College Volleyball Star Mac Podraza Shares Swimsuit Photo of “Lake Day”

Penn State volleyball star Machaela “Mac” Podraza spent summer chilling out ahead of an intense season, getting some much needed rest and relaxation at Bald Eagle State Park in Pennsylvania. Podraza posted a picture of herself posing in a red bikini next to friend and fellow volleyball player Maddy Bilinovic plus a whole group of girls, enjoying the beautiful lake. “Can everyday be lake day?” she captioned the post. “Petition for lake day everyday starting now,” commented teammate Camryn Hannah. Here’s how Podraza is always ready for action.

1. Iced Coffee

Podraza relies on iced coffee to give her the energy to stay on top of both athletics and studies. “Antioxidants help prevent and repair damage to cells and genetic material around your body,” says Caroline Thomason, RD, CDCES. “Research has shown that coffee is a significant source of polyphenols, a type of antioxidant, in many people's diets. Polyphenols also help fuel your ‘good’ gut bacteria. One polyphenol in coffee is called chlorogenic acid. Some researchers have linked this antioxidant to metabolic benefits. They believe that chlorogenic acid might reduce the risk of a range of conditions, including cancer, diabetes, and obesity.”

2. Chicken Nachos

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One of Podraza’s favorite meals is protein-packed chicken nachos. “Protein plus fiber keeps us full longer, which means you don’t feel the urge to eat as often," says Nancy Waldeck, chef and dietitian at Thomas F. Chapman Family Cancer Wellness at Piedmont. "This helps keep weight down while fueling our cells with the right nutrients they need.”

3. Vegetables and Protein

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Podraza fuels up with green vegetables such as brussels sprouts and lean proteins. “Cruciferous vegetables are easy to find in most places and are some of the most nutrient-rich veggies around,” says registered dietitian Amber Sommer, RD, LD. “As a group, cruciferous vegetables all offer similar health benefits. I wouldn’t say any one is ‘better’ than the others. They each have a unique composition, so the key is to include a variety in your diet.”

4. Berry Bowls

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Podraza enjoys healthy bowls with berries, granola, and peanut butter. “Besides being delicious, berries provide some impressive health benefits,” says Jenna Porter, RDN, LD. “They are loaded with antioxidants which help protect your cells from damage. They are also high in fiber which helps you to feel fuller longer, can help with blood sugar control, and promotes a healthy digestive system.”

5. Avocado Toast

Podraza gets her healthy fats with delicious avocado toast, which is chock-full of essential nutrients. “Avocados contain nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, vitamin E, vitamin C and multiple forms of vitamin B,” according to Northwestern Medicine. “Eating avocados is great for your heart health and vision, and lowers your risk of cancer and depression.”

Kayla Simmons is starting the week off with a swimsuit selfie. In one of her latest social media posts the volleyball star flaunts her amazing body in a black bathing suit with a plunging neckline. “Happy Monday,” she captioned the post with her followers. “Your gonna break the internet!” commented Nicole Pedra. “You are absolutely perfect,” commented another follower. How does Kayla maintain her physical and mental health? She abides by a few simple health habits.

1. Swimming and Snorkeling

Kayla is a water baby and can often be found in the ocean. Two of her favorite activities are swimming and snorkeling. In addition to being a great aerobic exercise and burning calories, other health benefits of putting on a mask and fin may include improved cardiovascular function, stress reduction, mood enhancement, and muscular toning.

2. Surfing

Kayla is a surfer. There are many health benefits of the sport including cardiovascular fitness from paddling, shoulder and back strength, which also strengthen from the paddling, and leg and core strength. “Once you’re standing up on the board, strong legs and a strong core will keep you up,” the Australian government’s Better Health says.

3. Body Confidendce

“Being a former college athlete & growing up around sports has taught me to push myself to the limit,” Kayla said in an interview. “College athletics was a great experience for me, but it also taught me some valuable lessons. I was told by my school administrators that the pictures I post are inappropriate because of my body, I was even asked to delete my Instagram at one point. I was torn bc I felt I couldn’t embrace my body & play the sport I love. I’ve since learned that you can’t let other people affect how you feel about yourself.” She added to The Post in July 2019 that she hopes younger fans “know that it’s okay to just be yourself and feel confident.”

4. Hiking

Kayla also enjoys hiking. “Hawaii has my heart,” she captioned this photo from one of her hikes. “Hiking is one of the best ways to get exercise. No matter what type of trail you find yourself on, hiking is a great whole-body workout—from head to toe and everything in between,” says the National Parks Service. Some of the physical benefits include building stronger muscles and bones, improving your sense of balance, improving your heart health, and decreasing the risk of certain respiratory problems. It also offers many mental health benefits, according to a Stanford University study.

5. An “All Natural” Body

Simmons, who has been dubbed the “world’s sexiest volleyball player,” addressed plastic surgery rumors during a Q&A on YouTube. “I got zero silicone. I’m all natural, I’m sick of answering that one, but yeah,” Simmons responded when asked, “How much silicone did you get?”

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.”

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.”

Ohio State volleyball star Rylee Rader spent the summer traveling around Europe with her friends, having the time of her life. Rader shared pictures of her vacation in Italy and Greece, including snaps of herself posing in the ocean in a blue bikini. “Life the past few weeks has been cool!” she captioned the post. “Straight from a movie 🎬,” an admirer commented. How does Radar stay fit and focused every semester? Here’s what it takes to be a champion.

1. School Pictures

Rader took a picture with a sign saying “First Day of Fourteenth Grade” to send to her mother, something she grew up doing and continues every year. “Growing up, my mom was all about getting first day of school pictures in the morning before she drove me to school, and I still continue that tradition,” she says.

2. Hydration and Snacks

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Rader makes sure to stay hydrated and have healthy snacks on hand during the day. “[I like to have] My iPad and computer, so I can follow along with my lectures and take notes during class,” she says. “Another important essential is my headphones so I can listen to music while walking to and from class. I will always have my water bottle with me to stay hydrated during the day so I’m ready for practice in the afternoon. I will also carry around a snack in case I get hungry.”

3. Role Model

Rader loves being a role model for younger players. “It’s fun leading the younger girls and just showing them the Buckeye way,” she says. “I don’t really feel a burden. I think it’s something new and different for me, which is exciting, which I’m still trying to get used to because of all the leadership that left this year. It's something new for all of us right now… Spring, everything is new. Everyone’s getting new looks at new places, so it’s uncomfortable. But because it’s uncomfortable, we’re learning and growing up. Hopefully we make that uncomfortable into comfortable.”

4. Sushi Please

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Rader loves sushi, which is not only delicious but packed with omega-3 fatty acids. “In general, the American Heart Association recommends people without a history of heart disease eat at least two servings of fish per week (6 ounces to 8 ounces total),” say the experts at Cleveland Clinic. “If you have heart disease or high triglyceride levels, you may benefit from consuming even more omega-3 fatty acids.”

5. Sport Industry Major

Rader is interested in every aspect of the athletics world, and is studying to expand her knowledge beyond just playing volleyball. “Since I am a sport industry major, most of my classes are about sports, so they are fun and entertaining to be in,” she says. “I will even have a teammate or friend from a different sports team already in my classes to sit by, but if not, it is always fun to make a new friend.”