The Athletes' Voice • April 27, 2026
My Journey as a College Basketball Player My experience as a college athlete was everything I expected and more. I did things I never thought possible and faced challenges I couldn’t have imagined. One of the best decisions I’ve ever made was choosing to spend my four years at Vanderbilt. It was a tremendous experience […]
The Athletes' Voice • April 27, 2026
My Journey as a College Football Player The word “vitality” really sums up my time as a college athlete. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. And in between, you have to dominate every obstacle that’s in your path. You see, when you walk a straight path, it’s going to come with challenges […]
The Athletes' Voice • April 23, 2026
My Journey as a College Football Player My college football journey has been quite the rollercoaster. I started at Cincinnati, and my first three years were filled with lots of success. We went to the Peach Bowl my freshman year, made the College Football Playoff the following year, and went to the Fenway Bowl my […]
The Athletes' Voice • April 21, 2026
As I lace up my running shoes and prepare to take on the track, I can’t help but reflect on the incredible journey that has brought me here. From a young age, I faced significant health challenges, including two brain surgeries and the hurdles of RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency Syndrome). Through it all, my faith, […]
The Athletes' Voice • March 31, 2026
As a gymnast, I began my journey at the age of two. In my small town, everyone knew me as the girl who left school early for gymnastics, the one with dreams of going D1. My identity was so intertwined with the sport that I couldn’t imagine myself without it. However, life had a different […]
The Athletes' Voice • March 27, 2026
As a track and field athlete at the University of Kentucky, I carry the legacy of my family’s athletic achievements with me. My grandfather, Robert “Bob” Barlette, was one of the most accomplished athletes to come out of Western New York. A standout sprinter at Dunkirk High School, he set longstanding records in the 100-yard […]
The Athletes' Voice • March 1, 2026
I was born in a small town in the Ethiopian countryside, near Addis Ababa, during a famine. During that time, my father made the difficult decision to put me up for adoption. He wanted me to have a chance at life, even if it meant letting me go. I was around four years old at […]
The Athletes' Voice • February 9, 2026
As a dedicated athlete, my life has been a balancing act of academics, family sacrifices, and personal challenges. My journey began with a deep love for soccer, which was nurtured by my family’s immense support. My father, who had coached me through high school, recognized my talent early on and went above and beyond to […]
The Athletes' Voice • January 26, 2026
I’ve been an athlete my whole life, but it wasn’t until I started my journey as a distance runner at the University of Nebraska that I began to fully realize the impact I could have on others. As NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) opportunities emerged, I saw an avenue to not only benefit myself, but also […]
The Athletes' Voice • January 20, 2026
My journey as a college soccer player at the University of Texas began long before I set foot on campus. It started with a decision to leave my home in New York and head to IMG Academy in Florida during the pandemic. At IMG, I had the opportunity to develop as a player and a […]