🎧 Quentin “Coach Q” Acree: The Art of Evaluating Character in Recruiting 🏀 In this week’s Significant Recruiting Podcast, Matt Rogers sits down with Quentin “Coach Q” Acree — Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at Christopher Newport University — to talk about what really matters in the recruiting process. Coach Q, one of the brightest young minds in college basketball, pulls back the curtain on how championship programs evaluate talent, toughness, and fit. He shares why character and IQ...

🎙 Quentin Acree: Toughness Together — The Christopher Newport Standard This week on the Significant Coaching Podcast, Matt Rogers sits down with Quentin Acree, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at Christopher Newport University — one of the premier programs in all of Division III basketball. Coach Q shares how CNU’s championship culture is built on humility, accountability, and daily consistency. From practice habits to personal growth, he reminds coaches everywhere that great pr...

🎙️ Built for the Modern Game: Will Chavis on NIL, the Portal, and the Future of Recruiting 🏀 In this episode of The Significant Recruiting Podcast, host Matt Rogers sits down with Will Chavis, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at Drexel University, for a powerful and practical look at today’s ever-changing recruiting world. From being Bobby Knight’s first recruit at Texas Tech to playing professionally across Europe and now mentoring Division I athletes, Coach Chavis has lived every corner of ...

🎙️ From Bobby Knight to Drexel: The Humble Leadership of Will Chavis 🏀 In this episode of The Significant Coaching Podcast, host Matt Rogers sits down with Will Chavis, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at Drexel University — and one of the most grounded, inspiring voices in college basketball today. From being Bobby Knight’s first recruit at Texas Tech to a decade-long professional career in Europe, to developing NBA players and leading young men at every level — Coach Chavis’s journey is a m...

📬 “Clarity Wins: A Recruit’s Playbook with Coach Vinny Barber” 🤼‍♂️🧭 In Part 2, Coach Vinny Barber—Head Men’s Wrestling Coach at the University of Lynchburg—gets practical about recruiting for high school athletes, parents, and coaches. Drawing from concrete examples in the conversation, Vinny shows what actually earns attention, builds trust, and moves you up a coach’s list—without the fluff. You’ll hear: Communication that counts — how to reach out with purpose, follow...

🧱 “Build It Brick by Brick: Culture, Courage, and the Lynchburg Way” 🤼‍♂️ What does it take to build a college program from zero—culture first, wins second, significance always? In this episode, Coach Vinny Barber returns (last seen in Episode 15) as the newly named Head Men’s Wrestling Coach at the University of Lynchburg to unpack the real work of starting something enduring. We talk through the vision for a state-of-the-art wrestling facility, the standards that shape day-one culture, an...

🎯 Luke Falk: Recruiting Lessons, Resilience, and the Power of Mind Strength 🏈 From overlooked recruit to Washington State record-breaker to NFL quarterback—Luke Falk’s journey is packed with lessons every athlete and parent can learn from. In this episode of the Significant Recruiting Podcast, Luke opens up about his unique recruiting path, the setbacks and breakthroughs that shaped him, and how “mind strength” is the real difference-maker in both sports and life. We also di...

🎙 Luke Falk: Mind Strength, Mental Health, and the Quarterback’s Journey 🏈 From walk-on to record-breaking quarterback at Washington State, to playing in the NFL, and now author of The Mind Strength Playbook—Luke Falk’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and purpose. In this powerful episode of the Significant Coaching Podcast, Luke joins Matt Rogers to discuss the mental side of performance, the lessons he’s carried from his time with Coach Mike Leach, and how his own battles hav...

🎙️ Beyond the Offer: Ruth N. Nelson on Finding the Right Fit 🏐✨ Ruth N. Nelson has lived every side of the recruiting process—Division I head coach at Houston, LSU, and Iowa, U.S. National Team coach, mentor to legends like Flo Hyman and Rita Crockett, and now the founder of BYOP® (Bring Your Own Parent) and GoKids. In this episode, Ruth shares powerful lessons every athlete and parent needs to hear about the realities of recruiting, how to prepare for opportunities, and what truly matters wh...

🎙️ Ruth N. Nelson – Pioneer, Innovator, Trailblazer in Women’s Sports 🚀🏐 When you talk about pioneers in women’s athletics, Ruth N. Nelson is on the shortlist. With 557 career wins as a Division I head coach at Houston, LSU, and Iowa—and as a U.S. National coach—Ruth helped shape the aftermath of Title IX and build opportunities for generations of athletes. In this episode, Ruth shares stories from coaching legends like Flo Hyman, Rita Crockett, and Rose Magers, to creating innov...

