NXTVB

Are you actively choosing your recruiting process, or quietly letting it happen to you? In this episode, Susan builds on the last two conversations and gets into one of the biggest reasons recruiting timelines look so different from athlete to athlete: different goals create different timelines. She walks through a spectrum she sees almost every athlete fall somewhere on, from the very specific at...

What if your recruiting journey was never supposed to look like anyone else's? In this episode, Susan continues the post-June 15th conversation with one of her favorite analogies for recruiting: the road trip. She walks through what would happen if 100 families started in San Francisco with the same goal of getting to New York City, and why none of them would arrive in the same way, on the sa...

What if June 15th wasn't a verdict, but a flashlight? In this follow-up to last week's episode, Susan goes deeper on what June 15th actually reveals and how athletes and families can make sense of what they saw (or didn't see) once the day passed. Through two memorable analogies, a tunnel and a big box with multiple doors, she paints a clear picture of what's actually happening...

What if June 15th wasn't a verdict on your future, but just one date on a much longer calendar? With June 15th approaching, Susan goes solo to reframe how athletes and families are thinking about the most hyped-up day in volleyball recruiting. She breaks down what June 15th actually is (and isn't), why most athletes won't have a dramatic recruiting breakthrough on that single day, a...

What separates a recruiting call that lands an offer from one that gets quietly forgotten? In this episode, Susan welcomes back Ben and Nancy Somera, the married coaching duo leading programs at Wesleyan University (Division III) and Fairfield University (Division I). This time, they go deeper into what's actually happening behind the scenes of the recruiting process, from the chase for the &...

What if everything you've been told about the gap between D1 and D3 volleyball is missing the bigger picture? In this episode, Susan sits down with Ben and Nancy Somera, a married coaching duo leading programs at two different division levels. Ben is the head coach at Wesleyan University (Division III), and Nancy is the head coach at Fairfield University (Division I). Together, they offer a r...

What if the “best” recruiting path isn’t the one everyone else is chasing? In this episode, Susan sits down with professional volleyball player Kenzie Foley to talk about her journey from Division II volleyball to playing professionally overseas in Germany. Kenzie shares why she chose the Division II route over lower-level Division I opportunities, how she found the right fit during recruiting, an...

What could happen to volleyball recruiting if college athletes are given five full years of eligibility? In this episode, Susan breaks down the NCAA’s proposed “5 years to play 5” rule and shares seven major ripple effects she believes could reshape the future of volleyball recruiting. From fewer roster spots at top programs to the growing importance of Division III and junior college opportunitie...

June 15th is a major milestone in volleyball recruiting, but most athletes spend years preparing physically without ever learning how to confidently handle conversations with college coaches. In this bonus episode, Susan gives families a behind-the-scenes look inside her June 15th Prep Club, a guided experience designed to help athletes feel calm, prepared, and confident going into recruiting conv...

What does recruiting actually look like from the moment a coach sees your name to a final decision? In Part 2, Susan continues her conversation with Chad Koenegstein and Andrew Brown, breaking down how the Division III recruiting process works behind the scenes. They walk through the recruiting funnel, from crowded inboxes to narrowing down a class, and explain how coaches evaluate athletes, the r...

What does the recruiting process actually look like from a Division III coach’s perspective? In Part 1 of this conversation, Susan sits down with Chad Koenegstein, Head Coach (UC Santa Cruz), and Andrew Brown, Head Coach (NYU), to talk about their journeys into coaching and what makes the Division III experience unique. They share how recruiting has evolved, including the impact of technology and...

If you’ve been trying to approach recruiting like a step-by-step checklist, this episode will challenge the way you think about the process. In this episode, Susan shares a powerful analogy that reframes recruiting as a road trip instead of a fixed plan. Athletes and families often want the exact steps and a guaranteed path, but in reality, recruiting is about direction, not perfection. Susan brea...

