College Volleyball Star Rylee Rader Shares Swimsuit Photo as “Life Is Cool”

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.”

WNBA star and free agent Te'a Cooper has clearly learned to love swimsuit photoshoots since appearing in Sports Illustrated. Cooper, 26, enjoyed some downtime by hitting the pool, and shared the photos on her Instagram. The athlete can be seen posing in the water in a vibrant red bikini, completing the look with a beautiful blue necklace and dark sunglasses, her hair pulled into a ponytail. “Te’a SWIM WEEK 💦🫶 @target,” she captioned the post. “My girly,” commented fellow player Angel Reese. Here’s how Cooper stays fit, beautiful, and on top.

1. Vegan Diet

Cooper cooks her own meals as much as possible. “I recently just tried going vegan for a few months and it was great,” she says. “I felt great. My body felt great. I had a lot of energy. It’s just refreshing. This past year, I just started cooking regularly. I cook breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, so I’m just now getting into that. I guess you can really tell the difference more if you aren’t an athlete, but I really did feel the effect of eating vegan foods in the off-season. Energy-wise, during the day, when I’m not doing anything and I’m not sleepy without practicing stuff, I think that’s when I felt the difference more. It’s a huge difference, honestly.”

2. Sports Illustrated Model

Cooper is a Sports Illustrated model, and while she was surprised to be asked to take part, she was thrilled in the end. Being with her fellow athletes at the shoot in St. Thomas helped make her feel more comfortable. “When I got the call, I initially [thought], ‘Did they call the right person?’” she joked.“It kind of felt like I was getting ready for a game. It was really comfortable. I was super excited to just be with them and see them be out of their element, too. They are so empowering. They just really make you comfortable in your own skin.”

3. Embrace the Roller Coaster

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Cooper believes in embracing the journey, both ups and downs. “Everything’s not always gonna be up — it’s a roller coaster,” she says. “Sports teaches you the beauty of the ups and downs… I think for mental health purposes, enjoy that roller coaster. So, you know, things happen, but it always has a way of working out. So no matter where I am in life, I just feel like it’s gonna work out. Unfortunate things happen, but it’s like I’ve been there before, been down before, so I’m gonna be up soon, and I just kind of stay humble and stay in the middle and just stay steady, honestly.”

4. Fashion Forward

Cooper loves how the WNBA players are becoming known for their fashion as well as their skills. “I took the game day ‘fits very seriously,” she says. “I would say embracing your own style and confidently walking in your own style [is important]. How you see yourself and what you put out there — the evolution of you and just seeing your style grow — I think is the most interesting aspect of it. I love fashion and I definitely want to be on a runway someday!

5. Self-Care Is Self-Love

For Cooper, self-care is about a healthy lifestyle. “I think really, a lot of things are mental,” she says. “People think eating healthy is like you’re on a diet or you’re trying to lose weight when really it can be a lifestyle. Like you just wanna be cleaner, you just wanna be healthier mentally, physically, emotionally, and some of that has to do with your food. I think just focusing on yourself and making sure you feel good is the best advice I can give. Everybody’s story is different and everybody’s emotions are different, so my advice won’t help somebody who’s not me—but just taking care of yourself could help everybody.”

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.”