Significant Coaching with Matt Rogers

⛳ A 39-Year Masterclass in College Fit and Recruiting

In Episode #161 of the Significant Recruiting Podcast, Matt Rogers continues his conversation with Scott Fjelstul, Director of Golf at Luther College and a 39-year head coach with a remarkably decorated career.

This is a 39-year masterclass in how to think about recruiting the right way.

Too many athletes and families make decisions based on offers, rankings, and coaches.

But what h...

 ⛳  Scott Fjelstul: Building People, Not Just Golfers 

What does it take to lead a program for nearly four decades—and do it with consistency, humility, and purpose?

On this episode of the Significant Coaching Podcast, Matt Rogers sits down with Scott Fjelstul, the longtime Head Men’s Golf Coach at Luther College and Director of Golf, to explore what it really means to build a program that lasts.

For 39 years, Coach Fjelstul has devel...

 🏀 Competitiveness, Fit, and the Truth About Recruiting | John Baines | Part II

In Part II of Episode 159 of the Significant Recruiting Podcast, Matt Rogers continues his conversation with John Baines, Head Men's Basketball Coach at Elmhurst University, diving deep into the realities of the college basketball recruiting process.

Coach Baines shares what he truly looks for in recruits after decades in the profession — and it’s n...

This week I’m joined by John Baines, head men’s basketball coach at Elmhurst University, one of the premier Division III basketball programs in the country.

During his time leading the Bluejays, Coach Baines has built a nationally respected program in the CCIW, leading Elmhurst to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances, conference championships, and a run to the 2022 NCAA Division III National Championship game after a historic Final ...

In Part II of my conversation with Traci Murphy, Vice President for Athletics at NCAA Division II Daemen University, we dive deep into the college recruiting process and how athletic departments evaluate prospective student-athletes.

Understanding the college recruiting process can be difficult for families navigating it for the first time. Parents and athletes often focus on scholarships, playing time, and offers, but the recruitin...

🎙  Learning Leadership the Right Way with Traci Murphy 

What does it take to lead a thriving college athletics department?

In this episode of the Significant Coaching Podcast, Matt Rogers sits down with Traci Murphy, Vice President for Athletics at NCAA Division II Daemen University and the current President of the Division II Athletic Directors Association within NACDA.

With more than three decades of experience in intercollegiate a...

 Division II Recruiting Reality | Katelyn Smith | Part II

In Part 2 of this Significant Recruiting conversation, Adams State University Athletic Director Katelyn Smith breaks down the realities of recruiting at the NCAA Division II level.

This episode covers:

• How the transfer portal is changing roster opportunities
• Why high school athletes are now competing with college transfers
• What NIL actually looks like at the Division II level
• ...

🎙 Katelyn Smith on Leadership, Culture, and Why Division II Works (Part 1) 

What does real leadership look like at the NCAA Division II level?

In Part 1 of this Significant Coaching conversation, Adams State University Athletic Director Katelyn Smith shares her journey from assistant coach to AD—and the mindset that has helped her build a culture where more than 500 student-athletes and their coaches can thrive.

Katelyn brings a refr...

🎙️  The JUCO Reset: How Junior College Helps You Rebuild and Move Forward 

Sometimes the recruiting journey doesn’t go the way you planned.

The good news? Junior college can be the reset that changes everything.

In Part 2 of my conversation with Dawson Dickson, Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Great Bay Community College (NH), we talk about how the JUCO pathway gives student-athletes the opportunity to grow, develop, and reposition the...

🎙️ Building Culture Fast: Why Dawson Dickson Is a Rising Star in College Basketball Coaching 

What does it take to build a winning culture when your roster changes every year?

This week, I sit down with Dawson Dickson, Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Great Bay Community College (NH), to talk about leadership at the junior college level and why he’s quickly becoming one of the rising young coaches to watch.

In this conversation, Dawson...

 The Truth About Division II Recruiting: Fit, Growth, and Learning Through Failure 🏀🎯 

In Part 2 of this conversation, Matt Rogers sits down with Bill Cleary, Head Women’s Basketball Coach at NCAA Division II St. Thomas Aquinas College, to talk about the reality of college recruiting and athlete development.

This episode focuses on two critical truths families need to understand:

🏀 NCAA Division II is not a step down from Division ...

 “Bet on You” – Building Confidence and Player Ownership with Bill Cleary (Part 1) 

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Matt Rogers sits down with Bill Cleary, Assistant Athletic Director and Head Women’s Basketball Coach at St. Thomas Aquinas College, for a powerful and honest discussion about coaching women and developing true confidence in today’s athletes.

Bill shares what he’s learned over more than two decades of coaching ...

🏐 What Division I Volleyball Recruiting Really Looks Like | Emily Kohan 

In Part 2 of this conversation on the Significant Recruiting Podcast, Matt Rogers sits down with Emily Kohan, NCAA Division I Head Volleyball Coach at Colorado State University, to break down what the recruiting process actually looks like from a coach’s perspective.

Coach Kohan pulls back the curtain on how Division I programs evaluate athletes, how early the ...

🏐 Emily Kohan on Building a Sustainable Division I Volleyball Program at Colorado State

In this episode of the Significant Coaching Podcast, Matt Rogers sits down with Emily Kohan, head coach of Colorado State Volleyball, to break down what it really takes to build and sustain a successful NCAA Division I program in today’s college athletics landscape.

Four years into her tenure as head coach, Kohan shares how she leads with intenti...

 John Payan on the Recruiting Fit Truth About Division III Basketball | (Part 2) 

In Part 2 of this Significant Coaching conversation, Matt Rogers continues his discussion with John Payan, Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Coe College, with a deep dive into what college basketball recruiting actually looks like from the coach’s seat.

Payan breaks down how he builds his roster—starting with fit as a student and person before anything bas...

🏀 John Payan on Mindset, Accountability, and Building a Program That Holds Under Pressure | Significant Coaching Podcast 

In Part 1 of this Significant Coaching conversation, Matt Rogers sits down with John Payan, head men’s basketball coach at Coe College, for a deep, honest discussion about what it really takes to build a program that lasts.

Payan shares lessons from his rise through the coaching ranks—from grinding as a graduate ...

The Commissioner's Take on Recruiting: Fit, Expectations, and the Division II Reality | Bob Dranoff (Part 2)

 In Part 2 of this conversation on the Significant Recruiting Podcast, Matt Rogers is joined by Dr. Bob Dranoff—long-time athletic director at Molloy University, former administrator at St. John’s University, and recently retired commissioner of the NCAA Division II East Coast Conference—for a realistic look at college r...

🎙️  From the Commissioner’s Chair: What NCAA Division II Leadership Really Looks Like | Bob Dranoff

 What does it actually mean to lead an NCAA conference?

In this episode of the Significant Coaching Podcast, Matt Rogers sits down with Bob Dranoff, former Commissioner of the East Coast Conference, for a rare, behind-the-scenes look at leadership from the highest level of Division II athletics.

Bob shares what most coaches and athleti...

🎙️ 3-Peat Perspective: How Candace Moats Recruits for Championships That Last

How do you win a three-peat—and keep doing it without burning out your culture, your players, or yourself?

On Part 2 of this two-part series on the Significant Coaching Podcast, Matt Rogers continues the conversation with Candace Moats, Head Volleyball Coach at Indiana Wesleyan University, AVCA Coach of the Year, and leader of a program that has captured t...