What if waiting in the recruiting process could actually create more opportunities? In Part 2 of this conversation, Susan continues her discussion with Keegan Cook, head coach at the University of Minnesota, to break down how timing impacts recruiting opportunities for the class of 2028 and rising prospects. Keegan explains why recruiting can feel inconsistent and how factors like the transfer por...

If you’ve ever felt like the recruiting process suddenly speeds up and everything happens at once, this episode will help you understand why. In Part 1 of this conversation, Susan sits down with Keegan Cook, head coach at the University of Minnesota, to talk through how the current recruiting timeline actually works and what’s changed over the years. They break down the June 15th rule, why communi...

What does it actually mean when you see an “evaluation” on your University Athlete profile? In Part 2 of Susan’s conversation with Corie Murphy from University Athlete, they break down one of the most misunderstood parts of the platform: coach evaluations. Athletes often assume an evaluation means strong recruiting interest, but the reality is more nuanced. Corie explains how college coaches use t...

If you’ve ever wondered why college coaches spend so much time on their phones at volleyball tournaments, this episode will help you understand what they’re doing. In Part 1, Susan sits down with Corie Murphy from University Athlete (UA) to talk about how the platform works and why it has become an essential tool in college volleyball recruiting. Corie shares the origin of UA and explains how it e...

Join Susan for a valuable taste of a lesson you get inside the Volleyball Recruiting School membership. College volleyball camps can play a role in the recruiting process, but many families sign up for them without fully understanding how coaches actually use them. In this episode, Susan shares a sneak peek from one of the lessons inside Volleyball Recruiting School, where she breaks down how to t...

What does it actually mean to “make it easy for a college coach” during the recruiting process? In this episode, Susan breaks down one of the most important principles families often overlook: college coaches are extremely busy, and athletes who make their lives easier stand out immediately. From how you share film to the way you structure your emails and profiles, small details can make a big dif...

You say you want to play volleyball in college. But what if the real thing stressing you out isn’t the goal… it’s the timeline you attached to it? In this episode, Susan unpacks one of the biggest hidden pressures in recruiting: the belief that it should have happened by now. For the Class of 2026 and 2027 especially, watching other athletes commit can create a quiet panic — even when you’re doing...

If you’ve heard the phrase “general interest” from a college coach and walked away confused or unsure what it actually means, this episode is for you. In this bonus episode, Susan breaks down what “general interest” really means in Division I volleyball recruiting, why coaches use this language, and how families should interpret it without jumping to conclusions. Susan explains the realities of re...

If it feels like every club suddenly announced a college camp at the same time, you’re not imagining it. In this episode of the NXTVB Podcast, Susan breaks down the growing trend of college camps hosted at clubs and explains how they fit into the volleyball recruiting process. She shares why these camps can be a valuable use of time and resources when approached strategically. Susan walks through...

What happens when talent is no longer the differentiator? In Part 2 of this deep-dive conversation, Susan and Sonja shift from big-picture mindset to the specific mental tools elite athletes use to perform under pressure and sustain success at the highest levels. Sonja shares firsthand experiences from professional volleyball and Team USA, where every athlete in the gym is talented — and mental sk...

Talent might open the door, but mindset determines who stays. In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Susan sits down with Sonja Anderson to unpack what actually separates athletes who rise to the top from those who stall out, even when talent levels are similar. Sonja’s journey spans every level of the game — from small-town high school volleyball to Division I All-American, 12 years playing pro...

In Part 2, Susan and Meredith move from experience to decision-making. They unpack how recruiting actually works across Ivy League, mid-major, and Power Four programs — including timelines, academic expectations, scholarships, financial aid, NIL, and rev share. Meredith explains the Ivy League academic index, why recruiting timelines move differently, and common misconceptions that cause families...

Division I volleyball isn’t one experience — and treating it like it is can lead families down the wrong path. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Susan sits down with Meredith Schamun, a Division I coach who has coached at the Ivy League, mid-major, and Power Four levels. Meredith brings a rare, behind-the-scenes perspective on what actually separates these environments beyond the label of “...