Women on the Mic

In this episode, Kaavya sits down with Ari Manrique, assistant coach and former Cal women’s soccer player, to explore her journey on and off the field. Ari reflects on her early love for the game, the decision to play at Berkeley, and the resilience it took to transition from player to leader after a senior season injury. She shares lessons on identity, setbacks, and community service—including be...

In this episode, Kaavya sits down with Nicki Boyd, founder and managing partner of Sphera Partners, who shares her unique journey from a lifelong athlete to a seasoned investor now dedicated to the women's sports ecosystem. Nicki explains why investing in women's sports has transitioned from a DEI initiative to a compelling commercial opportunity, fully justified on an ROI basis, driven by a "flyw...

In this episode, Kaavya sits down with Morgan Hentz, 3x National Champion Libero for Stanford Volleyball, 3x AVCA First Team All-American, and pro volleyball player for Athletes Unlimited, the Atlanta Vibe of the Pro Volley Federation, and Team USA. We chat about her leadership growth at Stanford, fun memories made in the locker room, how to maintain a winning culture amidst change, and the import...

In this episode, Kaavya talks with the amazing Sam Thomas, who just finished her 5th year playing basketball for Coach Adia Barnes at the University of Arizona. They chat about growing up in a basketball playing family, choosing Arizona, and Tiktoking with her team. They also dive into Arizona's amazing story as a program that grew under Coach Barnes and made it to their first Final Four and Champ...

In this episode, Kaavya talks with Reshanda Gray--a professional basketball player overseas in Italy and the WNBA. They dive into her unconventional and impactful upbringing in South Central LA, as well as her involvement in LA After School All-Stars. She reminisces on the time she met Kobe in middle school and the impact of his advice on the trajectory of her career. Moreover, she talks about the...

In this episode, Kaavya talks with Jasmyne Spencer, a professional soccer player for Angel City FC of the NWSL. Angel City is the new NWSL expansion team founded in 2020 (starting play in 2022) with a star-studded lineup of founders and investors such as Natalie Portman, Alexis Ohanian, Abby Wambach, Mia Hamm, Candace Parker, and more! Jasmyne talks about her collegiate journey at UMD, being apart...

In this episode, Kaavya talks with Derrian Gobourne--a gymnast at Auburn University. Derrian was the first ever gymnastics national champion at Auburn in 2019 (as a freshman!!). She details winning the national championship in vault, competing against Olympians, and how she gets ready to shine in big moments. Many people admire Derrian’s bright and confident nature, so she gives her advice on what...

In this episode, Kaavya chats with Torrey Van Winden who played indoor and beach volleyball at Cal Poly SLO and beach volleyball at Florida State University. Torrey dives deep into her volleyball journey and how she was influenced by her parents’ professional sports careers. After a successful club and high school career, Torrey attended UCLA before she transferred to Cal Poly. She describes what...

In this episode, Kaavya chats with Morgan Alexander who played lacrosse for Syracuse University. Morgan recently graduated with a degree in Sports Broadcasting from Syracuse; however, her time there was filled with multiple injuries. After tearing her MCL, ACL, lateral meniscus, and dislocating her kneecap, she thought she would never play again. However, she fought back and returned her junior ye...

In this episode, Kaavya chats with Neha Pardeshi of the Indian National Rugby Team. Neha takes us on her sports journey from high school to the national team, and she details the moment she fell in love with Rugby. She explains how Rugby transformed her from a shy young girl to a strong, confident woman. Neha also expands on the growth of sports culture in India and her initiative (Beluga Sports)...

In this episode, Kaavya chats with Saroya Tinker—a rising star in the NWHL and a powerful voice advocating for inclusivity in hockey. They dive deep into her journey with ice hockey starting with her roots in Canada to her recent collegiate career at Yale University. She recalls her favorite Yale traditions, her decision to play pro, and her path to finding her own voice. Since getting drafted to...

Super exciting episode featuring 3x NWHL All-Star and 2020 NWHL Defender of the Year Kaleigh Fratkin of the Boston Pride. Kaavya talks to Kaleigh about her journey with hockey growing up and tells some incredible stories about the girls’ hockey scene in Canada and playing on boys teams. They also dive into her thoughts about the NWHL when it was founded and the landmark Discovery partnership. More...

