🎙️ 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.