Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast! I’m your host, Jeff Durr, and today I’m honored to sit down with an incredible guest whose journey embodies resilience, reinvention,and leadership.

She grew up in Gorham, Maine, making a name for herself as a standout basketball star. Her talent took her to the national stage at Villanova University, one of the biggestplatforms in college basketball. Later, she transferred closer to home and finished her playing career at Boston University, where she graduated in 2022.

Like so many athletes, Emily faced both physical and mental challenges along the way. But rather than letting thosestruggles define her, she turned them into fuel. Out of her own journey, she built a business called Empowered, where she trains and coaches athletes and groups not only in basketball, but also in mindset, resilience, and self-discovery.

She lives by the quote she created: “We are not our sports. We are our stories.” That powerful reminder is exactly why her voice matters here today.

Please join me in welcoming to the show, Emily Esposito.