December 29, 2025 • 34 mins
“The Taylor Swift of Volleyball,” Lexi Rodriguez joins Khat and Madi. Lexi opens up about the self-doubt she experienced early in her time at Nebraska and again at the beginning of her LOVB career. As a pro, she’s found a better balance – including co-authoring a book and launching an app – and has enjoyed the opportunity to learn and adapt to the faster, more physical game.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Yeah, that's on the track. Yeah, what's up, what's up?
What's up? What's up?
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Welcome to certain thing pancakes. Baby, we're on doing the
damn thing today. It's your girl Can and Maddie King.
You know what's up?
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Yeah, that's that okay that.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Today we have got tell the people welcome to certain pancakes, everybody.
Today we have the most incredible guests. Lexi Rodrigae, you.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Better clear Baryl from Love and Rasca. Where to start?
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Lexi, you are in a four time All American in
twenty twenty one ABC A Freshman Year, Big Tail, Big twelve,
Sorry Big.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Ten levererro what you said? Twelve? I know because I'm
old say.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
We're all American at Nebraska twenty and twenty one EIGHTYCA
Freshman of the Year twenty twenty four, Big Taylor Burrough
of the Year. You got all the accolades. Girl, you
are the ope. I'm getting up to everything right now.
But thank you and welcome to serving pancakes.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Yes, thanks for having me. I'm excited to get to
chat with you. Guys.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
You have truly remind me like in my mind, you're
kind of like the Taylor Swift of volleyball.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
I like that.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
I like that about the followers. I'm like, how do
I I should have gone to Nebraska?
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Damn?
Speaker 5 (01:50):
All right, We're gonna hit you with some just quick
questions first. Okay, okay, loosen it up, all right? What
do people always get wrong about you from social media?
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Oh? Okay, this is a loose en up one.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Person, go straight to it.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (02:09):
I think some people think that I'm maybe a little
bit more serious than I am, and I feel like
I'm very much just like go with the flow of
kind of goofy, fun like whatever type of person and player.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Honestly, Like, I feel like some people just get I
give off the vibe of.
Speaker 6 (02:30):
Like, oh, I'm so like serious, and which I am.
I can be serious, but like I definitely just like
to have fun.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
That kind of goes into my next question too, like,
you know, we know Lexi or guess is the athlete?
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Like who you are?
Speaker 2 (02:42):
They're sports mal American, all the great things you've done,
but like this is our first time actually getting to
know you, get to talk to you, like who is Lexi?
Like you know who what's like? Who's Lexi without volleyball?
Not that jersey on her back.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
I love to stay active. I love to do things.
Speaker 6 (02:54):
I love to meet new people and build connections and
do little whatever. Like I am always on the go
type of person, Like I don't like to just like
stay inside and do nothing, like I wanna if you
want to go get coffee, I'll go get coffee. Let's
go play pick a ball or do something. And I
feel like that's kind of how he's always been a
(03:17):
big family oriented person.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
And daw the video of you guys dancing, you was
getting down. I was like, oh god, I went to
practice talking about it and I was like, I had
no idea.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Maybe girl glast seasoning like you were killing it. You
were killing it. Oh my gosh, thank you.
Speaker 6 (03:35):
I don't know if you guys know Alexi's heart, but
she was my She was my inspo because she was
really getting into it and I was like.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Okay, okay, I can loosen.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Up a little bit. But it was fun.
Speaker 6 (03:49):
But like stuff like that, like I love like doing
stuff outside of vallad ball that's just random and fun.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
I do a lot of random, fun stuff. I love.
Speaker 5 (03:59):
I'll see anything, yeah for whatever, I'm saying yes, because
I like the experience too. So there's only a good
story that will come.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Out of Yes, I agree.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
That's kind of how we met too.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
It was like she's always wanted to be down and
do something, and I'm like, yeah, might as well.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
I do not nothing else. Dommes exactly sit on the couch,
be on TikTok whatever.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
I know, I do my fair show that trust me.
Speaker 5 (04:24):
Okay, who's the hardest hitter you've ever had to dig?
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Ooh?
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Like one of those ones.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Just like my chest hurts, my arms are on the
floor actually and I'm intesched on my body.
Speaker 5 (04:36):
The ball went through me, not that we.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
M my eyes.
Speaker 6 (04:45):
I would say there's a few thinking back more of
my college days because I trust me. I know there's
a lot of people in this league that are scary,
but I would say in my college days it was
I was like, yeah, but I would say in my
college days, Devin Robinson, I don't know if you guys
(05:09):
know her. She went to Wisconsin and then also Jess muziic.
I feel like whether yeah, whether it was Michigan.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Or Penn State, like always like I was like, all right,
we're playing Jess. I had to bring my game.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Well, obviously everyone went to other big question, especially me,
like I'm sure you had so many colleges after you
you know why Nebraska?
Speaker 6 (05:31):
Oh well, actually, interesting fact, I guess they were my
only offer.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Oh yeah, so I was I was pretty young.
Speaker 6 (05:40):
I was fourteen when like I started getting recruited and
then I don't even know how, I somehow got invited
to a summer camp there, and the plan was kind
of to just go to be like, oh, we went
to a Nebraska camp, and like even my mom was like,
(06:00):
probably let's look at more realistic options for like after
this camp, you know, like no, no shade to her, Like.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
We were just we were trying to be realistic.
Speaker 6 (06:16):
And then I went to this camp and they ended
up offering me like at the end of the like
four days, and so it was kind of just like
after being there, like I was like, the facilities are amazing.
I at the time, Caleb Banworth was the assistant coach there,
so I was like the staff like I really wanted.
I never ended up getting to be coached by her,
(06:38):
but I was like I wanted to be coached by her.
And after I mean, when you're on the visit, they
share all their history and everything, and I.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Just literally fell in love.
Speaker 6 (06:47):
So then I was like I said yes on the
spot right there.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Yeah, I like literally because it was like kind of
I don't even know, like what, I don't even know
what the rules are technically, but.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Rules the rules.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
We followed all the rules obviously, but I remember like
telling my mom. I was like, Mom, I'm pretty sure
they offered me.
Speaker 6 (07:20):
She was like, you're what, like, you're pretty what do
you mean You're pretty sure? And then we ended up
because like I couldn't even like remember, like I completely
was like just so taken back. And then we like
had a meeting, talked about everything, and then we're actually
like left and I got to the like elevator and
I was like I want to say yes.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Mom.
Speaker 6 (07:39):
She's like, why do you Why don't you tell them?
I was like, well, I don't know, like am I
am I allowed to? You're just gonna like let me
and find me. I was fourteen years old, like I
didn't get but yeah, so then it just, yeah, it
just happened, and luckily it was a good decision.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Yea come true.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
You know.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
Can we start though, from a little before that, like
what was your volleyball experience growing up and tell us
where you're from and everything about you and start at birth,
when did you start playing?
Speaker 5 (08:14):
And where are you from?
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Okay, I'm from Sterling, Illinois, so it's kind of a
smaller town, only like fourteen thousand people. And then I started.
Speaker 6 (08:25):
Playing when I was I think seven. I had an
older sister, she was four years older than me, and
it was pretty much like she was always at practices,
so then I was always at her practices and just
kind of ended up classic yeah, classic playing peppering against
the wall. And then I was like, mom, can I play?
