Shows / NXTVB
NXTVB
The NXTVB Podcast is your go-to resource for the next generation of volleyball talent. Hosted by Susan Forbes, a former D1 athlete and recruiting expert, this show explores the evolving world of college recruiting, NIL deals, and what it really takes to succeed at the next level—on and off the court. Whether you're a top prospect, parent, or coach, you'll get real talk, expert insights, and behind-the-scenes guidance on how to navigate the volleyball journey with confidence and clarity.
From…
Episodes
- NXTVB
62: Preparing for College Volleyball Starts Before You Get There with Dana Burkholder
What does it take to be ready for college volleyball beyond having the skills to compete? In Part 2 of her conversation with Dana Burkholder, founder of…
- NXTVB
61: What College Coaches Want Beyond Volleyball Skills with Dana Burkholder
What makes an athlete recruitable beyond their physical skills? In Part 1 of this conversation, Susan sits down with Dana Burkholder, founder of Volleyball…
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60: What Volleyball Recruits Should Be Doing in the Fall
Recruiting feels slower in the fall, and if you're watching other athletes commit while your inbox stays quiet, it's easy to wonder if you're falling behind…
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59: Want to Get Recruited? Start With the Right Target List
What happens when your target list is too high? In this episode, Susan breaks down one of the most important—and often misunderstood—parts of volleyball…
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58: What Does It Really Take to Play D1 Volleyball?
How much should parents actually be involved in their daughter’s volleyball recruiting process? What does it actually take to become a Division I volleyball…
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57: Hidden Truths of D1 Volleyball Recruiting from 3 Dads (Part 2)
How much should parents actually be involved in their daughter’s volleyball recruiting process? In Part 2 of Susan’s conversation with three dads of 2028…
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Bonus Episode: Wrigley Field Was Bigger Than the Slippery Court
What was it actually like to be inside Wrigley Field for one of the most talked-about volleyball events of the year? In this bonus episode, Susan takes you…
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56: Hidden Truths of D1 Volleyball Recruiting from 3 Dads (Part 1)
What does the volleyball recruiting process actually look like from the parent side? In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Susan sits down with three…
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55: Inside Mizzou Volleyball with Dawn Sullivan: Recruiting, Culture & Wrigley Field
What does an SEC head coach really look for when evaluating recruits? In this episode, Susan sits down with University of Missouri head coach Dawn Sullivan to…
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54: Your Volleyball Career Can Build More Than a Resume with Bella Bergmark (Part 2)
What if volleyball could help you build opportunities that last long after your playing career ends? In Part 2 of Susan’s conversation with professional…
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53: From Overlooked Recruit to National Champion with Bella Bergmark (Part 1)
Bella Bergmark’s volleyball journey is proof that being overlooked early does not mean you are behind. In Part 1 of this conversation, Susan sits down with…
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52: The Recruiting Tool Every Volleyball Family Should Know About
Most volleyball families spend hours researching schools, tracking coaches, copying emails, and trying to stay organized throughout the recruiting process. But…
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51: Why This D1 Coach Keeps Practice Under Two Hours (Part 2)
What if practice was something your daughter actually wanted to show up for? In Part 2 of her sit-down with University of Nevada head coach Jason Borchin…
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50: The Right Kid Beats the Best Athlete
What actually separates the athletes who get offered from the ones who don't? For the 50th episode of the podcast, Susan sits down with a good friend and one…
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49: How to Help Your Athlete Bounce Back From a Bad Day
What's the first thing you should say when your daughter comes home from a camp, tryout, or tournament totally deflated? In this episode, Susan shares a simple…
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48: Driver or Victim? Taking Ownership of Your Recruiting Process
Are you actively choosing your recruiting process, or quietly letting it happen to you? In this episode, Susan builds on the last two conversations and gets…
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47: Stop Comparing, Start Driving Your Own Recruiting Journey
What if your recruiting journey was never supposed to look like anyone else's? In this episode, Susan continues the post-June 15th conversation with one of her…
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46: What June 15th Actually Reveals (and What It Doesn't)
What if June 15th wasn't a verdict, but a flashlight? In this follow-up to last week's episode, Susan goes deeper on what June 15th actually reveals and how…
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45: Why June 15th Doesn't Decide Your Recruiting Future
What if June 15th wasn't a verdict on your future, but just one date on a much longer calendar? With June 15th approaching, Susan goes solo to reframe how…
