College Volleyball Champion Sarah Franklin Shares Swimsuit Photo of “Quick Trip Home”

University of Wisconsin volleyball star Sarah Franklin spent summer back home in Florida, and even on her down time the athlete likes to stay active. Franklin shared a picture of herself paddleboarding in a green bikini top and shorts, looking vibrant and happy in the sunshine. “A quick trip home with adventures and sweet pea the baby goat🐐,” she captioned the post. Here’s how Franklin recovered from serious surgery to thrive in her sport and come back stronger than ever.

1. Love of the Game

Franklin has a whole new appreciation for her sport after getting surgery earlier this year. “I just feel overjoyed every day that I get to walk on the court and do the things I love the most with the girls I love,” she says. “It’s crazy to think about what the summer was because this just feels normal, it feels right. It felt like a fever dream. I’ve said that a couple times. But I’ve definitely grown and learned a lot from those weeks and the unknowns.”

2. Support From Team

Franklin had no choice but to have surgery after blood clots were found in her arm, and appreciated the love and care she got from her coach Brittany Dildine and teammates. “It’s nice to see that side of a coach, to know that they care for you that much and that they have your back as a human and not just as a volleyball player,” Franklin says. “Britt and I got very close over that period of time, which is very special and I cherish that now.”

3. Big Ten Player

Franklin was just named Big Ten Player of the Week after games against Rutgers and Maryland over the weekend. “Their entire team is just playing the game really well. It’s been fun to see how cohesive they are, with that young group,” Luke Fickell says. “It reminds me a lot of my 2017 team, but we weren’t playing the game nearly as well as these guys. It’s a little bit contrasting of styles, which should make it really fun and I’m sure the fanbases are foaming at the mouth on both sides-- they should be! This will probably be one of the more anticipated and most-watched college matches probably in recent memory.”

4. Motivation For the Next Year

Franklin is motivated for the future. “I feel that now I’m a lot more equipped to deal with any hardship, any little thing that gets in my way,” she says. “I’m on a mission. I know what it’s going to take to win a national championship, and I’m on a mission to complete that. Last year I didn’t know what it took. I didn’t know the habits, I didn’t know the organization, the time management. Now I feel like I can see everything piecing together slowly. The experience I had this summer, I feel even closer with the team even though I missed them for two weeks. I feel like everyone has backed me up, has been there. I just feel so insanely thankful for everything that has brought me to this point. It’s been a lot, but I think it was what I needed to feel ready for this season.”

5. Paddleboarding Fun

Franklin’s love of paddleboarding offers many health benefits. “Core is where everything stems from,” says Rachel Williamson, a physical therapist at UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies. “It is our body’s strong base. Back pain is a huge issue for a lot of people and not engaging the core well is often one of the major culprits of aches and pains. You may not get a six-pack (abs) from paddleboarding but you will strengthen those deep transverse abdominal muscles which act as your body’s natural back brace.”

Caitlin Clark is a superstar in women’s basketball. She first made waves in the 2023 and 2024 NCAA Tournament, as a member of the Iowa Hawkeyes team. Clark was the Division 1 leader in points and three-points, and broke a record in assists. Clark was the first pick in the WNBA draft, and currently plays for the Indiana Fever. She and her teammate, Lexi Hull, had a lake day, and Katie Lou Samuelson shared a photo of the two on her Instagram story. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Caitlin Clark stays in shape and the photos that prove they work.

1. She Plays Basketball

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Naturally, basketball is the main way Clark stays in shape. Fitness Advisory states that the sport can strengthen your body. “Basketball requires you to jump while playing, as well as running back and forth multiple times. In a basketball game, you rely on your body positioning and the ability to maintain that position when an opponent is pushing against you. This is why playing basketball can strengthen all parts of your body, especially your core muscles, neck, lower back, and arms.”

2. She Swims

As you can see from the Instagram story, Clark likes to swim to stay in shape. Swimming.org states that the activity has a lot of benefits. “Swimming uses all the muscles in the body so whether you swim a gentle breaststroke or hammer butterfly, you will get a full body workout. Plus, exercising in water makes your body work harder so 30 minutes in a pool is worth 45 minutes of the same activity on land.”