(08:47):
And there wasn't really like any teams at our club
that was like that young, so like I had to
wait a little while, and then eventually my sister and
I ended up going to Sports Performance. I don't know
if you guys know that club in like the suburbs area.
So then we ended up my sister and I and
then our family of course would have to drive us
(09:09):
like an hour and a half to go to practices.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
And dedication, come back and yeah, do all that stuff.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
And then Nebraska all this times literally and yeah, like
oh like I'm that bitch, like I'm the ship.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Moment we were like you know what, like I'm actually
pretty good at this. When was that like moment for you?
I would say, hmm f Sauna, you can be real.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
I already I don't know because I I always was
like a big dreamer, Like I was like, oh, I
want to do all like all this stuff, but like
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (09:52):
My mom would try and keep me humble of like, Okay,
let's look at what's actually possible.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Not that it wasn't.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Possible, but yeah, you gotta you need someone to keep
you home. O.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Gosh, you're so normal. She's such a normal, like humble spirit.
Like we was delusional. What do you mean I'm go anywhere?
I'm better at her? Yeah?
Speaker 6 (10:10):
That was that was not me, Like I did not
really think that like that would really be possible.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
My sister, she was older than me. Obviously we were
both going to this club, but we were like we
don't even know. She'll get to like get a scholarship
to go to college. Like that was like a big deal,
just like getting a scholarship for her. And so I
think like once she kind of did that and committed
and like all that stuff, then I think that's when
I was like, oh, okay, like I think I think
(10:38):
I can do this too. So she was like seventeen,
sixteen seventeen, so I was, yeah, like thirteen.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
And she kind of paid the way for you.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 5 (10:57):
How do you feel like it was when you got
to the Rasca. Was that a shock for you?
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Like when I first got to college.
Speaker 5 (11:05):
Because now you're like, I'm a little verable. I didn't
even know I was gonna like get a scholarship, and
now I'm.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
I ain't supposed to be here are some of those
big dogs?
Speaker 5 (11:13):
Well, like what how was that?
Speaker 3 (11:16):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (11:16):
I was very very like very scary, Like I was
so I'm gonna be so honest.
Speaker 5 (11:22):
I was so.
Speaker 6 (11:23):
Scared and like it was during the like COVID year,
so like Lauren Stiffrance and Lexis Son who were supposed
to be like not like oh you were supposed to
be gone, but like I was like, oh, I'll never
get to like play with them like people I kind
of like admired, and then they were going to be
(11:43):
there for my freshman year. So I was like crapping myself,
like I was like, oh my God, like I have
I have to I get to play with Laurence Stifferance
like so yeah, I was definitely like.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
A very like I don't know what I'm doing here
type of vibe for that first year, and.
Speaker 6 (12:01):
Even like when they were like, Okay, you're gonna be
this starting Liberro, like the whole year it was just
like a are you guys sure?
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Like I don't.
Speaker 6 (12:11):
I'd not like I believed in myself, but it's just
like I don't know. You get to that stage you're like,
I don't know if I can do it at this.
Speaker 5 (12:19):
Level, then yeah, do you feel like do you feel
like that?
Speaker 4 (12:23):
When do you feel like you grew into that where
you're like, Okay, now I'm not Nebraska. I've finally built
this belief in myself and you've proved yourself like Postress
for near obviously, but like, how do you feel like
you got to that point of being able to believe
in yourself and maybe not feeling the like kind of
imposter syndrome, which like I feel like we've all felt.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
I felt that even when I.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
Went overseas, because you're like, yeah, these people are way
better than me.
Speaker 6 (12:47):
Yes, I would say I didn't like completely like believe
that I belonged there or felt that I belonged there
at whatever you want to call it until like my
junior year, but I feel like it was mostly credit
to like the coaches I had, and specifically like all
the assistants that I worked with. You just know when
(13:08):
you have a coach who you can like feel they
believe in you. And to me it was like Tyler
Hildebrand and then Jalen Reyes, who is there my entire
four years.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
And obviously, like you you get awards and stuff and
like but to me, like that almost like would make
it worse because then I would be like, I don't
I don't know why I'm like getting this like stuff
like that. So it wasn't until like later.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
That's interesting too, I feel like special, like this generation
for volleyball, and this is not on paper, it's going
off with my brain, but like I feel like a
lot of players around you, guys like I guess generation
of Airplane have struggled with that like kind of mental
aspect bars like am I good enough for almost second
guests in yourself? And like that's been a big struggle.
I think that's kind of where this whole wave of
like mental health has kind of set.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Into for volleyball. I would say, because for us it.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Was like I mean I'm humble too, but you know
that was never a thought for me, you know what
i mean, Like I never one of one, you know,
like you're too mad at you know what I'm saying,
Like we like you know you can it's not even
about alcoholades you can look around and be like, oh yeah,
I'm killing you, Like yeah, you ain't even get dead dead.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
The tournament's dead dead. You know what I'm saying. It
was never like a thought.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
I think that's one thing that's about being my pro
life too and as an adult, Like the biggest thing
I like I would try to give back, especially to
you you girls are coming up, is like I want
to be able to like find my own way of
teaching you guys that like has had that confidence and
have your your hold your head high because like volleyball
is just like such a small part of your life,
you know what I mean, And you're able to take
all these things you've learned now and take them into
your real life, like when you're gonna be a wife,
(14:44):
when you're going to be a parent, you know what
I'm saying. So like you are and I just hope
you continue doing that. And I'm assuming even now with
all those accolades and all those awards that like.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
You pop in your like you're doing right now you.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
Know, yeah, oh I appreciate that. Yeah, I definitely yeah, I.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Don't know, yes, like you need to Yeah, but.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
It is so real, Like Cat, I feel in college
like I was very similar to you.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
I didn't care about anyone else. I was like I'm
gonna play, not gonna play. And then going abroad was
when it started to feel that a lot, because I
was like everybody is now my caliber and I have
to match up or like I'm gonna be fired. Yeah,
and that was super stressful for me, so very similar.
I was like do I belong here? And then the
accolades come, but you're like, well I don't think I
(15:33):
deserve that, but thank you anyway. And now I have
to find a way to like I'm fighting my own brain,
but I am still performing well, so like how.
Speaker 5 (15:40):
Do I It makes sense? But it's so hard.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Yeah, And that's a lot of personal growth too, especially
just in that part of our lives being overseas, because
you're forced to do It's like if I don't change
my mindset about myself or like what I'm thinking, this
is going to cost me my job. You know, this
is like my lifestyle and my living, like you know,
whether you're first get that first check and being fresh
rookies overseas. What I'm saying, so like we had to
like be in those vim and change that mindset fast,
you know, So kudos to you, and like you're so
(16:04):
young and you still have so many great things ahead
of you.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Like and it's gonna be hard.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Doesn't say it's gonna get easier, you know what I mean,
you STI gonna have those challenges, but like keep remembering
this experience and being like, hey, you know what, I
got through this mountain.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Here comes the next one. I'm getting over this one too,
you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Seriously, Yeah, yeah, I appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Really, we'll support Yeah, we'll support you. After that, I'm
ticking on your.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
Do you feel like do you feel like now playing
pro so we'll transition to that. I do feel like
a similar vibe of like, I don't know if you
want to talk about this, but like what was your
mindset kind of going now shifting into playing professionally?