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44: The Truth About Recruiting Calls, Fit, and Chasing D1 (Part 2)
What separates a recruiting call that lands an offer from one that gets quietly forgotten? In this episode, Susan welcomes back Ben and Nancy Somera, the…
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43: D1 vs D3 Volleyball, A Coaching Couple's Honest Take (Part 1)
What if everything you've been told about the gap between D1 and D3 volleyball is missing the bigger picture? In this episode, Susan sits down with Ben and…
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42: D2 to Pro Athlete - There's More Than One Way
What if the “best” recruiting path isn’t the one everyone else is chasing? In this episode, Susan sits down with professional volleyball player Kenzie Foley to…
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41: What the 5-Year Eligibility Rule Means for Volleyball Recruiting
What could happen to volleyball recruiting if college athletes are given five full years of eligibility? In this episode, Susan breaks down the NCAA’s proposed…
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Bonus Episode: June 15th Prep Club Preview
June 15th is a major milestone in volleyball recruiting, but most athletes spend years preparing physically without ever learning how to confidently handle…
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40: How the Recruiting Process Actually Works from a Coach’s Perspective (Part 2)
What does recruiting actually look like from the moment a coach sees your name to a final decision? In Part 2, Susan continues her conversation with Chad…
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39: Inside Division III Recruiting and What Coaches Are Really Looking For (Part 1)
What does the recruiting process actually look like from a Division III coach’s perspective? In Part 1 of this conversation, Susan sits down with Chad…
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38: You Don't Need the Whole Plan to Get Recruited
If you’ve been trying to approach recruiting like a step-by-step checklist, this episode will challenge the way you think about the process. In this episode…
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37: Keegan Cook from Minnesota Volleyball - Recruiting Insights for the class of 2028 and Rising Prospects (Part 2)
What if waiting in the recruiting process could actually create more opportunities? In Part 2 of this conversation, Susan continues her discussion with Keegan…
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36: Keegan Cook from Minnesota Volleyball Chats June 15th and Recruiting Timelines (Part 1)
If you’ve ever felt like the recruiting process suddenly speeds up and everything happens at once, this episode will help you understand why. In Part 1 of this…
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35: Understanding University Athlete: What Evaluations Actually Mean (Part 2)
What does it actually mean when you see an “evaluation” on your University Athlete profile? In Part 2 of Susan’s conversation with Corie Murphy from University…
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34: Clearing the Air on University Athlete: How College Coaches Use It (Part 1)
If you’ve ever wondered why college coaches spend so much time on their phones at volleyball tournaments, this episode will help you understand what they’re…
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33: Planning on Going to Camps This Summer? Listen to This Before You Sign Up
Join Susan for a valuable taste of a lesson you get inside the Volleyball Recruiting School membership. College volleyball camps can play a role in the…
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32: If You Want To Get Recruited, Make It Easy For The Coach
What does it actually mean to “make it easy for a college coach” during the recruiting process? In this episode, Susan breaks down one of the most important…
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31: Is It the Goal… Or Your Timeline?
You say you want to play volleyball in college. But what if the real thing stressing you out isn’t the goal… it’s the timeline you attached to it? In this…
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30: The Game of ‘General Interest’ in VB Recruiting - And What it Really Means
If you’ve heard the phrase “general interest” from a college coach and walked away confused or unsure what it actually means, this episode is for you. In this…
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29: How to Make the Most of College Camps at Clubs
If it feels like every club suddenly announced a college camp at the same time, you’re not imagining it. In this episode of the NXTVB Podcast, Susan breaks…
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28: The Mental Skills That Keep Athletes at the Top (Part 2)
What happens when talent is no longer the differentiator? In Part 2 of this deep-dive conversation, Susan and Sonja shift from big-picture mindset to the…
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27: Why Talent Isn’t Enough — The Mindset That Separates Elite Athletes (Part 1)
Talent might open the door, but mindset determines who stays. In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Susan sits down with Sonja Anderson to unpack what…
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26: Same Division, Different Experiences — Are You Built for Ivy, Mid-Major, or Power Four? (Part 2)
In Part 2, Susan and Meredith move from experience to decision-making.They unpack how recruiting actually works across Ivy League, mid-major, and Power Four…
