Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast. I’m your host, Jeff Durr, and today we’re spotlighting a young man whose journey through athletics, adversity, leadership, and personal growth is nothing short of inspiring.

Our guest, Antonio Boone, is someone who not only competed as a college athlete but chose to devote his professional life to helping other student-athletes thrive in ways he never knew how to while he was in their shoes.

Antonio’s path began in Virginia, where he grew up before heading to Richard Bland College to run track and earn his associate’s degree. From there, he continued his career at Virginia Wesleyan University, becoming a captainon the track team while earning his bachelor’s degree, a role that revealed his natural leadership and passion for supporting others

He later earned his master’s degree in Sport Management from Georgia Southern University, before stepping into the coaching world, serving as a high school track coach, a club assistant coach at Old Dominion University, and eventually a track recruiting coordinator at Bryant & Stratton College. Hethen returned to Richard Bland as both a track coach and Residential Life Coordinator, impacting students on and off the track.

Today, Antonio serves at Johns Hopkins University as the Director of Life Design for Student-Athletes, where he guides athletes through the most pivotal transition of their lives, the journey from sport to what comes next. His mission is deeply personal; he once struggled to navigate that sametransition, and now he’s become the very resource he wishes he had as a student-athlete himself

Antonio’s story is filled with meaningful lessons, overcoming injury, learning discipline, discovering his “why,” balancing academics, work, and athletics, and ultimately finding purpose in helping others succeed. Most importantly, his heart for mentorship shines through every chapter of hisjourney.

Antonio, welcome to the RU Strong Podcast. We’re excited to share your story and the impact you’re making on athletes everywhere.