Speaker 5 (16:44):
Because yeah, for sure.
Speaker 6 (16:47):
Yeah, I would say me as a person now like
has more of that like work life balance, whatever whatever
you want to call it. Of like I can go,
I'm not obviously amazing at it, but like more being
able to separate the volleyball part from my life part
and I just have like things outside of it and
(17:08):
ways to kind of get through the.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Rough patches or whatever. But I would say it's.
Speaker 6 (17:13):
Still fairly similar to like when I first got to college.
Now it's like, okay, now I'm first going into like
professional volleyball, Like I always knew it was going to
be harder and faster and more competitive, and everyone's kind
of at this caliber, and yeah, like I'm it's definitely
been a challenge, but I've also been honestly just trying
(17:36):
to like learn a lot because I feel like there's
no better time than like when you're fresh into it
then to be like okay, like hit me with whatever,
like obviously like okay, I'm exposed if like this is
a weakness, like okay, like let's get better at it.
So I definitely have a more healthier relationship with like
(17:57):
this challenge than I did when I first got to college.
Speaker 5 (18:01):
All I hate seeing and do you like what was
your process with love?
Speaker 1 (18:04):
How did you know?
Speaker 5 (18:05):
Did you want to play pro or did you know
that you wanted to play pro at all?
Speaker 6 (18:09):
Yeah, I would say I always knew, like since I
got to Nebraska in college that I wanted to play pro.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
I kind of always mentally prepared that I would have
to like go overseas somewhere, didn't really nowhere, like obviously,
I know, everyone kind of starts in different places. And
then I would say once I heard about love like my.
Speaker 6 (18:35):
Sophomore junior year, so I think it was my sophomore year.
Then I was like, okay, like I I hope this
is like I hope this is a thing, like once
I'm like out of college. And then it kind of
just like lined up perfectly, and they had an opportunity
for me to stay in Nebraska, and I was like,
I'm not going to.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Pass that up.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Like this is has become a new home for me.
So it was kind of perfect.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Yeah. It's like he was like, you come to Omaha,
You're like, yeah, I'm playing.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
Yeah, so what do you feel like The biggest adjustment
was then going from collegiate to progre it's last year,
Oh boy.
Speaker 6 (19:15):
I would just say, honestly, like just the speed, Like
every I feel like every time you go to like
from this to this or this to this, like just
when it gets faster and people are more physical and
have been playing for years and years overseas in the
top leagues. And then I was coming off playing in
(19:37):
college in the Big ten, and I was like, okay,
like this is different.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
It's hard, but it was good. I liked it, and like,
looking back, I am.
Speaker 6 (19:46):
Pretty grateful that I kind of just got to like
sit back and kind of learn from Justine and just
watch and be able to get in the gym like
on off days and be able to like work on
things and not really have that pressure right away of
like yeah, okay, you need to perform and you need
to whatever. Like it was actually a really good like
(20:10):
transition into pro volleyble.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Right.
Speaker 5 (20:13):
Yeah, you had so many greats around you. They're just
kind of like lead the way. So that's really cool.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
But obviously you had an opportunity to go out there
versus Salt Lake, So how is that your name to
go win?
Speaker 1 (20:24):
What's the thought in your head?
Speaker 6 (20:26):
I was definitely really nervous, it was, yeah, because it
was just like lots of learning curves in the first
like couple of months, So I was like, okay, here
we go, like time.
Speaker 3 (20:38):
To do the damn thing. And I was like if
coach wants me out here, like there's there's a reason
I'm out here. So just it was fun.
Speaker 6 (20:45):
I was.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
I mean, for a while it was just like a
serving sub and I was like, okay, like I'm gonna
I'm gonna serve my heart away, like I'm gonna do it,
and so.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
Get back there. But I got to do.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
I was kind of just grateful to be able to
do it and to be able to be a part
of like the first year and everything. So overall it
was great experience.
Speaker 5 (21:10):
Did you get an ace in that my name?
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Okay?
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Okay, okay in the in the fifth set? My first
pro ace?
Speaker 1 (21:21):
Okay it mattered, yes, okay.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
And also you've been doing USA Volleyball for for a while, right,
but this year was your first year kind of with
the top team.
Speaker 6 (21:34):
I guess, yeah, like I've done like the youth, yeah,
youth national team stuff like that, but then yeah, got
thrown into the big pond this year.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
Summer.
Speaker 5 (21:47):
You went to VNL a couple of weeks. Yeah, where
what what legs were you on?
Speaker 6 (21:53):
I went to the second and third week and then
I went to finals.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
Okay, nice going abroad with me before.
Speaker 6 (22:04):
I've been abroad but from like the you twenty one
stuff like that.
Speaker 5 (22:11):
Yeah, what are your thoughts? How was it?
Speaker 3 (22:14):
It was good.
Speaker 6 (22:15):
I feel like I again, like coming from love. I
didn't really play that much, so I was like, Okay,
this is my first time like being back in like
the bro jersey like whatever.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
So I was kind of going into it with just
like Okay, we.
Speaker 6 (22:31):
Gotta learn, we gotta get the like, get the rust out,
give yourself grace type of thing.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
And I feel like it like went pretty well.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
Like I was.
Speaker 6 (22:41):
Obviously able to travel and get to play in some
matches against like some pretty good teams, some of the
best teams, and so it was good. And then I
really enjoyed getting to play with like Poulter and Skinner
and Dana and everyone just like who has a lot
of experience, like just getting to like learn and kind
(23:04):
of see like that level of play.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
So it was really good. I met a lot of
cool people, so that was fun.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
Yeah, you meet all the best people in that gym.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
Yeah, yeah, truly a lot of my best girls are
from there.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
So friendship is much the best work because I'm not
in there, so then we do all the best the
words Be and Maddie are best friends.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
We're best friends.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
Have you guys ever played on the same protein before?
Speaker 1 (23:31):
No, I mean.
Speaker 5 (23:34):
Really yet, but no, we played together, like in the
same city in twenty twenty What year, Maza we.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Talked about this twenty to twenty two.
Speaker 5 (23:45):
We were both in Istanbul.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
Yeah, and I had beef in college and then so
like I had a really terrible.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Beef with the not big beef but then with one
sided what it was.
Speaker 4 (23:59):
Once inside cited beef. Years later, we're both playing in Istanbul.
We got invited out for like a dinner of all
the Americans, and only the two of us showed up,
and I was like this girl, like I have to
I have to say I did it.
Speaker 5 (24:13):
And then like we squashed it and then just became
friends from there. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
Yeah, it's so cute. It was even really a beef.
But wasn't that the squash Watch.
Speaker 5 (24:27):
Yeah, watch episode one of this the whole beef is explained.
Speaker 4 (24:31):
Oh okay, do you have aspirations of like LA Olympics
or like, what are your thoughts?
Speaker 5 (24:39):
Are you after national team this summer? Are you like,
I want to be in this gym. It's like something
really low where you like, I'm just gonna see how goes.
Speaker 6 (24:46):
Uh, obviously I have goals to play in an Olympics.
I don't like, would it be really cool to play
in LA twenty eight, Yes, but obviously I know, like
it's times joindling down like it's in a.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
Few years, like if my name is not called.