2. She Plays Golf

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Clark loves to play golf. She talked about how she got into the sport and what she likes about it to Golf Digest. “Our coaches were like, ‘You need to get away from the gym,’ even though that’s really hard for me to do sometimes. I still want to be active and do something, so I’m going to go to the golf course. You can clear your mind, do something you really love, and have the peace and quiet of just your friends around or even just yourself. I love being able to escape reality for a little bit.”

4. She’s Working On Herself

Clark tells Golf Digest that she wants to get tougher in her sports. “Something I can always improve on is my mental toughness. You have one bad shot on the golf course or on the basketball court, you gotta move on to the next. Obviously in basketball, I have four other girls on the court with me that I can lean on if I’m not having a good day or shooting well. If I’m on the golf course, it’s all on me. You have to accept that not every day is gonna be great for you. That’s helped me by translating that to basketball.”

5. She’s Grateful

Clark is extremely grateful to the fans that supported her during the NCAA, and made sure to thank the fans after a game. “I think the people that have made it the most special, obviously my teammates, my coaches,” Clark said. “But it isn’t what it is without all of you I mean that and I thank you. This is special. I don’t know if you guys realize what you’re doing for women’s basketball and women’s sports in general, but you’re changing it. You’re helping us change it.”

Former Wisconsin Badgers volleyball star Danielle Hart enjoyed a magical trip to Joshua Tree over the summer, taking a jeep for the best road trip with a friend. Hart shared pictures of the mini getaway, including ones of her posing in the car wearing a black bikini top and shorts. “A top tier day trip 🤌🏼,” she captioned the post. “This is sick,” commented friend and fellow volleyball player Kendall Kipp. Here’s how Hart got through a serious injury and came out better than ever.

1. ACL Injury

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Hart went through physical rehabilitation after tearing her ACL during practice. “I didn’t scream. I didn’t shed a tear,” she says. “Having heard of the dreaded pops from other ACL injuries, I was in complete denial. I was convinced my kneecap just moved over and slipped back in place. I was convinced that they were wrong, that it was different. As I was lifted off the court, I completely believed this was not the end for me. Just as quickly as I had denied an injury that would sideline me for the rest of the season– an injury that would burn my last chance at chasing a national championship with the remainder of my recruited class– I knew without a doubt I had torn my ACL and would be coming back without them the following year.”

2. Valued Player and Role Model

Hart’s return to volleyball after her injury was celebrated by her teammates. “She’s out of the shadows,” UW coach Kelly Sheffield said. “Everybody here in this program knows how important of a player she’s been, but I think some others are going to be able to see how important she is. A lot of her friends have left, but one of the things I’ve been really impressed with is how she has taken these guys, especially the younger ones, and has them over for meals, drives them places. She is such a mentor. She’s impacting not just this year but the future with how she’s going about things, serving others. Her spirit will be here long after she leaves.”

3. Intense Rehab

As difficult as rehab was for Hart, she grew from the experience. “As intense as the rehab itself may have been, the training room quickly became a sort of oasis for me,” she says. “I met my physical therapist, Bailey Lanser, the day after surgery. As it turns out, the morning after I went down at practice was Bailey’s first official day working at UW. If you ask me, I don’t think that was a coincidence. She quickly became the person I leaned on the most day-to-day. This extended far beyond her incredible knowledge, creativity, and encouragement. The energy, genuine care, and attention she brings for every one of her patients continues to amaze me every day I’m around her.”

4. New Roles

Hart happily took on new responsibilities in the wake of her injury and rehabilitation. “At the time, I was thinking that I had gotten what I was looking for out of the program,” she says. “I never had thought about the fact that without a lot of the people I came in with in that class, such incredible people and incredible leaders, that there was a lot more stretching that could be done. So that’s what’s cool about this injury. I am really getting stretched and I’m finding myself grow even more. I’m surprising myself at how comfortable I feel and how natural these roles feel now that I simply didn’t have in years past.”

5. Confidence In Herself

Hart’s athletic journey has given her a strong sense of confidence in her own abilities. “They say challenging times are when you find out who you are,” she says. “In many ways, Wisconsin Volleyball accelerated that process for me. My injury solidified that. Somewhere along the way I’ve developed, to an extent, an unshakable confidence. This doesn’t mean I am never uncomfortable or nervous. It does mean that as I have learned what it is I value most, what ignites my fire, I’ve learned to trust myself, what it is I love, and my work ethic. I have discovered a real empowering sense of freedom to be myself and a fearlessness to chase whatever it is that sparks my interest.”

