In this heartfelt and emotional episode of Outside the Pins, we sit down with graduating senior Jaclyn “Jac” Dutkiewicz to reflect on a journey filled with resilience, love, growth, laughter, and ultimately a national championship. 🏆🖤💛

From navigating the challenges of balancing nursing school and collegiate volleyball to embracing every role asked of her throughout her career, Jac shares what it truly meant to “do it the right way.” ❤️🏐

This conversation dives into:

• 🩺 Balancing nursing school and college athletics
• 🌱 Persevering through adversity and uncertainty
• 🤝 The importance of team culture, support, and belonging
• 😂 Freshman-year chaos, unforgettable memories, and Green Lake stories
• 🏆 The emotional reality of winning a national championship
• ✨ Learning that impact goes far beyond statistics or playing time

Jac’s story is a powerful reminder that success is built through relationships, consistency, resilience, and showing up for others every single day. Her perspective on leadership, selflessness, and finding “your people” makes this one of the most meaningful Forever Titan conversations yet.

🎧 Whether you’re an athlete, coach, student, or simply someone navigating life’s transitions, this episode will leave you inspired to cherish the little moments and trust the process. 💫

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In this powerful and deeply reflective episode of Outside the Pins, we sit down with soon-to-be graduate Makenna Barone for a conversation about identity, resilience, growth, and discovering your worth beyond the game. 💛🖤

Mak shares her journey from a small-town athlete unsure of where she belonged to becoming a national champion, leader, and future social worker at University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh. Along the way, she opens up about overcoming multiple ACL injuries, redefining her role within the program, and learning that impact isn’t always measured by time on the court. 🏐✨

This episode dives into:

• 🌱 Personal growth through adversity
• 💭 Mental health, identity, and self-worth
• 🤝 The power of connection and team culture
• 🏆 What it truly felt like winning a national championship
• ❤️ Why “worthy” became the defining word of her journey

Filled with honesty, perspective, humor, and heart, this conversation is a reminder that some of the most meaningful victories happen internally long before they show up externally.

🎧 If there’s a little voice inside of you pulling you toward something meaningful — this episode is for you.

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🎙️ Episode Summary:

In this powerful and emotional episode, Riley Kindt returns to the Outside the Pins podcast to reflect on her journey through UW-Oshkosh Volleyball and the whirlwind of life that has followed graduation. Now a cardiac nurse, homeowner, and newly engaged, Riley shares the realities of transitioning from student-athlete to real life while navigating some of the most meaningful and challenging moments of her life—including her father’s battle with pancreatic cancer.

Through stories of recruiting, team culture, Costa Rica adventures, and relentless work ethic, Riley reflects on the lessons that volleyball taught her about resilience, connection, and living fully in the present.

Key Topics:

🏐 Late Recruiting, Right Fit:
How Riley’s unconventional recruiting journey—from considering track to discovering Oshkosh—led her to a program built on authenticity, trust, and genuine relationships.

💪 The Work Ethic That Builds Culture:
Why pushing teammates to be their best—whether playing or supporting from the bench—became one of the defining traits of Oshkosh Volleyball’s success.

🧠 Self-Awareness and Growth:
Riley shares her experience pursuing an ADHD diagnosis during college and how understanding herself better helped her navigate academics, athletics, and life.

🌍 Moments That Become Memories:
From Green Lake retreats to Costa Rica adventures, Riley reflects on how the seemingly small moments—bus rides, hotel rooms, and late-night conversations—become the memories that last forever.

❤️ Life Beyond Volleyball:
Graduating nursing school, passing the NCLEX, becoming a cardiac nurse, getting engaged, buying a home, and supporting her dad through a cancer diagnosis—all while carrying the lessons learned as a student-athlete.

🎯 Make the Boat Row Faster:
The philosophy that shaped Riley’s mindset—making small daily choices that help the team, and yourself, move forward together.

Closing Thoughts:

Riley’s story is one of resilience, gratitude, and relentless effort. Her journey reminds us that the true impact of college athletics isn’t just wins and losses—it’s the relationships built, the adversity faced, and the lessons that carry forward long after the final match.

Whether navigating sport, career, or life’s unexpected challenges, Riley’s message is clear: work hard, value the people around you, and never forget to be present for the moments that matter most.

Listen Now – and stay tuned for more stories from the athletes, coaches, and moments that define UW-Oshkosh Volleyball on Outside the Pins.