Speaker 6 (25:06):
Like I will just keep playing and keep striving for
the next one. But I just want to like keep
getting better and as long as like I'm enjoying it
and loving like the process, like I don't, I don't
see why not, but yeah, hopefully hopefully I get invited back.
Speaker 5 (25:23):
Yeah, I mean all you can ask for.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Look at us, like we've been playing.
Speaker 5 (25:28):
For way too long now, but we still need to think.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
It's all right. I'm just kidding.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
I'm also like admiring you for you to be your
age and you seem just such a high level thinker too,
just about your you know your personality and who you
are as a person, and just like the way you
think of things, even like you said thinking about the LA,
it's like you're focusing on the things you can control,
which is like you're joint left of the game and
being part of that and it looks like that like
that's who you are as a person and you enjoy
playing it, Like you know, what is about the volleyball
that makes you so happy as the people is being
(25:55):
able to just call this space something that that's yours
that you're really good at.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Like what brings you so much happiness playing?
Speaker 6 (26:02):
I would say it's definitely the people, like people and experiences,
I guess, but like not like oh I got to
go to this place more like I don't know, you
just get to do cool things together with like teams,
And I'm sure we've all been a part of teams
where it's like, oh, we lost every single game, but
like the experience and the memories I have with that
(26:22):
team or like stuff you carry with And I don't
know if for me, like yes, I love winning and
I'm competitive and I want to accomplish my goals, but
if I didn't enjoy it like I want, I want
to want to like keep going, and like why I
enjoy it is because of like the people I meet
(26:43):
and the friendships I make and just you know, all
that fun stuff that you really get to like enjoy.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
Exactly, great answer, three tweeks.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Fucking it's truly.
Speaker 5 (26:57):
It's the people for me as well, So that's it's huge. Okay.
And then you wrote a book recently?
Speaker 1 (27:11):
Oh yeah, yeah, okay.
Speaker 6 (27:17):
I recently came out with a book. It's called The
Big Little Dream, super cute. It's a children's book, so
it's kind of like a short story just about a
little girl who wants to be in sports but is
a little undersized and doesn't really think that she belongs.
(27:38):
And then she like stumbles across volleyball and ends up
seeing it on TV and seeing it on a big
stage and just believes that she can do it. So
it's a cute, little, cute little story and.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
Yeah about you, kind of about me.
Speaker 6 (27:57):
I have to give credit where credit is do. My
co author, Kelsey is basically the brains in the writer
behind it all. Like I helped kind of draft it
a little bit and help kind of the storyline, but
she is kind of the power power woman behind it all.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
But it's.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Inspired by me and by my kind of story. But
it's not like about me.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
I'm just kidding, I'm joking.
Speaker 5 (28:29):
I'm just helped.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
I helped.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
I'm kidding. That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
Kind of yeah, but it's cool.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
Where can we find this? I want to I want
to read it.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
Uh, there's a link. I can send it to you.
Speaker 4 (28:46):
Wait, if you had to choose one person when they
adapt it to TV and film, who do you think
will play you in the movie?
Speaker 3 (28:53):
Play me? Oh gosh, okay, this is turning into a movie.
Oh my gosh. I don't know because I'm I kind
of I mean, have you guys thought.
Speaker 6 (29:02):
About this, like who would play you in a movie?
Speaker 3 (29:08):
Because I was kind of I don't know because I'm
like Hispanic and I'm just trying. I'm trying to like
think of Hispanic.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Oh that's sleeping Holes is a good one too, That is.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
Seleiner.
Speaker 6 (29:28):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
I'm not picky. If someone wants to play me, they
can do it.
Speaker 5 (29:33):
Okay, we're taking requests. And then you also have an app?
Why do you have so much stuff going on?
Speaker 1 (29:40):
I'm behind in life.
Speaker 5 (29:43):
Making, Like all I do is one.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
I'm in the kitchen all the time.
Speaker 5 (29:53):
I do need hobbies.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
So croucheng is one of on my list of to
dos to lards. But yes I did.
Speaker 6 (30:01):
I also did just release an app called She's Sports.
I'm a co founder of it, so again have to
give credit to my other co founder, but he just
had this really cool idea when I was in college
of kind of creating something for the younger generation and
the upcoming women in sports, and then also providing an
(30:25):
opportunity for like nil for women athletes in college, just
because obviously, as we know, like a lot of the
men's players get like all of this money and then
like the women don't get any money. So we were
just like, Okay, this is a cool opportunity to kind
(30:45):
of bring the two together and give a platform that's
empowering to young girls and give them like real vulnerable,
like honest answers about like being a student athlete or
just an athlete in general, and then also giving these
female athletes kind of a place where they can do
(31:06):
that and also giving them some money.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
So what does it actually do is kind of like
a parody for just like giving advice to young athletes,
or it's something like cameo where you can like ask
a certain athlete maybe a question about mental health or
struggles and they can respond back.
Speaker 6 (31:20):
Yeah, it's kind of a mix between like that, like
the cameo style of like they have a place where
they can ask any athlete or ask to all athletes,
like any question. There's mental fitness, lifestyle, training, nutrition, all
that stuff. And then yeah, it's also a place where
you can just like the athletes can upload their own
(31:41):
content so they can kind of do whatever they want
with it, show more behind the scenes things, like more
of like a positive content platform because like obviously we
can all go to TikTok or Instagram and find the
dances and the trends and everything like that, and this
is supposed to be more like raw and helpful for
(32:03):
younger athletes.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
That's awesome.
Speaker 5 (32:04):
Oh, I love that you're doing all these things really
like inspiring the youth you're using your platform.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
Thanks, thank you guys, just.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
Amazing.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
Well I think that may be all that we have
for you, but thank you so much for chatting with us.
Speaker 5 (32:25):
This has been as up.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
It's awesome to get to know you, especially from personal lover.
Now I'm not gonna say hi to you. I'm like, oh,
she's so nice, so sweet, Like.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
Yeah, definitely a hug when we play against them, But
if I don't know anyone else, I typically don't do that.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Yourself. Welcome and girl.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
Oh yeah, thanks for having me.
Speaker 6 (32:45):
And it's nice to read you guys too officially and
I didn't know you guys were best.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
Yeah, this is my ace boon cooon.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
Yeah, but one apologize culture you guys.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
Sorry, yeah, Bay, what are the kids? What are you
younger people saying now? Like my ride or die? No
rider dies? Definitely it really I think that multi generational.
Speaker 4 (33:16):
Okay, where can we find the book? If we are
just a listener or a person watching this, you.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Can find the book at the Big Little dream dot com.
Speaker 5 (33:24):
There we go.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
It's so cute, little you, I know, little me.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
Oh you know, I know you about the things you
were at Red Bow when you play right.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
Something like that. And it used to be I'm not
a bow but like a scurrng.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Okay, that's cute. That was really cute.
Speaker 5 (33:40):
And this book's not based on you, allegedly allegedly.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
Okay, you guys, thanks for watching Serving Pancakes. I'm Pat Bell,
I'm not a kingden.
Speaker 5 (33:50):
Get you on the flip side.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
God. Serving Pancakes is an iheartwomen's sports production and partnership
with Deep Blue Sports entertain You can find us on
the iHeartRadio, app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.
