The college sports landscape is a wonky place.

And that’s an understatement. Between NIL rules, the transfer portal, and constantly changing eligibility requirements, it’s tough to keep up with what is and isn’t allowed.

That’s why we’re taking today’s episode of The GIST of It to directly compare two college athletes: Baylor men’s basketball center James Nnaji and Augsburg University runner Mohammed Bati. Nnaji was drafted to the NBA in 2023 but is now competing as a college athlete, while Bati has been banned from competing after accepting $6K in donations to pay his tuition. Make it make sense. 

Show notes:
Support The Sharing Shelf with Teagan

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Happy New Year!

And welcome back to our exciting new series, She’s Not Next She’s Now. We’ll dig into eight different new and emerging women’s sports, discussing the history of how we got here, the current state of the game, and what comes next.

And it’s not just co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Lauren Tuiskula driving the conversation; we’ll also be chatting with the executives, players, and fans who make these leagues and sports what they are today.

For today’s episode, the last in our series, we’re heading to the hardwood where women’s basketball is changing rapidly. 

Show notes:

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There’s no crying in baseball!

Welcome to our exciting new series, She’s Not Next She’s Now. We’ll dig into eight different new and emerging women’s sports, discussing the history of how we got here, the current state of the game, and what comes next.

And it’s not just co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Lauren Tuiskula driving the conversation; we’ll also be chatting with the executives, players, and fans who make these leagues and sports what they are today.

For today’s episode, we’re discussing a real life league of their own: the Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL), which is set to launch in 2026. But this milestone moment for women’s baseball is decades in the making, a history we’ll dig into today.

And it’s not just El and Lauren for today’s conversation — we have a star-studded lineup of guests: WPBL No. 1 pick Kelsie Whitmore, and WPBL co-founder Justine Siegal. Play ball, baby.

Show notes:

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Show notes:

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Is that “Auld Lang Syne” we hear?

Must be, because it’s time for our favorite annual tradition: our Year-in-Review pod. On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz share their favorite 2025 sports moments, from the Toronto Blue Jays’ World Series run to the heated rivalry before Heated Rivalry: The Four Nations tourney. Tune in and prepare to be nostalgic. 

Show notes:
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Let’s ruck and roll!

Welcome to our exciting new series, She’s Not Next She’s Now. We’ll dig into eight different new and emerging women’s sports, discussing the history of how we got here, the current state of the game, and what comes next. And it’s not just co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Lauren Tuiskula driving the conversation; we’ll also be chatting with the executives, players, and fans who make these leagues and sports what they are today.

For today’s episode, we’re taking it to the pitch to discuss the booming world of women’s rugby. We chatted with Canadian rugby star and World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year Sophie de Goede, Women’s Elite Rugby Executive Chair and lead investor Deb Henretta, Head of Women’s Sports at Range Sports/Ilona Maher’s agent Rheann Engelke, and The GIST plus member Chanelle S.

Show notes:

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

And not just because of the holidays. Between the final few weeks of a thrilling NFL season and the College Football Playoff, there’s no shortage of gridiron action to take in. That’s why on today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz are tossing the perfect spiral: a College Football Playoff special, breaking down the 12-team field and this weekend’s spiciest showdowns. Hut, hut, here we go.

Show notes:
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🎓🏈 Join The GIST’s College Football Bracket Challenge

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’Twas a dark NFL Sunday.

Two major injuries rattled the league in Week 15. First, superstar Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL in the final two minutes of his team’s loss to the LA Chargers. But that wasn’t all: hours later, Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Micah Parsons went down with a non-contact knee injury that was later confirmed to be an ACL tear. Today’s episode of The GIST of It takes a look at how these devastating injuries will impact the NFL. 

Show notes:

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Batter up!

Welcome to our exciting new series, She’s Not Next She’s Now. We’ll dig into eight different new and emerging women’s sports, discussing the history of how we got here, the current state of the game, and what comes next. And it’s not just co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Lauren Tuiskula driving the conversation; we’ll also be chatting with the executives, players, and fans who make these leagues and sports what they are today.

For today’s episode, the diamond is ready to shine as we dive deep into the world of pro softball. We chatted with former Marlins General Manager and Athletes Unlimited Softball League Commissioner Kim Ng, AUSL Talons pitcher Montana Fouts, and friend of the GIST/former collegiate softball player Marga Sison.

Show notes:

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Is it hot in here?

Or is it just “Heated Rivalry,” the steamy gay romance hockey drama sweeping North America? On Tuesday, the NHL showed a trailer of the popular show at the Montreal Canadiens Pride Night, a viral moment that has everyone talking. On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz contextualize the moment in the grand scheme of hockey culture, which is notoriously homophobic, and discuss if this is a true ground-breaking moment for the league. 

Show notes:
Episode #484
Hockey romance edition of The Group Chat

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