Epicenter of Women’s Sports with Karina LeBlanc

Lauren & Jrue Holiday: Before It Looked Like This

Lauren Cheney Holiday and Jrue Holiday are college sweethearts who became two of the most decorated athletes of their generation — she as an NWSL founding player, World Cup scorer, and two-time Olympic gold medalist; he as a two-time NBA All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist. Long before women's sports was a proven investment, Jrue was freezing in the stands at Harvard Stadium watching Lauren play for a league that wasn't guaranteed to survive. During the NBA's COVID bubble season, the two of them pledged Jrue's remaining salary to Black-owned businesses, nonprofits, and initiatives. In this conversation with Karina, they talk about how athletes carry a competitive edge that belongs in every boardroom and why Lauren believes women's sports has borrowed too much from the men's game. They also make the case for athletes in ownership as the bridge between what owners need and what players need — and Jrue argues that watching women's sports made him a better professional. Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Josh Lyons & Morgan Weaver: Boardroom, Ballroom, or On the Pitch

KeyBank Market President Josh Lyons has a north star for his eight-year-old daughter: whether she ends up in a boardroom, at a gala in a ballroom, or chasing a pro contract on the pitch, she should never doubt she earned her way there. That's the thinking behind KeyBank's new five-year deal with the Portland Thorns, a tripling of their previous commitment and the single largest investment in women's sports KeyBank has ever made. Karina sits down with Josh and Thorns forward Morgan Weaver to talk through what the partnership supports. This includes financial education for players, free Thorns Academy access for kids whose families can't afford club soccer, nonprofits hosted in the suite every home match, and a senior signing day for the next generation of girls coming up behind Morgan. Morgan opens up about the two injuries that nearly made her quit and the trip to San Diego with the Academy girls that pulled her back. Josh shares insights about why 93% of women in C-suites played sports, and what that statistic means for how KeyBank shows up at Providence Park. Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

WNBA's Portland Fire Alumni: Legacy Reignited

For Epicenter's first-ever live taping, recorded on the concourse at Moda Center before a Portland Fire home game, Karina sits down with four of the women who built the original Portland Fire. The night's theme was Legacy Reignited. Twenty-three years after the original Fire played its last game, Jackie Stiles, Sophia Witherspoon, Sylvia Crawley, and head coach Linda Hargrove came back to talk about what it took to play in the WNBA before the league had investment, attention, or resources, and what it means to see this franchise come back to life. A handful of former Fire players join the stage to speak to the moment.   Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Reilyn Turner, Megan Gustafson, Karlie Samuelson: Setting the Standard

The conversation continues. After sitting down with Reilyn Turner, Megan Gustafson and Karlie Samuelson for a Mother's Day special, host Karina LeBlanc returns with the second half of the conversation — this time about who they are as athletes, the journeys that brought them here, and what it means to play in the epicenter of women's sports. The trio reflects on what they're learning and unlearning at this stage of their careers, from comebacks and overseas chapters to growing into vet roles on new teams. They open up about the rivalry with Seattle, the first-ever dual-sport performance center built for women, and the responsibility of setting a new standard — one they hope cities across the country will follow. Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Reilyn Turner, Megan Gustafson, Karlie Samuelson: Moms and Mother Figures Who Shaped Us

What shapes the women behind the athletes? In this special Mother's Day episode, host Karina LeBlanc sits down with three of Portland's professional athletes — Portland Thorns forward Reilyn Turner and Portland Fire's Karlie Samuelson and Megan Gustafson — for a  conversation about the moms and mother figures who raised them, the belief they instilled, and the values that carried them to the highest levels of their sport. From small-town beginnings to single-parent households, the players reflect on the work ethic, sacrifice, and unwavering support that shaped who they are on and off the field. They open up about being taught to bet on themselves, to know their worth, and to keep going — and the defining moments that turned that belief into reality.  Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.