Production by the League One Volleyball. We're your hosts, Kat
Beell and Mattie Rachelle, Anya Alvarez and Noah Snyder are
executive producers. Sound editing and mixing by Tiffany Oshinsky. Stay
(34:17):
tuned as we serve you up more behind the scenes
in volleyball every week. Thanks for listening.
Yeah, that's on the track. Yeah, what's up, what's up?
What's up? What's up?
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Welcome to certain thing pancakes. Baby, we're on doing the
damn thing today. It's your girl Can and Maddie King.
You know what's up?
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Yeah, that's that okay that.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Today we have got tell the people welcome to certain pancakes, everybody.
Today we have the most incredible guests. Lexi Rodrigae, you.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Better clear Baryl from Love and Rasca. Where to start?
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Lexi, you are in a four time All American in
twenty twenty one ABC A Freshman Year, Big Tail, Big twelve,
Sorry Big.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Ten levererro what you said? Twelve? I know because I'm
old say.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
We're all American at Nebraska twenty and twenty one EIGHTYCA
Freshman of the Year twenty twenty four, Big Taylor Burrough
of the Year. You got all the accolades. Girl, you
are the ope. I'm getting up to everything right now.
But thank you and welcome to serving pancakes.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Yes, thanks for having me. I'm excited to get to
chat with you. Guys.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
You have truly remind me like in my mind, you're
kind of like the Taylor Swift of volleyball.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
I like that.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
I like that about the followers. I'm like, how do
I I should have gone to Nebraska?
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Damn?
Speaker 5 (01:50):
All right, We're gonna hit you with some just quick
questions first. Okay, okay, loosen it up, all right? What
do people always get wrong about you from social media?
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Oh? Okay, this is a loose en up one.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Person, go straight to it.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (02:09):
I think some people think that I'm maybe a little
bit more serious than I am, and I feel like
I'm very much just like go with the flow of
kind of goofy, fun like whatever type of person and player.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Honestly, Like, I feel like some people just get I
give off the vibe of.
Speaker 6 (02:30):
Like, oh, I'm so like serious, and which I am.
I can be serious, but like I definitely just like
to have fun.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
That kind of goes into my next question too, like,
you know, we know Lexi or guess is the athlete?
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Like who you are?
Speaker 2 (02:42):
They're sports mal American, all the great things you've done,
but like this is our first time actually getting to
know you, get to talk to you, like who is Lexi?
Like you know who what's like? Who's Lexi without volleyball?
Not that jersey on her back.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
I love to stay active. I love to do things.
Speaker 6 (02:54):
I love to meet new people and build connections and
do little whatever. Like I am always on the go
type of person, Like I don't like to just like
stay inside and do nothing, like I wanna if you
want to go get coffee, I'll go get coffee. Let's
go play pick a ball or do something. And I
feel like that's kind of how he's always been a
(03:17):
big family oriented person.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
And daw the video of you guys dancing, you was
getting down. I was like, oh god, I went to
practice talking about it and I was like, I had
no idea.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Maybe girl glast seasoning like you were killing it. You
were killing it. Oh my gosh, thank you.
Speaker 6 (03:35):
I don't know if you guys know Alexi's heart, but
she was my She was my inspo because she was
really getting into it and I was like.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Okay, okay, I can loosen.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Up a little bit. But it was fun.
Speaker 6 (03:49):
But like stuff like that, like I love like doing
stuff outside of vallad ball that's just random and fun.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
I do a lot of random, fun stuff. I love.
Speaker 5 (03:59):
I'll see anything, yeah for whatever, I'm saying yes, because
I like the experience too. So there's only a good
story that will come.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Out of Yes, I agree.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
That's kind of how we met too.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
It was like she's always wanted to be down and
do something, and I'm like, yeah, might as well.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
I do not nothing else. Dommes exactly sit on the couch,
be on TikTok whatever.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
I know, I do my fair show that trust me.
Speaker 5 (04:24):
Okay, who's the hardest hitter you've ever had to dig?
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Ooh?
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Like one of those ones.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Just like my chest hurts, my arms are on the
floor actually and I'm intesched on my body.
Speaker 5 (04:36):
The ball went through me, not that we.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
M my eyes.
Speaker 6 (04:45):
I would say there's a few thinking back more of
my college days because I trust me. I know there's
a lot of people in this league that are scary,
but I would say in my college days it was
I was like, yeah, but I would say in my
college days, Devin Robinson, I don't know if you guys
(05:09):
know her. She went to Wisconsin and then also Jess muziic.
I feel like whether yeah, whether it was Michigan.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Or Penn State, like always like I was like, all right,
we're playing Jess. I had to bring my game.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Well, obviously everyone went to other big question, especially me,
like I'm sure you had so many colleges after you
you know why Nebraska?
Speaker 6 (05:31):
Oh well, actually, interesting fact, I guess they were my
only offer.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Oh yeah, so I was I was pretty young.
Speaker 6 (05:40):
I was fourteen when like I started getting recruited and
then I don't even know how, I somehow got invited
to a summer camp there, and the plan was kind
of to just go to be like, oh, we went
to a Nebraska camp, and like even my mom was like,
(06:00):
probably let's look at more realistic options for like after
this camp, you know, like no, no shade to her, Like.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
We were just we were trying to be realistic.
Speaker 6 (06:16):
And then I went to this camp and they ended
up offering me like at the end of the like
four days, and so it was kind of just like
after being there, like I was like, the facilities are amazing.
I at the time, Caleb Banworth was the assistant coach there,
so I was like the staff like I really wanted.
I never ended up getting to be coached by her,
(06:38):
but I was like I wanted to be coached by her.
And after I mean, when you're on the visit, they
share all their history and everything, and I.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Just literally fell in love.
Speaker 6 (06:47):
So then I was like I said yes on the
spot right there.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Yeah, I like literally because it was like kind of
I don't even know, like what, I don't even know
what the rules are technically, but.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Rules the rules.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
We followed all the rules obviously, but I remember like
telling my mom. I was like, Mom, I'm pretty sure
they offered me.
Speaker 6 (07:20):
She was like, you're what, like, you're pretty what do
you mean You're pretty sure? And then we ended up
because like I couldn't even like remember, like I completely
was like just so taken back. And then we like
had a meeting, talked about everything, and then we're actually
like left and I got to the like elevator and
I was like I want to say yes.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Mom.
Speaker 6 (07:39):
She's like, why do you Why don't you tell them?
I was like, well, I don't know, like am I
am I allowed to? You're just gonna like let me
and find me. I was fourteen years old, like I
didn't get but yeah, so then it just, yeah, it
just happened, and luckily it was a good decision.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Yea come true.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
You know.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
Can we start though, from a little before that, like
what was your volleyball experience growing up and tell us
where you're from and everything about you and start at birth,
when did you start playing?
Speaker 5 (08:14):
And where are you from?
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Okay, I'm from Sterling, Illinois, so it's kind of a
smaller town, only like fourteen thousand people. And then I started.
Speaker 6 (08:25):
Playing when I was I think seven. I had an
older sister, she was four years older than me, and
it was pretty much like she was always at practices,
so then I was always at her practices and just
kind of ended up classic yeah, classic playing peppering against
the wall. And then I was like, mom, can I play?
(08:47):
And there wasn't really like any teams at our club
that was like that young, so like I had to
wait a little while, and then eventually my sister and
I ended up going to Sports Performance. I don't know
if you guys know that club in like the suburbs area.