The buzz has started, John Williams' fanfare has begin and soon you'll be tuning in: The 2024 Summer Olympics are right around the corner, running from July 26 through August 11th. The breadth is impressive. Archery, badminton, basketball, fencing, golf, even table tennis are among the dozens of sports represented. And within each are some of the most impressive women ever to grace the field. How do they stay so fit? Simone Biles, Valarie Allman, Regan Smith and more have shared their tips in the past and here we've collected them for you.

1. Simone Biles

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Simone Biles is making her return to the Olympics this summer. She shared some of her training secrets with Women’s Health. “I eat what I feel good with and try not to overeat or stuff myself because I’m always at the gym. For gymnasts, in particular, [tracking] can lead to health problems and eating issues, so I just eat what I know I can and should.”

2. Alex Morgan

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Soccer star, Alex Morgan, shared her wellness secrets in an interview with Buzzfeed. She says that she makes sure to eat a healthy diet. “I also make sure that nutrition is a part of my daily routine. A morning protein smoothie sets the right tone for the rest of the day by providing me with the sustained energy I need to conquer whatever comes my way.”

3. Carissa Moore

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Surfer Carissa Moore shared her training routine with Red Bull. “It’s important to find the best waves to train in. My schedule always flows from trying to find good surf. If the waves aren’t good, I’ll probably go for an hour, but if it’s good, I’ll surf more like three to four hours. I usually spend 40 minutes every morning warming up, especially when I’m on the road, doing moves that activate me and make me feel good. I use a band to activate my glutes, and I do dead bugs for my core. I also do a couple sun salutations to get the blood flowing.”

4. Valarie Allman

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Discus thrower, Valarie Allman, shared some of her favorite workouts in this video on Instagram. She captioned the post, “Day 2, Week 1 of a new cycle and getting closer to COMPETING 🥳Power Snatch • 5 X 5 @ 60kg. Trap Bar Dead Lift • 4 X 5 @ 165, 180, 195, 210kg. Chin-Ups • 3 X 10. Goblet Lateral Lunge • 3 X 10e.”

5. Regan Smith

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Swimmer Regan Smith talked about handling pressure with Swimming World Magazine. “Nerves and pressure before meets is something that I’ve struggled with for most of my swimming career. I think what gives me a lot of confidence is just believing in the work that I’ve put in all season. Being with a coach and a program that I believe in and that I know I’m getting work done in helps me feel the most confident. This past year, I’ve never felt better in practice. I know I’ve never worked harder in my life and I just feel like I’ve done a complete 180 from where I was at this time a year ago.”

6. Andi Sullivan

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Soccer player, Andi Sullivan, shared her love of journaling in an interview with The Player’s Tribune. “I like to make lists, a list of things that I could do, or need to do, and even just spewing out my thoughts. Sometimes my teammates laugh at me on our Zoom calls because I have a piece of paper, and I’m always scribbling down things that people say, or thoughts that I have in the moment. I think now is the time for me to experiment with things like journaling.”

7. Naomi Osaka

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Tennis player, Naomi Osaka, shared some of her favorite products with CNN. She says that applying sunscreen is an important part of her routine. “Putting on sunscreen every morning is the most important step in my skin care routine,” she says. “Despite being a mineral-based sunscreen, it doesn’t leave a harsh white cast and instead leaves me moisturized and glowing, thanks to its sheer, caramel tint.”

8. Leah Smith

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Swimmer Leah Smith opened up about overcoming setbacks with USA Swimming. “What I learned through my heartbreak of missing the Olympic Team in 2021 and my comeback to make the World Championship Team in 2022 was invaluable, and my journey taught me so much about my team, my coaches and myself. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was looking for when I decided to keep swimming after 2021, but this past year of swimming has invigorated me, and I am excited to attack my journey to 2024 with passion and energy and a new level of gratitude for my surroundings.”

9. Rose Lavelle

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Soccer player Rose Lavelle opened up about building confidence, especially after an injury to Well + Good. “My confidence comes in ebbs and flows, so having a sports psych has been a huge part of my professional career. Anybody that goes through a long-term injury or just any injury in general, it's hard physically. However, it felt 10 times harder mentally coming back from it. My psychologist helps me keep my head above water.”

