RU STRONG

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast , hosted by Jeff Durr . Today’s guest is a true legend of the gridiron, a former University of Maine Black Bear who turned his small-town determination into a nine-year NFL career. From Wareham High School in Massachusetts to Orono, Maine , Stephen Cooper’s journey is a story of grit, leadership, and resilience. During his time with the Black Bears from 1998 t...

Welcome back to another episode of the RU Strong Podcast , hosted by Jeff Durr , where grit meets greatness and athletes share their journey of resilience on and off the field. Today’s guest is someone whose story embodies Tiger Style toughness and Scarlet Knight pride. A two-time NCAA All-American , five-time NCAA qualifier , and Southern Scuffle Champion , he’s also a three-time Academic All-Big...

Welcome back to another episode of the RU Strong Podcast . Today’s guest is someone who truly embodies leadership,resilience, and transformation. Bill Burke , former Michigan State University quarterback , peak performance coach, and host of Outside the Arena . During his time in East Lansing, Bill led the Spartans to a 10-2 record , a Citrus Bowl victory , and earned his place in program history...

Welcome back to another powerful episode of the RU Strong Podcast , where we celebrate the stories of athletes who refuse to quit when life gets tough. Today, I’m fired up to introduce a guest whose story defines resilience, discipline, and redemption, Mike Vanbrill , one of the most accomplished wrestlers to ever wear the Rutgers “R.” A South Jersey native from Clearview High School , Mike was a...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast , where we dive deep into the stories of athletes and coaches who defineperseverance, purpose, and the power of mindset. Today, I’m thrilled to welcome Coach Jason Sousa , founder of The Athletic Precision Group , a transformational coaching company helping athletes rewire their minds for success beyond the game. Jason is a certified mental performance coach ,...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast, where we dive deep into the stories of athletes who define perseverance, passion, and purpose. Today, I’m fired up to welcome a young man whosejourney reflects courage, intelligence, and an unshakable belief in hard work, Jackson Proctor . Jackson grew up in Kent, Washington, and made alife-changing decision to travel 3,000 miles across the country to play fo...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast , where we dive deep into the stories of athletes who define perseverance,purpose, and personal growth. Today, I’m fired up to welcome a phenomenal guest whose journey takes us from the soccer fields of New Jersey to the front lines of athlete mental health and performance. Mia Gardner-Zambarano grew up in New Jersey,where her love for sports and competition t...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast , where we dive deep into the stories of athletes and coaches who define perseverance, passion, and purpose. Today, I’m fired up to welcome one of college baseball’s most respected leaders, University of Michigan Head BaseballCoach Tracy Smith and his former standout player, now New York Mets first-round draft pick, Mitch Voit . Coach Smith’s journey has been...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast , where we dive deep into the stories of athletes who define perseverance,passion, and purpose. Today, I’m proud to welcome another outstanding young man from the Kean University Football team, Nick Sura . Nick’s story is a masterclass in discipline, balance, and leadership. A standout linebacker for the Cougars, Nick earned All-Conference and All-District hon...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast , where we dive deep into the stories of athletes and coaches who defineperseverance, passion, and purpose. Today, I’m fired up to welcome a phenomenal young coach who’s already built an extraordinary résumé in the world ofcollegiate swimming, Trevor Maida . Trevor grew up in Hauppauge, New York , where his journey in sports began under the influence of his fa...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast, where we dive deep into the stories of athletes who define perseverance, passion, and purpose. Today, I’m fired up to welcome another University of Maine Black Bear and one of the most impressive student-athletes to ever come through that program, Tiana Bucknor . Tiana’s journey started north of the border in Milton, Ontario , where she first fell in love wit...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast , hosted by Jeff Durr ,where we dive deep into the stories behind the athletes, exploring the grit, mindset, and life lessons that carry far beyond the field. Today’s guest is one of New Jersey’s finest, Aaron Martin a Bergen Catholic standout and Rutgers University wide receiver whose story embodies discipline, humility, and the power of perseverance. Born in...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast, the show where we explore the stories behind the athletes, the lessons learned beyond the scoreboard, and the strength it takes to succeed both on and off the field. I’m your host, Jeff Durr , and today’s episode takes us across the globe, from New Jersey to Japan , for an incredible conversation with a young man whose journey defines what it means to be RU S...

