talents to the US National team and Boston Fleet (PWHL). Not only is she paving the way for women in hockey, but specifically young goalies! Today we dive in to: 

• PWHL's second season  & first season building an identity around a name/logo/franchise
• Getting started in hockey as a kid
• Importance of coaching and speaking with young female hockey players, specifically goalies
• What a typical game day looks like for her 
• How her mentors, coaches, and family have helped her adjust from the collegiate to professional level

Follow along with Aerin on social: @aerin.frankel

Learn more about the Boston Fleet & find tickets: thepwhl.com/bostonfleet

Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly

To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube

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First, Hannah Huppi rowed on flat water in college. Then, she gave coastal rowing a shot (think beach sprints!). Then came ocean rowing, and now she's training for a 1,000-kilometer row across the Arctic Ocean where she will make history as the first female to do so! Hannah and her team (John Huppi, Andrew Tropp & Jimmy Graham) all have strong athletic backgrounds and are bringing their individual diverse experiences to help the team row, recover, eat, sleep, recover, hydrate and more on this adventure. Today we dive in to: 

• The Arctic Challenge 2025 - what it is, who is participating & why it's happening 
• What training to row 1000km looks like - mentally, physically & emotionally 
• Why preparations for the challenge are important - boat, food, storage, etc. 
• Hannah's motivation for the challenge 
• How embracing motherhood has helped Hannah as an elite athlete 
• Plans for documenting the adventure 

Learn more about The Arctic Challenge 2025: thearcticchallenge2025.com

Follow along with their training & preparation on social: @thearcticchallenge2025

Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly

To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube

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Talent and skills can only take you so far in sports (and life, too!), it's the mindset that makes all the difference. As a lifelong athlete with great successes and frustrating setbacks, Bianca Martin knows that all to well. The 'Comeback Queen' has spent her life on the track and roads running, cycling, and then recovering from 3 shoulder surgeries in 18 months. She knows what it's like to win, to get knocked down, and come back stronger. Now, a graduate student, she is coaching athletes on their mental game to help propel them past where they think their limits are. Today we dive in to: 

• Bianca's personal athletic career 
• How she became drawn to coaching, specifically mental coaching 
• Connecting & working with 2024 Olympian Allie Wilson 
• How to implement mindset skills in daily routine 
• Conventional & unconventional strategies to let go of negativity 
• Neutral thinking - what it is & how it can help 

Follow along with Bianca on social: @runthisb

Learn more about individual/team coaching & speaking: comebackqueenb.com

Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly

To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube

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Despite growing up around rowing, Olympian Kate Knifton didn't get on the water until she was a teen. But when she did, she never looked back!  She went on to help Texas earn their first national title (and then another one!) and represent Team USA in Paris. Kate has stayed passionate about the sport despite injuries and setbacks with the help of her teammates and family. Today we dive in to:

• Why she resisted rowing as a kid until her first job on the docks of her dad's rowing center 
• Rowing at the Head of the Charles Regatta
• Road to Paris -- what it was like training with the national team and earning a spot on the Olympic roster 
• How freshman year heartbreak at Texas lead to the program's first national title (and a second one not long after!) 
• New coaching gig with My Row 
• The big Q...LA2028?

Follow along with Kate Knifton on social: @kateknifton

Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly

To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube

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You know her as the newest host and reporter here at NBC Sports Boston: Kayla Burton is on the pod today! Kayla's roots are here in Boston so she was so excited to come back and cover the city of champions. Sports are in her blood; she grew up playing hoops and went on to play 4 years at Lehigh University. Then, she picked up a mic and began her career covering the sports she spent her life playing. Today we dive in to:

• NBC Sports Boston adjustment - what her first few months have been like  
• Why waking up at 5am with her parents and siblings throughout her childhood helped shape her passion, drive & work ethic 
• Hoops history - from the church gym to Lehigh's Stabler Arena 
• The draw to sports broadcasting & early days 
• The path to her seat at NBC Sports Boston covering her hometown teams
• Favorite ways to disconnect & unwind 

Follow Kayla on social: @kayb2 and @kay_breezy22

Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly

To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube

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