Mackenzie Yoakum was a three-time All-State player who led her team to states for the first time in 14 years. She had nearly 700 kills her last two years of high school.

In this genuine conversation, Mackenzie walks us through navigating the transfer portal twice, choosing to redshirt, finishing a season 2-29, and the moment she realized earning her spot had nothing to do with playing time—it was about becoming who she was meant to be all along.

We talk about the parts of college athletics nobody prepares you for: the mental drills that break you down, the reality of being a preferred walk-on, what it's like when your coach tells you not to ask about playing time again, and how to support your teammates when you're struggling to support yourself.

This episode is for the athlete who's questioning if they're good enough. For the parent watching their kid struggle with their role. For the coach trying to understand what their bench players are going through. And for anyone who's ever had to redefine success when life doesn't go according to plan. Because sometimes the greatest growth happens when you're not in the game!

Find Mackenzie on TikTok @xdmackxd and on Instagram @mackenzieyoakum_

Follow @sheacedthat on all social media platforms

New Episodes of She Aced That Every Wednesday!

Lindsay Rowe, founder of Ace Factory in Michigan, a mother of seven and a Marine Corps veteran spouse, saw a gap: families driving hours for indoor training, athletes missing opportunities because of cost, and kids needing positive spaces to belong.

So she built it herself.

We dive deep into:

• ​The night their 1906 farmhouse burned down and how her family escaped by jumping from second-story windows
• ​Living in a single-wide trailer for over 300 days while rebuilding on the same land
• ​The community support that changed everything—and learning to receive help after years of being the helper
• ​Why she opened Ace Factory: making elite training accessible regardless of financial situation
• ​Her partnership with Fundraising University to help teams fund athletes with financial support
• ​The "no problems, only solutions" mindset that carried them through the darkest times
• ​How her athletic background shaped her resilience and approach to adversity

Lindsay's mission is simple but powerful: money should never be the reason a kid can't access quality training. From the Strong Moms Club to youth strength and conditioning programs, Ace Factory is more than a gym—it's a community hub where athletes, families, and coaches come together.

This conversation will remind you that resilience isn't about bouncing back to who you were before. It's about using what you've been through to build something even better.

Connect with Ace Factory:Instagram & Facebook: @acefactoryofficialInstagram & Facebook: @rusticmarine

Location: Kensington Valley Outlets, Howell, Michigan

What separates good athletes from elite athletes? The mental game.

In this episode, mental performance coach Jess Knecht breaks down the Four Cs of Elite Mindset: Commitment, Confidence, Concentration, and Composure. Jess, a partner at Max Out Mindset who works with Division I athletes, championship teams, and professional players shares actionable strategies you can use TODAY to train your mental game.

In this conversation, we cover:

• Why confidence is trainable (and the ingredients to build it)
• How to refocus under pressure when the game is on the line
• The reality of role acceptance and why it's critical at every level
• Strategies for rebuilding confidence after mistakes
• How coaches can create psychologically safe environments while maintaining high standards
• Why commitment is the foundation that unlocks everything else
• 
  

Whether you're an athlete struggling with self-talk, a coach building team chemistry, or a parent supporting your kid through competitive sports, this episode gives you the tools to strengthen the mental side of performance.

Key takeaway: Your mind is a muscle. The best athletes don't just work harder—they train their minds consistently, have awareness of their thoughts, and apply strategies when it matters most.

Follow Jess on Instagram: @max_out_mindset_jess

New Episodes of She Aced That Every Wednesday!

Why do so many talented athletes dominate in practice but freeze in games? In this powerful conversation, mental performance coach Kristen Woodman breaks down the real reasons athletes underperform—and how to fix it.

Kristen shares her personal journey of using volleyball as an escape and how those experiences shaped her approach to training mental toughness.

We dive deep into:

- The practice vs. game performance gap (and how to close it)

- Why perfectionism and people-pleasing hold female athletes back

- "Commit to the flip" - her analogy for pushing through fear

- Playing frantic vs. playing urgent under pressure

- The compartmentalization strategy that keeps you focused

- What parents need to know about the car ride home

- How to build unshakable confidence from within

Whether you're an athlete struggling to access your best game when it matters, a parent wanting to support your kid better, or a coach looking to understand the mental side of performance—this episode is packed with practical strategies you can use today.

Follow Kristen: @thementalvolleyballcoach

New episodes of She Aced That every Wednesday!

Fresh off signing with Mizuno, Brooke Nuneviller joins She Aced That to share her incredible journey from college standout to professional volleyball player. As a three-time All-American at the University of Oregon and the only player in Pac-12 history to record 1,500+ kills and 2,000+ digs, Brooke has built a career defined by versatility, grit, and passion for the game.