Welcome back to another episode of the RU Strong Podcast , where we spotlight athletes who continue to lead withstrength long after the game clock runs out. Today, I’m honored to welcome another proud member of the Maine Black Bear family, a man whose discipline, intellect, and leadership have made an impact both on and off the field. Jeff DeVaughn earned his bachelor’s degree inKinesiology and Ex...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast. I’m your host, Jeff Durr, and today I’m honored to share the mic with an incredible leader in the world of athletics and education, Sarah Lawshe . Sarah’s journey is a powerful example of discipline, leadership, and balance. She began her athletic career at Shippensburg University , where she not only played women’s lacrosse but also served as captain of the...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast, I’m your host Jeff Durr . Today, I’m thrilled to bring on a guest whosejourney is nothing short of extraordinary, Rob Thompson . Rob’s story begins on the football field at the University of New Haven, where he was an All-Conference, All-New England, and All-American player. His playing days took him from the New England Patriots to a unique experience overse...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast! I’m your host, Jeff Durr , and today I’m honored to sit down with an incredible guest whose journey embodies resilience, reinvention,and leadership. She grew up in Gorham, Maine , making a name for herself as a standout basketball star. Her talent took her to the national stage at Villanova University , one of the biggestplatforms in college basketball. Later...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast , I’m your host, Jeff Durr , and today I have the privilege of introducing a guest whose story is both powerful and deeply moving. My guest, Ang Teeple , has lived a journey of resilience, courage, and transformation. She began her professional path as a teacher and coach, but her life took a profound turn when she chose to confront and work through years ofgr...

On this week’s RU Strong Podcast, host Jeff Durr sits down with Jenna Crisalli , a former Rutgers University gymnast who turned her relentless competitive drive into a thriving career in medical device sales. From Freehold, NJ to the Big Ten stage, Jenna’s story is one of resilience, courage, and betting on herself. She walked on to the Rutgers gymnastics team and ultimately earned a full scholars...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast !I’m your host, Jeff Durr, and today I’m fired up to introduce you to an incredible guest whose journey truly embodies strength on and off the field. Joining me is Steven Davis Jr , a proud son of St. Louis, Missouri, and a 2008 graduate of the University of Minnesota, where he made his mark on the football field as a defensive force. His highlight reel tells...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast! I’m your host, Jeff Durr , and today I’m excited to sit down with an incredible guest whose story is all about resilience, reinvention,and passion. He’s a former Rutgers University soccer player whose athletic career took an unexpected turn after a major injury. But instead of letting that setback define him, he used it as fuel, shifting his mindset and chann...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast. I’m your host, Jeff Durr, and today I have an absolutely phenomenal guest, someone whose list of accomplishments could fill a book on its own. From the football field at Clemson University , where he was a two-time ACC Champion, First Team Freshman All American, Clemson Rookie of the Year, and All-ACC standout, to the classroom, where he earned his bachelor’s...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast! I’m your host, Jeff Durr, and today we’ve got another incredible guest whose journey both on and off the field has been nothing short of inspiring. He played his college football at Clemson University , earning All-ACC honors and making the ACC Academic Honor Roll , proving that success comes from both the classroom and the gridiron. With a degree in sociolog...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast, hosted by Jeff Durr. Today, we highlight not only a remarkable athlete but also a dedicated student who’s entering the final stretch of her collegiate journey. From Mountainside, New Jersey, she made her markearly at Governor Livingston High School, excelling as a four-year letter winner in basketball, track, and soccer. That competitive drive led her to Rutg...

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast, hosted by Jeff Durr. Today we’re diving into the journey of a determined young man who has taken his talents from the fields of New Jersey all the way up north to the University of Maine. Our guest, Amir Byrd , started his football career at Rutgers University, earning his undergraduate degree before transferring to the University of Maine, where hecontinued...