Sports can change lives, and basketball changed Ugo Nwaigwe-Hirschman's life. She had a successful collegiate career, international professional playing stint, coached at the collegiate level, and is now combining her passion for the game and calling to 'do good' by joining the Shooting Touch team. Shooting Touch is a non-profit that uses basketball as a tool for global impact and change. Ugo is the new Director of Domestic Programming & Strategy. Today we dive in to:

• What inspired the decision to jump from collegiate coaching to non-profit work with Shooting Touch
• The mission behind Shooting Touch & how it aligns with her goals to grow the game for young girls in Boston and Rwanda
• Her Nigerian National Team playing days - what made her jump at the opportunity & her experience on the team
• Importance of roles models and mentors for young girls and athletes
• How the growth of women's basketball at the professional & collegiate levels has, and continues to, impact younger generations
• Why understanding and prioritizing FIT in jobs is so important
• The impact former Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder had on Ugo's idea of success

Learn more about Ugo & Shooting Touch: shootingtouch.com

Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly

To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube

The wait is over for the highly anticipated inaugural Unrivaled Basketball season. It's a full court 3 v 3 league founded by WNBA greats Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. The unique thing about the league is that is it founded on an equity-based financial platform giving the athletes a great salary and ownership. One woman who has been pivotal in the buildout is Chief Brand Officer Kirby Porter. Kirby is an award-winning sports entrepreneur and brand builder, a self-proclaimed 'marketing girlie,' founder of New Game Labs, the first marketing hire at Will Ventures, and former Harvard Women's Basketball captain. Today we dive into:

• Unrivaled Basketball -- how it works & the signficance for female hoopers and athletes everywhere
• The changing landscape of women's sports, collegiately and professionally
• NIL & tips for young athletes
• The importance of brand building for athletes
• How companies benefit from investing in women's sports
• Kirby's Harvard basketball days - how lessons from the court transferred to successes in the corporate world
• Day-to-day non-negotiables adopted from the sports world

To follow & learn more about Unrivaled: unrivaled.basketball

Follow along with Kirby on LinkedIn.

Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly

To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube

The last few months have been a whirlwind for Jess Mruzik - she won a national championship with Penn State, spent a few days celebrating the holidays with her family, and then moved to Houston to start her professional volleyball career with LOVB Houston. The standout outside hitter was a huge part of the historic season for the Penn State volleyball program, leading the team on and off the court. She is now etching her name in the professional history books as a member of the inaugural season of League One Volleyball League. Today we dive in to:

• 2024 National Championship & entire tournament
• Penn State Volleyball's season mantra: Bigger Than Us
• Impact of iconic moment Head Coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley made history as 1st female coach to win a DI national title
• LOVB - excitement for inaugural season & impact for younger athletes
• Passion off the court (shoutout to grandpa!)

Follow Jess on social: @jess_mruz19

Learn more about LOVB: lovb.com

Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly

To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube