I started Built Different: Mindset because our student athletes’ minds deserve the same preparation as their bodies. We cannot wait until competition day to address negative self-talk, lost focus or how we respond to setbacks. Through self-affirmations, discipline, commitment and buy-in, we are helping athletes build confidence and practice mental toughness now—so they are prepared to follow through when things get hard.

Fall training is about more than getting in shape. It is where habits are built, standards are established, and athletes begin showing who they are going to be when the season arrives. Physically, fall training prepares your body for the demands ahead. Mentally, it teaches you how to respond when training gets uncomfortable, when you are tired, when school becomes stressful, and when motivation is no longer enough. One thing athletes have to understand is this: if you quit on

When people think about successful college athletic programs, they often think about the biggest names, the largest budgets, the longest histories, and the programs that have been in the national spotlight for decades. But one thing I have learned throughout my coaching journey is this: Big results are not reserved for the biggest names. There are programs across the country that may not always get the same attention, but they are building something special. They are developi