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25: Same Division, Different Experiences — Inside D1 Volleyball (Part 1)
Division I volleyball isn’t one experience — and treating it like it is can lead families down the wrong path. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Susan…
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24: Why I Charge What I Charge: How I Think About Recruiting Support
In this episode, Susan pulls back the curtain on something she rarely explains publicly: how she thinks about pricing, value, and the different levels of…
- NXTVB
23: Why Waiting Until College to Build NIL Is a Mistake
What if your athlete didn’t wait until college to build her NIL, but arrived on campus already prepared, confident, and visible? In this episode of the NXTVB…
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22: Why Coaches Ghost Your Emails (Part 2): Target Lists, Software Issues & When to Pivot
In Part 2 of this inbox-focused series, Susan and Jessie uncover the realities most athletes never consider when they get ghosted. From a target list that’s…
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21: Why Coaches Ghost Your Emails (Part 1)
Why do college coaches really ghost athletes in their inbox? In Part 1 of this two-part deep dive, Susan and Jessie break down the hidden reasons athletes get…
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20: Inside College Volleyball Recruiting — Emails, Red Flags & Real Talk (Part 2)
Welcome to Part 2, where Susan and three experienced college coaches dive straight into the tactical side of recruiting: emails, communication, social media…
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19: The Recruiting Conversations You Never Get to Hear (Part 1)
What do college coaches really talk about when they’re evaluating athletes? What frustrates them? What impresses them? And what actually makes a recruit stand…
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18: Inside D2 Volleyball — Scholarships, Transfers & Life in Balance (Part 2)
In Part 2 of Susan’s deep-dive with national champion coaches Kim Cherniss and Danny Scott, they unpack the realities of D2 scholarships, the modern transfer…
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17: Stop Calling D2 “Second-Best” — These Coaches Will Change Your Mind (Part 1)
If you think Division II volleyball is “second-best,” this episode will completely shift your perspective. In Part 1 of this special two-part series, Susan…
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16: How to Build a Target School List That Gets You Seen and Responses
Before you hit “send” on another email to a college coach, pause. Do you actually know if those schools are the right fit for you athletically, academically…
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15: Before You Spend Another Dollar on Recruiting… You Need to Hear This
Before you invest in another camp, showcase, or private lesson, ask yourself: Is my daughter building her own path—or am I paving it for her? In this episode…
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14: The Foundation Every Athlete Needs to Get Recruited
Most families start their recruiting journey by jumping straight into action—sending emails, posting highlight reels, and signing up for every camp they can…
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13: The Real Competition in Recruiting (It’s Not Other Athletes)
Every athlete worries about competition, but what if the biggest obstacle in the recruiting process isn’t another player across the net? In this week’s episode…
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12: The Realities of D1 Volleyball (What No One Talks About)
Every athlete dreams of going D1, but what does it actually take, and what does life really look like once you get there? In this episode of the NXTVB Podcast…
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11: Finding the Right Fit in an Unexpected Place (Real Recruiting Stories Part 3)
Every athlete dreams of playing at the highest level — but the real win is finding the place where you can truly thrive. In this final episode of the Real…
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10: She Decommitted… and It Changed Everything (Part 2, Real Recruiting Stories)
In Part 2 of the Real Recruiting Stories mini-series, Susan shares Kelsey’s journey, a rollercoaster recruiting process full of setbacks, detours, and…
- NXTVB
9: How One Athlete Turned a “Maybe” Into a Full Roster Spot (Part 1, Real Recruiting Stories)
Welcome to the Real Recruiting Stories mini-series, where we highlight the behind-the-scenes journeys of athletes navigating the ups and downs of the college…
- NXTVB
8: Recruiting Secrets Every Athlete Should Know — Insights from a D1 Coach
In this episode, Susan sits down with Aquiles Montoya, Head Coach at Cal State Northridge, to pull back the curtain on the recruiting process. From what…
- NXTVB
7: This One Thought Is Sabotaging Your Recruiting Journey
It’s not your skills, your stats, or your schedule. It’s the thought you keep believing. In this episode, Susan reveals the real reason athletes stay stuck…
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6: The Story Behind NXTVB: How I Found My Way Back to Volleyball
This is the episode that explains it all. Why volleyball. Why mindset. Why Susan. In this heartfelt solo episode, Susan opens up about the real journey behind…
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Bonus Episode: What No One Tells You About Mindset + Recruiting (IG Live Replay)
You can have the skills, the highlight film, and the emails — but if your mindset isn’t right, none of it sticks. In this powerful conversation, Susan brings…