In this episode, Brooke opens up about:

• Her recent partnership with Mizuno and what it means to her career
• Transitioning from libero to outside hitter in college and the challenges that came with it
• The nutrition and training changes that transformed her game
• Choosing Oregon over Stanford and playing for Team USA
• Her experience playing overseas in Turkey vs. the rise of professional volleyball in the United States
• Life with the Omaha Supernovas and being named 2025 PVF Outside Hitter of the Year
• The unique format of Athletes Unlimited and keeping the sport fun after 20 years
• What she hopes her legacy will be beyond the awards and accolades

Whether you're an aspiring athlete, a volleyball fan, or someone who loves hearing stories of perseverance and passion, Brooke's journey will inspire you to chase your dreams and never let anyone tell you what you can't do.

Connect with Brooke: @brooke_nuneviller on Instagram

Playing scared or feel burnt out at the end of your school season? This episode is your game plan for the gap between high school and club season. We're talking about what playing scared actually looks like, how to tell if you're burnt out vs. just having a bad week, and the exact framework for using your off-season to reset. Week-by-week guidance on rest, low-pressure play, cross-training, and coming back ready to play free. Plus, a weekend recap of college volleyball chaos including Kentucky's sweep over Texas and Nebraska's continued dominance.

New Episodes Every Wednesday!

From Stanford star to Team USA gold medalist to Director of Volleyball at Athletes Unlimited, Cassidy Lichtman has played every position in volleyball—and now she's building the future of this sport in America.

In this episode, Cassidy shares her incredible journey including:

• How she "snuck into" the national team gym and stayed for 5 years
• The revolutionary Athletes Unlimited model where players have equity and teams change weekly
• Winning Pan Am Cup golds and that unforgettable moment when 40,000 fans finally chanted "USA"
• Balancing a BA and MA in 4 years while winning 4 Pac-12 championships at Stanford
• Overcoming chronic pain after being told at age 9 she'd never walk again
• Her transition from player to executive and why she's angry about how long it took for pro volleyball to arrive in the US
• The truth about playing professionally overseas and dealing with challenging coaches
• Why the best way to earn points in AU's individual scoring system is still through team wins

Whether you're a volleyball player, coach, parent, or fan, this conversation reveals how one person's determination to create opportunities for others is transforming American volleyball forever.

🏐 Follow Cassidy and Athletes Unlimited:@AUProSports@cassidylichtman

🎙️ Follow She Aced That:Instagram: @sheacedthat_Tiktok: @sheacedthat

In this powerful episode of She Aced That, we sit down with Ellen Dempsey, the winningest volleyball coach in Hiram College history turned Executive Director of the Side-Out Foundation.

Ellen shares her incredible journey from dual-sport athlete at Michigan State (volleyball & track), through a career-ending injury that launched her coaching path, to becoming a championship coach with 2 conference titles, 4 NCAA tournaments, and 4 Coach of the Year awards. She coached at the 1994 U.S. Olympic Sports Festival and transformed every program she touched!

But Ellen's greatest impact is happening right now. As Executive Director of the Side-Out Foundation, she's leading volleyball's fight against metastatic breast cancer through the Dig Pink movement. Learn how Side-Out's Precision Medicine Analysis is helping MBC patients NOW while conducting groundbreaking research for future treatments.

Whether you're a volleyball player, coach, parent, or someone touched by breast cancer, Ellen's story of transforming competitive drive into life-saving purpose will inspire you.

Visit side-out.org to support the Dig Pink movement and help those living with metastatic breast cancer.

🌐 CONNECT & SUPPORT:

Side-Out Foundation: https://www.side-out.org

Host a Dig Pink Event: side-out.org/dig-pink

Follow She Aced That: @sheacedthat

Recorded October 2025 - Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Please share to spread awareness about metastatic breast cancer and the incredible work of the Side-Out Foundation.

Three months in: midnight edits, morning meetings, and how I know I was made for this. If you're waiting for the "right time" to start that thing you've been thinking about, spoiler alert: there isn't one. The time is now!

Connect: @sheacedthat | [email protected]

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Michigan State Volleyball
• Coach Kelsay Interview
• Bella Bergmark Interview
• 
  

New episodes every Wednesday

Join me for an insightful conversation with professional volleyball player Bella Bergmark, who takes us from her early days as an outside hitter to becoming a two-time NCAA champion middle blocker and has played professional volleyball on various continents.

Bella opens up about her pivotal coin flip decision that led her to transfer from Cal to Texas, where she won back-to-back national championships. She breaks down the technical and mental challenges of playing middle at the professional level - from reading setters in milliseconds to adapting to the lightning-fast international game in France and Puerto Rico. She offers valuable insights on scouting opponents and the differences between college and professional volleyball.

Follow Bella Bergmark on social media for inside volleyball content and training insights!

New episodes every Wednesday!