Jessica Mendoza joins Justin Kutcher to relive a lifetime of standout sports moments — from her gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics to her rise as a national broadcaster for ESPN and the Dodgers. We get the backstory behind her unforgettable collision at home plate that landed her on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and the childhood lessons from her football-coaching dad that shaped her fearless playing style. Jessica reflects on her time at Stanford, navigating elite academics while becoming one of the best hitters softball has ever seen.

She also takes us inside the Olympic Village alongside legends like Michael Phelps and Kobe Bryant, opens up about being a woman in the male-dominated world of baseball, and shares what it’s like watching Shohei Ohtani elevate the game from the Dodgers booth.

This is a raw, funny, and deeply inspiring conversation about performance, preparation, and pride.

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(00:00:00) — Jessica joins the show + Olympic intro
(00:05:12) — From baseball with the boys to softball stardom
(00:12:43) — The Stanford decision and academic pressure
(00:20:48) — That Olympic collision and Sports Illustrated cover
(00:27:06) — Olympic Village, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Phelps
(00:34:19) — From Dodger fan to Dodgers broadcaster
(00:36:50) — Mendoza’s favorite Women’s College World Series memory
(00:39:10) — Final reflections + fun moments with Justin

📌 Olympic softball + 2004 gold medal legacy
📌 Mendoza’s iconic home plate collision vs. Greece
📌 Navigating Stanford as an elite student-athlete
📌 Broadcasting MLB & Women’s College World Series
📌 Inside the Olympic Village with Kobe & Phelps
📌 Coaching influences from her football dad
📌 Representation and resilience in male-dominated spaces

Jessica Mendoza is a trailblazing athlete and broadcaster. A four-time All-American at Stanford, she won gold with Team USA softball in the 2004 Olympics. She has since become a prominent voice in baseball, covering the MLB for ESPN and calling games for the LA Dodgers. Her insights, experience, and passion for the game make her one of the most respected analysts in sports media today.

The JustIn Time Podcast brings you exclusive, in-depth conversations with the biggest names in sports and beyond. As veteran broadcasters, Justin brings unfiltered discussions with legendary coaches, professional athletes, and influential figures who share their remarkable journeys and behind-the-scenes stories you won’t hear anywhere else.