🎙️ Challenging the Status Quo in College Recruiting with Dr. John Comerford What does true leadership in college recruiting look like? In Part 2 of Matt Rogers’ conversation with Dr. John Comerford, President of Otterbein University, the focus shifts from affordability to athletics. Dr. Comerford shares his vision for recruiting with clarity and conviction—setting expectations for his coaches to recruit with integrity, to look beyond athletic talent, and to bring in students who will th...

🎙️ Blowing Up the Cost of College: A Conversation w/ Dr. John Comerford What if everything you thought you knew about the cost of college was wrong? In this week’s episode of the Significant Coaching Podcast, Matt Rogers sits down with Dr. John Comerford, President of Otterbein University, for a powerful two-part conversation that challenges assumptions about higher education and affordability. Dr. Comerford is on a mission to make college accessible to everyday families—helping student...

🎙️ From the AD’s Chair: Ryan Callahan on Recruiting In Part 2 of my conversation with Ryan Callahan, Director of Athletics at UW-Whitewater, we focus entirely on the world of college recruiting—but from a perspective most families never hear. As an Athletic Director who has led programs and supported legendary coaches, Ryan shares what really happens behind the scenes of recruiting: what coaches and administrators look for, how decisions are made, and what recruits and parents sho...

🎙️ From the Mound to the Director’s Chair ⚾👔🏆 Ryan Callahan’s path through athletics is nothing short of remarkable. From his days as a standout pitcher at UW-Whitewater and in the San Francisco Giants organization, to returning home as the Director of Athletics overseeing 22 varsity programs, Ryan has lived nearly every side of the college athletics experience. In this episode of the Significant Coaching Podcast, Ryan shares what he’s learned about leadership, loyalty, and culture whil...

🏐 Heather Pavlik on Recruiting, Character, and Building Champions 💯 What makes a recruit stand out beyond stats and highlight reels? Juniata College Head Women’s Volleyball Coach Heather Pavlik—fresh off leading her team to three straight NCAA Division III National Championships and earning 2024 AVCA National Coach of the Year honors—shares her perspective on what truly matters in the recruiting process. From evaluating athletes for more than just talent, to guiding parents on how to best sup...

🏆 Heather Pavlik: Building a Dynasty with Toughness and Compassion What does it take to build not just a winning team, but a dynasty? Juniata College Head Women’s Volleyball Coach Heather Pavlik has done exactly that—leading her program to three straight NCAA Division III National Championships, including back-to-back undefeated seasons. Along the way, she’s replaced key players, sustained the highest level of performance, and proven why she’s an 8-time Landmark Conference Coach of the Year a...

🎙️ Bridging the Gap: Sue Webber on Playing, Coaching & Recruiting In this episode of the Significant Recruiting Podcast, I sit down with Sue Webber — former Division I player, coach, and now a leader in the volleyball recruiting space. 🌟 Sue shares her unique perspective from every angle of the game: what it takes to succeed as an athlete, how coaches evaluate recruits, and the practical steps families can take to stand out. Her advice is direct, insightful, ...

🎙 From Practice to Peak: Mental Training Lessons with Dawn Grant In this episode of the Significant Coaching Podcast, Matt Rogers sits down with Dawn Grant, renowned mental trainer for professional athletes, whose clients include Olympic champions, PGA Tour winners, and elite performers across multiple sports. Dawn breaks down the myths around mental training and hypnosis, showing how simple and practical it can be for athletes, coaches, and parents. One of her most powerful messa...

🎙 “Which Kid Wants It More?" Recruiting Lessons with Brandon Elliott 🥎 Virginia Wesleyan University’s Brandon Elliott has built one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division III softball—3 national championships, 11 ODAC titles, nearly 700 wins, and back-to-back trips to the College World Series. But when it comes to recruiting, his message is simple: the athletes who show they truly want to be there are the ones who stand out. In this episode of the Significant Recruiting Podc...

Championship Lessons from Brandon Elliott Brandon Elliott has built Virginia Wesleyan into one of the most dominant softball programs in NCAA Division III history. With three national championships, a national runner-up finish in 2025, 11 ODAC titles, and nearly 700 career wins, he’s the winningest coach in program history—and a leader whose impact stretches far beyond the scoreboard. In this episode of the Significant Coaching Podcast, Brandon shares the blueprint for sustaining ...