So then we ended up my sister and I and
then our family of course would have to drive us
(09:09):
like an hour and a half to go to practices.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
And dedication, come back and yeah, do all that stuff.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
And then Nebraska all this times literally and yeah, like
oh like I'm that bitch, like I'm the ship.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Moment we were like you know what, like I'm actually
pretty good at this. When was that like moment for you?
I would say, hmm f Sauna, you can be real.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
I already I don't know because I I always was
like a big dreamer, Like I was like, oh, I
want to do all like all this stuff, but like
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (09:52):
My mom would try and keep me humble of like, Okay,
let's look at what's actually possible.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Not that it wasn't.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Possible, but yeah, you gotta you need someone to keep
you home. O.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Gosh, you're so normal. She's such a normal, like humble spirit.
Like we was delusional. What do you mean I'm go anywhere?
I'm better at her? Yeah?
Speaker 6 (10:10):
That was that was not me, Like I did not
really think that like that would really be possible.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
My sister, she was older than me. Obviously we were
both going to this club, but we were like we
don't even know. She'll get to like get a scholarship
to go to college. Like that was like a big deal,
just like getting a scholarship for her. And so I
think like once she kind of did that and committed
and like all that stuff, then I think that's when
I was like, oh, okay, like I think I think
(10:38):
I can do this too. So she was like seventeen,
sixteen seventeen, so I was, yeah, like thirteen.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
And she kind of paid the way for you.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 5 (10:57):
How do you feel like it was when you got
to the Rasca. Was that a shock for you?
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Like when I first got to college.
Speaker 5 (11:05):
Because now you're like, I'm a little verable. I didn't
even know I was gonna like get a scholarship, and
now I'm.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
I ain't supposed to be here are some of those
big dogs?
Speaker 5 (11:13):
Well, like what how was that?
Speaker 3 (11:16):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (11:16):
I was very very like very scary, Like I was
so I'm gonna be so honest.
Speaker 5 (11:22):
I was so.
Speaker 6 (11:23):
Scared and like it was during the like COVID year,
so like Lauren Stiffrance and Lexis Son who were supposed
to be like not like oh you were supposed to
be gone, but like I was like, oh, I'll never
get to like play with them like people I kind
of like admired, and then they were going to be
(11:43):
there for my freshman year. So I was like crapping myself,
like I was like, oh my God, like I have
I have to I get to play with Laurence Stifferance
like so yeah, I was definitely like.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
A very like I don't know what I'm doing here
type of vibe for that first year, and.
Speaker 6 (12:01):
Even like when they were like, Okay, you're gonna be
this starting Liberro, like the whole year it was just
like a are you guys sure?
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Like I don't.
Speaker 6 (12:11):
I'd not like I believed in myself, but it's just
like I don't know. You get to that stage you're like,
I don't know if I can do it at this.
Speaker 5 (12:19):
Level, then yeah, do you feel like do you feel
like that?
Speaker 4 (12:23):
When do you feel like you grew into that where
you're like, Okay, now I'm not Nebraska. I've finally built
this belief in myself and you've proved yourself like Postress
for near obviously, but like, how do you feel like
you got to that point of being able to believe
in yourself and maybe not feeling the like kind of
imposter syndrome, which like I feel like we've all felt.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
I felt that even when I.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
Went overseas, because you're like, yeah, these people are way
better than me.
Speaker 6 (12:47):
Yes, I would say I didn't like completely like believe
that I belonged there or felt that I belonged there
at whatever you want to call it until like my
junior year, but I feel like it was mostly credit
to like the coaches I had, and specifically like all
the assistants that I worked with. You just know when
(13:08):
you have a coach who you can like feel they
believe in you. And to me it was like Tyler
Hildebrand and then Jalen Reyes, who is there my entire
four years.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
And obviously, like you you get awards and stuff and
like but to me, like that almost like would make
it worse because then I would be like, I don't
I don't know why I'm like getting this like stuff
like that. So it wasn't until like later.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
That's interesting too, I feel like special, like this generation
for volleyball, and this is not on paper, it's going
off with my brain, but like I feel like a
lot of players around you, guys like I guess generation
of Airplane have struggled with that like kind of mental
aspect bars like am I good enough for almost second
guests in yourself? And like that's been a big struggle.
I think that's kind of where this whole wave of
like mental health has kind of set.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Into for volleyball. I would say, because for us it.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Was like I mean I'm humble too, but you know
that was never a thought for me, you know what
i mean, Like I never one of one, you know,
like you're too mad at you know what I'm saying,
Like we like you know you can it's not even
about alcoholades you can look around and be like, oh yeah,
I'm killing you, Like yeah, you ain't even get dead dead.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
The tournament's dead dead. You know what I'm saying. It
was never like a thought.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
I think that's one thing that's about being my pro
life too and as an adult, Like the biggest thing
I like I would try to give back, especially to
you you girls are coming up, is like I want
to be able to like find my own way of
teaching you guys that like has had that confidence and
have your your hold your head high because like volleyball
is just like such a small part of your life,
you know what I mean, And you're able to take
all these things you've learned now and take them into
your real life, like when you're gonna be a wife,
(14:44):
when you're going to be a parent, you know what
I'm saying. So like you are and I just hope
you continue doing that. And I'm assuming even now with
all those accolades and all those awards that like.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
You pop in your like you're doing right now you.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
Know, yeah, oh I appreciate that. Yeah, I definitely yeah, I.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Don't know, yes, like you need to Yeah, but.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
It is so real, Like Cat, I feel in college
like I was very similar to you.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
I didn't care about anyone else. I was like I'm
gonna play, not gonna play. And then going abroad was
when it started to feel that a lot, because I
was like everybody is now my caliber and I have
to match up or like I'm gonna be fired. Yeah,
and that was super stressful for me, so very similar.
I was like do I belong here? And then the
accolades come, but you're like, well I don't think I
(15:33):
deserve that, but thank you anyway. And now I have
to find a way to like I'm fighting my own brain,
but I am still performing well, so like how.
Speaker 5 (15:40):
Do I It makes sense? But it's so hard.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Yeah, And that's a lot of personal growth too, especially
just in that part of our lives being overseas, because
you're forced to do It's like if I don't change
my mindset about myself or like what I'm thinking, this
is going to cost me my job. You know, this
is like my lifestyle and my living, like you know,
whether you're first get that first check and being fresh
rookies overseas. What I'm saying, so like we had to
like be in those vim and change that mindset fast,
you know, So kudos to you, and like you're so
(16:04):
young and you still have so many great things ahead
of you.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Like and it's gonna be hard.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Doesn't say it's gonna get easier, you know what I mean,
you STI gonna have those challenges, but like keep remembering
this experience and being like, hey, you know what, I
got through this mountain.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Here comes the next one. I'm getting over this one too,
you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Seriously, Yeah, yeah, I appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Really, we'll support Yeah, we'll support you. After that, I'm
ticking on your.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
Do you feel like do you feel like now playing
pro so we'll transition to that. I do feel like
a similar vibe of like, I don't know if you
want to talk about this, but like what was your
mindset kind of going now shifting into playing professionally?
Speaker 5 (16:44):
Because yeah, for sure.