10. Alyssa Naeher

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For soccer player, Alyssa Naeher, having a morning routine is important. “Something that I found that was helpful in all the chaos of being on the move was if I could at least start my day the same way, then it would give me some semblance of normalcy,” Naeher said to Graham Hays. “For me that became waking up, having some quiet time, grabbing a coffee, doing a crossword, reading a book — just having that quiet time to myself in the morning, I can do that anywhere and that starts my day.”

11. Emily Sonnet

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Soccer player, Emily Sonnet shared her team’s typical training routine with US Soccer. “We don't often lift heavy weight, but we do get a lot of reps in. We've also did a lot of testing at the beginning of camp to measure our range of motion, agility, flexibility, etc. We really appreciate having that kind of feedback because of course want to do everything that can help us win, always.”

12. Mallory Swanson

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Soccer player, Mallory Swanson, shared her advice for young girls in an interview. “I think having that mindset of, ‘If you want to be something in life and you want something in life, just go do it.’ Push forward and push the boundaries. If you want to be something in life, go do it.”

13. Stephanie Gilmore

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Surfer, Stephanie Gilmore, shared her training routine with Vogue. “I wake up and I go through a 15-minute activation routine to wake up my body. A little yoga mixed with some breathing, just kind of waking up so that I’m not just looking into my phone for an hour, trying to get the body to know it’s daytime and let’s go—and that’s before I’m eating anything. Then we’ll go surfing. It depends what the surf’s like, but the surfing will be a good hour and a half, at least where I’m paddling heaps, catching as many waves as I can, and it’s actually a great workout. I think that the best training for surfing is just to go surfing.”

14. Lynn Williams

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Soccer player, Lynn Williams, makes sure to eat a healthy diet, and that means eating enough carbs. She shared a favorite post-game snack with Women’s Health. "I feel like we're losing so many carbs when we're running. [I] also want them to hit at the right times because the games are so long, and I found that pancakes just do the trick for me.”

Stanford University volleyball player Elena Oglivie took full advantage of her summer free from sports and studies by traveling to beautiful Turkey. Oglivie shared highlights of her trip, including a gorgeous picture of her posing on a boat in a lilac bikini, against a background of ocean and skies. She also included a video of herself jumping off the boat into the ocean with a group of friends. “When in Turkey 🦃,” she captioned the post. “I was waiting for this one,” a friend commented. Here is Oglivie’s approach to work, life, and relaxation.

1. Started Playing At 6 Years Old

Oglivie has been playing volleyball since she was a child. “I love this game,” she says. “I started playing volleyball when I was 6 and had a lot of opportunities to play different positions, but it wasn’t until I started playing with Ku’ikahi (Volleyball Club) that I switched over to outside hitter. That foundation has enabled me to be a better all around player. My coaches have always emphasized preparation, effort, a good attitude, and hard work can never be substituted.”

2. Strength Training and Team Bonding

Oglivie knows how important strength and muscle is for athletes. “I have strength and agility training on weekdays for my conditioning,” she says. “I will admit I do find myself daily either playing, watching or thinking about volleyball. I balance it out by spending time with friends and family. I grew up playing multiple sports to include soccer, basketball, track and volleyball. I encourage others to try different things. I found that I love volleyball and it’s an important part of my life. One of the best parts I enjoy about volleyball is bonding with my team and the trust we build from it. It has helped tremendously on the court.”

3. Rest Days

Oglivie’s pre-match rituals are usually listening to music and dancing to hype herself up. On her days off, she likes spending time with her friends watching movies. “Some people believe that taking a day off from exercise or any strenuous physical activity is akin to being lazy, but that simply isn’t true,” says Pete McCall, MS, CSCS. “While it is important to be physically active most days of the week, it is equally as important to give yourself and your body a break by making sure to schedule at least one day of complete rest from demanding physical activity every seven to 10 days.”

4. Favorite Snack

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Oglivie enjoys salami for a quick snack. "My favorite snack at home is salami and balsamic vinegar from Trader Joe’s," she says. "It comes in a bottle and you pour it on the salami. I had it maybe two days ago. When we run out, I have to wait until we go back to the mainland. My go-to food places are Kozo Sushi (for) spicy ahi donburi, and Chili’s explosion salad."

5. School Pride

Oglivie thrived at Stanford. “I was most surprised about the amount of support there is for all athletes,” she says. “Whether it's on the court, in the weight room, laundry room, or our academics advisors. The prestigious academics and competitive athletics really attracted me to Stanford. I wanted to be a part of a school and program with family values and diversity.”