In this episode, Kaavya chats with youth basketball coach and newly minted author of Lady-thletes. Her book addresses five lessons she learned from her time playing sports and provides the necessary tools for female athletes to work through those problems. They chat about how she got introduced to sports, how she found her love for coaching, and the inspiration behind her new book. As a youth bask...

In this episode, Kaavya chats with University of South Carolina Basketball Alum Markeshia Grant. Markeshia is also the founder of her life skills and basketball mentorship business—Savvy Skills. They talk about her unconventional journey to the Gamecocks’ powerhouse basketball program as she transferred from Junior College. They also touch upon her favorite memories at South Carolina—especially th...

In this episode, Kaavya sits down with CEO of WAKE (Women and Kids Empowerment) and Pro Basketball Player Batouly Camara to talk about her journey with sports and the work she is doing with WAKE. They address how sports is a platform to build young girls’ confidence and place them on the trajectory to success and prosperity. Batouly is a Forbes 30 Under 30 Sports Inductee and has written a book ca...

In this very special episode, Kaavya sits down with Blair Westerlund—former University of Texas volleyball player and a mental health advocate. After tearing her ACL freshman year, she had to find her identity outside of volleyball and prioritize her mental well-being. They talk about her journey with mental health and how she found strength to reach out for help. Additionally, Blair opens up abou...

This is a special episode. Kaavya chats with WNBA star Elizabeth Williams of the Atlanta Dream. The WNBA has always spoken out against racial injustice as a unified voice for years now, and this season was no different. They talk about what this season of the WNBA was devoted to—more specifically the work of the WNBA with respect to the 2021 Georgia Senate Runoff Election. After Senator Kelly Loef...

In this episode, Kaavya chats with USA Saber fencer and Olympic bronze medalist Monica Aksamit! They talk about how she picked up a sword and started fencing, how she gets mentally prepared to compete, her journey to Rio, and fencing under pressure. They also talk about some of the amazing experiences Monica alludes to on her own podcast—“On the Fence with Monica Aksamit”. From meeting celebrities...

In this episode, Kaavya brings on the first ever tennis player on the podcast—Abbey Forbes of UCLA Women’s Tennis Team. They dive deep into how she embraces the “individual” aspect of tennis and combats negative self talk. Being one of few black collegiate tennis players and after the murder of George Floyd, she was inspired to start the Black Tennis Student Athlete Alliance. Abbey talks about BTS...

In this episode, Kaavya talks to Valerie Arioto, a member of the USA Softball team. They dive deep into her journey with softball from UC Berkeley to the national team. They also talk about her new initiative—The Integrated Vault—where she emphasizes self growth through courses and journals. If you are new to self-care and want some tips, want inspiration from a USA softball players, or just need...

In this episode, Kaavya talks with the first ever race car driver on the podcast! Ayla Agren talks about her racing journey from Europe to the United States, competing in a male dominated sport, what goes through her mind before races, the importance of visualization, and the future of women’s racing and the W-series. Ayla highlights some of her proudest accomplishments as well as how she combatte...

In this episode, Kaavya and TeeTee dive into her career at USC including some of her most memorable accolades. We talk about the importance of and advice for deciding where to pursue an education. She takes Kaavya through how she achieved her goals both in the classroom and on the track. Finally, they discuss what’s next for women’s sports.

In this episode, Kaavya talks with USA Track and Field Olympian Maggie Malone. They dive deep into her sports journey, what it was like growing up, and her time at the University of Nebraska where she found Javelin. She shares advice and reflections on combatting comparing yourself to others and building mental toughness. They touch upon the triggers of social media as well as the importance of ma...

In this episode, Kaavya talks with USA Rugby Sevens player Kristi Kirshe. A graduate of Williams College, she talks through her journey playing three sports in high school, playing D3 soccer, and how she found Rugby (a really neat story). She gives advice on trying new things and feeling vulnerable, how rugby empowers young women, how to combat negative body image, and her pregame rituals. They ch...

In this episode, Kaavya talks with Theresa Plaisance of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun. They talk about her daily life in the bubble during this pandemic and her basketball journey. They touch upon her time at LSU, overcoming times when she was lacking confidence, and how impactful the WNBA is. She talks about her goals for the league and future of women’s basketball as well as advice for the next gen...