Speaker 6 (16:47):
Yeah, I would say me as a person now like
has more of that like work life balance, whatever whatever
you want to call it. Of like I can go,
I'm not obviously amazing at it, but like more being
able to separate the volleyball part from my life part
and I just have like things outside of it and
(17:08):
ways to kind of get through the.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Rough patches or whatever. But I would say it's.
Speaker 6 (17:13):
Still fairly similar to like when I first got to college.
Now it's like, okay, now I'm first going into like
professional volleyball, Like I always knew it was going to
be harder and faster and more competitive, and everyone's kind
of at this caliber, and yeah, like I'm it's definitely
been a challenge, but I've also been honestly just trying
(17:36):
to like learn a lot because I feel like there's
no better time than like when you're fresh into it
then to be like okay, like hit me with whatever,
like obviously like okay, I'm exposed if like this is
a weakness, like okay, like let's get better at it.
So I definitely have a more healthier relationship with like
(17:57):
this challenge than I did when I first got to college.
Speaker 5 (18:01):
All I hate seeing and do you like what was
your process with love?
Speaker 1 (18:04):
How did you know?
Speaker 5 (18:05):
Did you want to play pro or did you know
that you wanted to play pro at all?
Speaker 6 (18:09):
Yeah, I would say I always knew, like since I
got to Nebraska in college that I wanted to play pro.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
I kind of always mentally prepared that I would have
to like go overseas somewhere, didn't really nowhere, like obviously,
I know, everyone kind of starts in different places. And
then I would say once I heard about love like my.
Speaker 6 (18:35):
Sophomore junior year, so I think it was my sophomore year.
Then I was like, okay, like I I hope this
is like I hope this is a thing, like once
I'm like out of college. And then it kind of
just like lined up perfectly, and they had an opportunity
for me to stay in Nebraska, and I was like,
I'm not going to.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Pass that up.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Like this is has become a new home for me.
So it was kind of perfect.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Yeah. It's like he was like, you come to Omaha,
You're like, yeah, I'm playing.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
Yeah, so what do you feel like The biggest adjustment
was then going from collegiate to progre it's last year,
Oh boy.
Speaker 6 (19:15):
I would just say, honestly, like just the speed, Like
every I feel like every time you go to like
from this to this or this to this, like just
when it gets faster and people are more physical and
have been playing for years and years overseas in the
top leagues. And then I was coming off playing in
(19:37):
college in the Big ten, and I was like, okay,
like this is different.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
It's hard, but it was good. I liked it, and like,
looking back, I am.
Speaker 6 (19:46):
Pretty grateful that I kind of just got to like
sit back and kind of learn from Justine and just
watch and be able to get in the gym like
on off days and be able to like work on
things and not really have that pressure right away of
like yeah, okay, you need to perform and you need
to whatever. Like it was actually a really good like
(20:10):
transition into pro volleyble.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Right.
Speaker 5 (20:13):
Yeah, you had so many greats around you. They're just
kind of like lead the way. So that's really cool.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
But obviously you had an opportunity to go out there
versus Salt Lake, So how is that your name to
go win?
Speaker 1 (20:24):
What's the thought in your head?
Speaker 6 (20:26):
I was definitely really nervous, it was, yeah, because it
was just like lots of learning curves in the first
like couple of months, So I was like, okay, here
we go, like time.
Speaker 3 (20:38):
To do the damn thing. And I was like if
coach wants me out here, like there's there's a reason
I'm out here. So just it was fun.
Speaker 6 (20:45):
I was.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
I mean, for a while it was just like a
serving sub and I was like, okay, like I'm gonna
I'm gonna serve my heart away, like I'm gonna do it,
and so.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
Get back there. But I got to do.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
I was kind of just grateful to be able to
do it and to be able to be a part
of like the first year and everything. So overall it
was great experience.
Speaker 5 (21:10):
Did you get an ace in that my name?
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Okay?
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Okay, okay in the in the fifth set? My first
pro ace?
Speaker 1 (21:21):
Okay it mattered, yes, okay.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
And also you've been doing USA Volleyball for for a while, right,
but this year was your first year kind of with
the top team.
Speaker 6 (21:34):
I guess, yeah, like I've done like the youth, yeah,
youth national team stuff like that, but then yeah, got
thrown into the big pond this year.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
Summer.
Speaker 5 (21:47):
You went to VNL a couple of weeks. Yeah, where
what what legs were you on?
Speaker 6 (21:53):
I went to the second and third week and then
I went to finals.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
Okay, nice going abroad with me before.
Speaker 6 (22:04):
I've been abroad but from like the you twenty one
stuff like that.
Speaker 5 (22:11):
Yeah, what are your thoughts? How was it?
Speaker 3 (22:14):
It was good.
Speaker 6 (22:15):
I feel like I again, like coming from love. I
didn't really play that much, so I was like, Okay,
this is my first time like being back in like
the bro jersey like whatever.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
So I was kind of going into it with just
like Okay, we.
Speaker 6 (22:31):
Gotta learn, we gotta get the like, get the rust out,
give yourself grace type of thing.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
And I feel like it like went pretty well.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
Like I was.
Speaker 6 (22:41):
Obviously able to travel and get to play in some
matches against like some pretty good teams, some of the
best teams, and so it was good. And then I
really enjoyed getting to play with like Poulter and Skinner
and Dana and everyone just like who has a lot
of experience, like just getting to like learn and kind
(23:04):
of see like that level of play.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
So it was really good. I met a lot of
cool people, so that was fun.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
Yeah, you meet all the best people in that gym.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
Yeah, yeah, truly a lot of my best girls are
from there.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
So friendship is much the best work because I'm not
in there, so then we do all the best the
words Be and Maddie are best friends.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
We're best friends.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
Have you guys ever played on the same protein before?
Speaker 1 (23:31):
No, I mean.
Speaker 5 (23:34):
Really yet, but no, we played together, like in the
same city in twenty twenty What year, Maza we.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Talked about this twenty to twenty two.
Speaker 5 (23:45):
We were both in Istanbul.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
Yeah, and I had beef in college and then so
like I had a really terrible.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Beef with the not big beef but then with one
sided what it was.
Speaker 4 (23:59):
Once inside cited beef. Years later, we're both playing in Istanbul.
We got invited out for like a dinner of all
the Americans, and only the two of us showed up,
and I was like this girl, like I have to
I have to say I did it.
Speaker 5 (24:13):
And then like we squashed it and then just became
friends from there. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
Yeah, it's so cute. It was even really a beef.
But wasn't that the squash Watch.
Speaker 5 (24:27):
Yeah, watch episode one of this the whole beef is explained.
Speaker 4 (24:31):
Oh okay, do you have aspirations of like LA Olympics
or like, what are your thoughts?
Speaker 5 (24:39):
Are you after national team this summer? Are you like,
I want to be in this gym. It's like something
really low where you like, I'm just gonna see how goes.
Speaker 6 (24:46):
Uh, obviously I have goals to play in an Olympics.
I don't like, would it be really cool to play
in LA twenty eight, Yes, but obviously I know, like
it's times joindling down like it's in a.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
Few years, like if my name is not called.
Speaker 6 (25:06):
Like I will just keep playing and keep striving for
the next one. But I just want to like keep
getting better and as long as like I'm enjoying it
and loving like the process, like I don't, I don't
see why not, but yeah, hopefully hopefully I get invited back.
