The Student Athlete Sessions

D3Direct

D3Direct shares the stories of NCAA Division 3 student-athletes, and explores their journeys from Recruit to the Real World.

  1. 3d ago

    #63: Carly Assimon - Head Coach of Vassar College Women's Basketball

    Carly Assimon is the head women’s basketball coach at Vassar College, bringing experience as both a former Division III student-athlete and collegiate coach. A four-year player and three-time team captain at Clarkson University, she began her coaching career at her alma mater before serving as an assistant coach at SUNY Cortland and the University of Rochester. Assimon earned her bachelor’s degree in Innovation and Entrepreneurship and an MBA from Clarkson. Her experience spans recruiting, player development, and program leadership. In this episode, she shares her coaching journey, how she got traction as a women's basketball recruit in high school, learning to be resilient in the face of setbacks like injury, the importance of honesty in the recruiting process, her outlook for the upcoming season, and much more. Our Website: d3-direct.com Our Weekly Newsletter: d3direct.substack.com As always, let us know who we should interview next or questions you want us to ask future guests. For more reliable D3 recruiting and admissions info, check out what we’re up to on other platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. We’re here to help - so ask away!

  2. Oct 21

    #62: Sam Clements - 3x All-American Thrower (Nebraska Wesleyan)

    In this Episode Sam Clements is a current D3 student-athlete (Nebraska Wesleyan University). In this episode of the Student-Athlete Sessions, Sam discusses his college sports recruiting process, the realities of preseason training at the D3 level, what it takes to be great at shot put, getting started with NIL, and much more. Get to Know Sam Sam Clements is a standout Division III track and field athlete at Nebraska Wesleyan University, where he competes in the throwing events while pursuing a degree in Business Administration. A native of Elmwood, Nebraska (population ~600 people) Clements attended Elmwood-Murdock High School and has established himself as one of the top shot putters in NCAA Division III. Clements is a multiple-time NCAA Division III First Team All-American in the shot put and an American Rivers Conference champion. In 2026, he broke his own Nebraska Wesleyan school record with a throw of 18.48 meters (60 feet, 7.75 inches), ranking among the top shot putters in the nation. He has also earned Academic All-District and USTFCCCA All-Academic honors, demonstrating excellence both athletically and academically. Our Website: d3-direct.com Our Weekly Newsletter: d3direct.substack.com As always, let us know who we should interview next or questions you want us to ask future guests. For more reliable D3 recruiting and admissions info, check out what we’re up to on other platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. We’re here to help - so ask away!

  3. Oct 13

    #61: Umar Rashid - From Case Western Basketball to Overseas Pro

    In this Episode Umar Rashid is a former D3 student-athlete (Case Western Reserve University Men's Basketball) who is currently playing professional basketball in Europe. In this episode of the Student-Athlete Sessions, Umar discusses his own college sports recruiting process (including getting denied from his top choice), the realities of adjusting to playing in college, how he made the Guyana national team, finding a pro agent, and much more. Get to Know Umar Umar Rashid is a native of Canton, Georgia, and a Creekview High School graduate. On the court, he developed into one of the University Athletic Association’s standout post players while majoring in computer science at Case Western. During his senior season, Rashid averaged 15.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game, earning All-UAA Honorable Mention honors. He finished his collegiate career with 1,007 points and 564 rebounds, ranking second in program history with 137 career blocks. Rashid also set a CWRU single-game record with nine blocks against Washington University in St. Louis in 2023. Our Website: d3-direct.com Our Weekly Newsletter: d3direct.substack.com As always, let us know who we should interview next or questions you want us to ask future guests. For more reliable D3 recruiting and admissions info, check out what we’re up to on other platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. We’re here to help - so ask away!

  4. Sep 25

    #60: How Recruits Can Prepare for FAFSA and Common Mistakes to Avoid

    In this episode, we help you get ready for the release of FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) on October 1st - with items to gather ahead of time, plus common mistakes to avoid that could delay your D3 financial aid process. Note: The 2027-28 FAFSA was released early so it is already available (as of 9/28) Our Website: d3-direct.com Our Weekly Newsletter: d3direct.substack.com As always, let us know who we should interview next or questions you want us to ask future guests. For more reliable D3 recruiting and admissions info, check out what we’re up to on other platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. We’re here to help - so ask away!

  5. Sep 21

    #59: Stop Ruling Out D3 Schools Because of the Sticker Price

    This year, nine D3 schools have +$100,000 sticker prices to attend. That is insane. But, recruits and families who assume that going D3 means “no athletic scholarships, so full price” will miss out on opportunities by not doing their reserach. We dug into the nine most expensive D3 schools in 2026 to show you what the sticker price doesn’t tell you and what families pay on average at each school. This piece is intended for general informational purposes. Each family’s financial aid eligibility depends on individual circumstances — use each school’s Net Price Calculator for a personalized estimate. Our Website: d3-direct.com Our Weekly Newsletter: d3direct.substack.com As always, let us know who we should interview next or questions you want us to ask future guests. For more reliable D3 recruiting and admissions info, check out what we’re up to on other platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. We’re here to help - so ask away!

  6. Sep 14

    #58: D3 Golf Recruiting with Mike Deckert - Creator of D3 Golf Guys

    Mike Deckert is the creator and host of D3 Golf Guys, a podcast and media platform dedicated to NCAA Division III golf. Since launching D3 Golf Guys, Mike has built a community of current and prospective D3 golfers, coaches, families, and alumni by covering tournaments, rankings, recruiting, and the people shaping Division III golf. He joined the Student-Athlete Sessions to talk D3 Golf recruiting, dispel some myths, and preview what he has in store for Season 7 of the D3 Golf Guys podcast. Our Website: d3-direct.com Our Weekly Newsletter: d3direct.substack.com As always, let us know who we should interview next or questions you want us to ask future guests. For more reliable D3 recruiting and admissions info, check out what we’re up to on other platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. We’re here to help - so ask away!

  7. Sep 5

    #57: How to Start the College Recruiting Process

    Choosing where to go to college can be a daunting decision to make as an 18 year old. The choice helps shape future relationships, career path, and worldview - so it is definitely something to take seriously. In this episode, we share eight concrete steps recruits can take to find a Division III school where they can continue their academic and athletic career. Our Website: d3-direct.com Our Weekly Newsletter: d3direct.substack.com As always, let us know who we should interview next or questions you want us to ask future guests. For more reliable D3 recruiting and admissions info, check out what we’re up to on other platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. We’re here to help - so ask away!

  8. Aug 12

    #56: Jenna Street - Linfield Volleyball Head Coach & Former D3 Athlete

    Linfield University's head volleyball coach Jenna Street nearly walked away from the sport before ever playing in college.  Now leading a resurgent program coming off its best season since 2013, she opens up about her own D3 recruiting story that led her to play four years at Cal Lutheran University, why she prioritizes multi-sport athletes in recruiting, and why she believes D3's four-year commitment model is worth protecting. Our Website: d3-direct.com Our Weekly Newsletter: d3direct.substack.com As always, let us know who we should interview next or questions you want us to ask future guests. For more reliable D3 recruiting and admissions info, check out what we’re up to on other platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. We’re here to help - so ask away!

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5
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About

D3Direct shares the stories of NCAA Division 3 student-athletes, and explores their journeys from Recruit to the Real World.

Information

  • Creator
    D3Direct
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    63
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Student Athlete Sessions
  • Show Website
    The Student Athlete Sessions

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