Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast.

Today’s episode is deeply personal.

I’m joined by one of my former teammates, brothers, and lifelong friends from the University of Maine football program — a man whose life story defines resilience, faith, and the true meaning of strength.

From battling through brutal preseason camps in Orono…

to serving our country as a United States Marine…

to playing professional football overseas…

Troy Conquest has never backed down from adversity.

But at just 29 years old, Troy’s life changed forever.

Diagnosed with lupus, later paralyzed from the waist down, and told he would never walk again. Troy refused to accept that ending. Instead, he chose purpose over pity, faith over fear, and resilience over resentment.

Now a 30-year lupus survivor, cancer survivor, and Paralympic gold medalist, Troy lives by one powerful mantra that was written on a hospital whiteboard years ago and tattooed on his arm ever since:

“Never say never.”

In this episode, Troy opens up about:

• Growing up and being recruited to the University of Maine

• The bonds forged through adversity and brotherhood

• Lessons learned through football, the Marines, and life

• Facing paralysis, illness, loss, and grief with unwavering faith

• Why vulnerability is strength, especially for men

• And how his transparency may save someone else’s life

This is not just a football story.

This is not just a comeback story.

This is a human story about identity, purpose, pain, and choosing to keep going when everything tells you to stop.

If you’ve ever faced adversity…

If you’ve ever questioned your strength…

If you’ve ever wondered why me…

This episode is for you.

Let’s get into it.

🎧 RU Strong — where resilience, mindset, and life after sports collide.

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast.

Today’s episode is one of the most powerful, emotional, and inspiring conversations we’ve ever shared.

My guest is Anthony Pecorella a Division I football player, scholar, leader, and true embodiment of resilience.

Anthony’s journey has taken him from competing on the biggest stages in college football to facing a battle far greater than anything he ever encountered on the field. A former Big Ten punter at the University of Maryland, a graduate of the Robert H. Smith School of Business, and a multi-time Academic All–Big Ten honoree, Anthony did everything the “right way.” He earned his spot, earned his scholarship, and earned the respect of everyone around him.

Then, at just 22 years old, everything changed.

What started as a routine medical check turned into a diagnosis of Burkitt lymphoma, a rare form of cancer. Overnight, football took a back seat to survival. Training camp became chemotherapy. Stadium lights were replaced by hospital rooms. And the future he had planned was suddenly uncertain.

But Anthony didn’t just fight, he led.

Throughout his cancer journey, he became a voice for resilience, vulnerability, and mental health. He deepened his commitment to service through Team IMPACT, helping connect college teams with children battling life-threatening illnesses. He founded and expanded initiatives focused on student-athlete mental health. And even in the hardest moments, he found purpose in lifting others.

Against all odds, Anthony returned to the field, suiting up once again as a University of Maine Black Bear, more than a thousand days after his last snap. Not just as an athlete, but as a changed man, grounded, grateful, and driven by something bigger than football.

This episode isn’t just about sports.

It’s about perspective.

It’s about family.

It’s about faith.

It’s about finding meaning through adversity.

And it’s about becoming a better human being through the toughest chapters of life.

This is a story that every athlete, parent, coach, and leader needs to hear.

RU Strong family, welcome to an unforgettable conversation with Anthony Pecorella.

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast.

Today’s episode features an outstanding example of what it truly means to be a student-athlete. Joining us from Ames, Iowa is Tyler Claiborne, a wide receiver for the Iowa State Cyclones who represents excellence on and off the field.

Tyler isn’t just competing at the highest level of college football in the Big 12, he’s also setting the standard academically. A multiple-time Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll selection and recipient of Iowa State’s Cyclone Football Academic Award, Tyler has earned a perfect 4.0 GPA while double-majoring in finance and accounting and minoring in business analytics. That level of discipline, focus, and preparation is rare and it’s exactly what RU Strong is all about.

In this conversation, we go far beyond X’s and O’s. Tyler opens up about his journey from Kansas to Iowa State, how the COVID years helped him discover his true potential as a football player, and the mindset shift that allowed him to excel at a Power Five program. We dive into the realities of college football today, recruiting, NIL, the transfer portal, roster changes and how he’s navigating it all with maturity, clarity, and purpose.

Most importantly, Tyler shares how football has helped shape him as a person, developing habits of preparation, accountability, resilience, and leadership that will carry him well beyond the game. Whether you’re a current athlete, a parent, a coach, or someone preparing for life after sports, this episode delivers powerful lessons on balance, pressure, and using your platform the right way.

This is a conversation about precision, effort, integrity, and preparation and how those traits translate from the field to the classroom and into a future career.

You’re going to want to listen closely.

This is RU Strong and this is Tyler Claiborne.