Speaker 5 (25:23):
Yeah, I mean all you can ask for.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Look at us, like we've been playing.
Speaker 5 (25:28):
For way too long now, but we still need to think.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
It's all right. I'm just kidding.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
I'm also like admiring you for you to be your
age and you seem just such a high level thinker too,
just about your you know your personality and who you
are as a person, and just like the way you
think of things, even like you said thinking about the LA,
it's like you're focusing on the things you can control,
which is like you're joint left of the game and
being part of that and it looks like that like
that's who you are as a person and you enjoy
playing it, Like you know, what is about the volleyball
that makes you so happy as the people is being
(25:55):
able to just call this space something that that's yours
that you're really good at.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Like what brings you so much happiness playing?
Speaker 6 (26:02):
I would say it's definitely the people, like people and experiences,
I guess, but like not like oh I got to
go to this place more like I don't know, you
just get to do cool things together with like teams,
And I'm sure we've all been a part of teams
where it's like, oh, we lost every single game, but
like the experience and the memories I have with that
(26:22):
team or like stuff you carry with And I don't
know if for me, like yes, I love winning and
I'm competitive and I want to accomplish my goals, but
if I didn't enjoy it like I want, I want
to want to like keep going, and like why I
enjoy it is because of like the people I meet
(26:43):
and the friendships I make and just you know, all
that fun stuff that you really get to like enjoy.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
Exactly, great answer, three tweeks.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Fucking it's truly.
Speaker 5 (26:57):
It's the people for me as well, So that's it's huge. Okay.
And then you wrote a book recently?
Speaker 1 (27:11):
Oh yeah, yeah, okay.
Speaker 6 (27:17):
I recently came out with a book. It's called The
Big Little Dream, super cute. It's a children's book, so
it's kind of like a short story just about a
little girl who wants to be in sports but is
a little undersized and doesn't really think that she belongs.
(27:38):
And then she like stumbles across volleyball and ends up
seeing it on TV and seeing it on a big
stage and just believes that she can do it. So
it's a cute, little, cute little story and.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
Yeah about you, kind of about me.
Speaker 6 (27:57):
I have to give credit where credit is do. My
co author, Kelsey is basically the brains in the writer
behind it all. Like I helped kind of draft it
a little bit and help kind of the storyline, but
she is kind of the power power woman behind it all.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
But it's.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Inspired by me and by my kind of story. But
it's not like about me.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
I'm just kidding, I'm joking.
Speaker 5 (28:29):
I'm just helped.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
I helped.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
I'm kidding. That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
Kind of yeah, but it's cool.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
Where can we find this? I want to I want
to read it.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
Uh, there's a link. I can send it to you.
Speaker 4 (28:46):
Wait, if you had to choose one person when they
adapt it to TV and film, who do you think
will play you in the movie?
Speaker 3 (28:53):
Play me? Oh gosh, okay, this is turning into a movie.
Oh my gosh. I don't know because I'm I kind
of I mean, have you guys thought.
Speaker 6 (29:02):
About this, like who would play you in a movie?
Speaker 3 (29:08):
Because I was kind of I don't know because I'm
like Hispanic and I'm just trying. I'm trying to like
think of Hispanic.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Oh that's sleeping Holes is a good one too, That is.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
Seleiner.
Speaker 6 (29:28):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
I'm not picky. If someone wants to play me, they
can do it.
Speaker 5 (29:33):
Okay, we're taking requests. And then you also have an app?
Why do you have so much stuff going on?
Speaker 1 (29:40):
I'm behind in life.
Speaker 5 (29:43):
Making, Like all I do is one.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
I'm in the kitchen all the time.
Speaker 5 (29:53):
I do need hobbies.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
So croucheng is one of on my list of to
dos to lards. But yes I did.
Speaker 6 (30:01):
I also did just release an app called She's Sports.
I'm a co founder of it, so again have to
give credit to my other co founder, but he just
had this really cool idea when I was in college
of kind of creating something for the younger generation and
the upcoming women in sports, and then also providing an
(30:25):
opportunity for like nil for women athletes in college, just
because obviously, as we know, like a lot of the
men's players get like all of this money and then
like the women don't get any money. So we were
just like, Okay, this is a cool opportunity to kind
(30:45):
of bring the two together and give a platform that's
empowering to young girls and give them like real vulnerable,
like honest answers about like being a student athlete or
just an athlete in general, and then also giving these
female athletes kind of a place where they can do
(31:06):
that and also giving them some money.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
So what does it actually do is kind of like
a parody for just like giving advice to young athletes,
or it's something like cameo where you can like ask
a certain athlete maybe a question about mental health or
struggles and they can respond back.
Speaker 6 (31:20):
Yeah, it's kind of a mix between like that, like
the cameo style of like they have a place where
they can ask any athlete or ask to all athletes,
like any question. There's mental fitness, lifestyle, training, nutrition, all
that stuff. And then yeah, it's also a place where
you can just like the athletes can upload their own
(31:41):
content so they can kind of do whatever they want
with it, show more behind the scenes things, like more
of like a positive content platform because like obviously we
can all go to TikTok or Instagram and find the
dances and the trends and everything like that, and this
is supposed to be more like raw and helpful for
(32:03):
younger athletes.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
That's awesome.
Speaker 5 (32:04):
Oh, I love that you're doing all these things really
like inspiring the youth you're using your platform.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
Thanks, thank you guys, just.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
Amazing.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
Well I think that may be all that we have
for you, but thank you so much for chatting with us.
Speaker 5 (32:25):
This has been as up.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
It's awesome to get to know you, especially from personal lover.
Now I'm not gonna say hi to you. I'm like, oh,
she's so nice, so sweet, Like.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
Yeah, definitely a hug when we play against them, But
if I don't know anyone else, I typically don't do that.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Yourself. Welcome and girl.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
Oh yeah, thanks for having me.
Speaker 6 (32:45):
And it's nice to read you guys too officially and
I didn't know you guys were best.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
Yeah, this is my ace boon cooon.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
Yeah, but one apologize culture you guys.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
Sorry, yeah, Bay, what are the kids? What are you
younger people saying now? Like my ride or die? No
rider dies? Definitely it really I think that multi generational.
Speaker 4 (33:16):
Okay, where can we find the book? If we are
just a listener or a person watching this, you.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Can find the book at the Big Little dream dot com.
Speaker 5 (33:24):
There we go.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
It's so cute, little you, I know, little me.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
Oh you know, I know you about the things you
were at Red Bow when you play right.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
Something like that. And it used to be I'm not
a bow but like a scurrng.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Okay, that's cute. That was really cute.
Speaker 5 (33:40):
And this book's not based on you, allegedly allegedly.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
Okay, you guys, thanks for watching Serving Pancakes. I'm Pat Bell,
I'm not a kingden.
Speaker 5 (33:50):
Get you on the flip side.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
God. Serving Pancakes is an iheartwomen's sports production and partnership
with Deep Blue Sports entertain You can find us on
the iHeartRadio, app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.
Production by the League One Volleyball. We're your hosts, Kat
Beell and Mattie Rachelle, Anya Alvarez and Noah Snyder are
executive producers. Sound editing and mixing by Tiffany Oshinsky. Stay
(34:17):
tuned as we serve you up more behind the scenes
in volleyball every week. Thanks for listening.
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