Episode #169 - Lysander Rehnstrom

Written By Katherine Zempolich

This week on The Mental Matchup, we’re joined by Lysander Rehnstrom, a former walk-on at George Mason to Navy Men's Basketball Captain, and U.S. Marine Corps Ground Officer in training. Lysander shares his deeply personal journey with mental health: from growing up under pressure, navigating a life-threatening injury in high school, walking on at George Mason, and ultimately transferring to the Naval Academy.

He opens up about the mental toll of early expectations, the value of vulnerability, and the moments that nearly made him quit the sport he loves. Now a trained Peer Advisor and advocate, Lysander uses his platform to share that athletes are more than their stats — and that asking for help is a sign of strength.

We talk about:

  • Mental health challenges in high-performance environments

  • Impact of coaching and injury on athlete identity

  • The power of peer support in recovery

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Katherine Zempolich
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Episode #168 - Alex Heishman