Podcast Summary

Podcast: BFFR with Sydney Leroux & Ali Riley

Episode: Lynn Biyendolo talks Gotham Championship, Winning 4 NWSL Titles, Pregnancy & Changing Her Last Name
Date: December 1, 2025
Hosts: Sydney Leroux ("A") & Ali Riley ("B")
Guest: Lynn Williams Biyendolo

Episode Overview

This lively episode brings soccer legend Lynn Williams Biyendolo onto the couch to chat with Sydney and Ali about the whirlwind of Gotham FC’s recent championship win, what it’s like to experience NWSL victory celebrations now versus back in the day, Lynn’s pregnancy journey, the evolving culture for mothers in women’s soccer, her thoughts on changing her last name, and heartfelt personal stories—from wild afterparties to her hand-crafted wedding dress. The conversation offers plenty of laughs, unfiltered opinions, and honest reflections, giving listeners a behind-the-scenes look at women’s soccer and life off the pitch.

Major Topics & Key Discussion Points

1. NWSL Championship Weekend: Then vs. Now

• Championship Celebrations & Growth

  • Lynn and Ali reminisce about past NWSL championship wins, noting the stark contrast in atmosphere and recognition between earlier years and the present.
  • Past wins (“my first championship, there was like a hundred people in the stands… Went back to Western New York and nobody even knew we existed.” – Lynn, [07:07]) contrasted with this year’s Gotham celebration, which included big afterparties and even a city parade.
  • "To see them be able to rectify the situation and really celebrate the moment because winning a championship is hard. So yeah, did the whole weekend, plus the added bonus, knowing that what I experienced versus what they're experiencing in the increase in that was... It's just so exciting. I'm like, go soccer.” – Lynn, [00:05] & [08:29]

• Party Stories

  • Both recount tales from various post-championship parties, with hilarious asides about their partners (Marley and Lucas) wanting to keep the night going (“He was drinking. And then I was like, all right, finish that and we'll go home… That one really fast drink took an hour…” – Lynn, [03:59]).
  • Scene-setting of epic Gotham afterparties, including chaos, tequila, and players letting loose (“Lucas is drinking a shot… there's limes and beer and tequila just everywhere. Lily Real… comes down, like, dripping sweat with the goggles…” – Ali, [04:39])
  • “I miss winning.” – Ali, [06:29]

2. The Culture of Women’s Soccer

• Community & Support

  • “Right now, in this time in women’s sports, we are all celebrating each other and ourselves for being part of this growth.” – Ali, [06:31]
  • There’s a palpable sense of pride in how far women’s soccer has come, both in terms of fanbases and institutional support.

• Funny Party Moments

  • Kesha made a surprise appearance at a small party, which created major FOMO for anyone who left early (“If you're a millennial, you won't want to leave before 11pm... Sure enough, Duda made her way to the front just in case. And she and Kesha were singing, duetting into the microphone.” – Ali, [09:42])

3. Lynn's Pregnancy & Maternity in Soccer

• Pregnancy Style & Experiences

  • Lynn talks candidly about letting comfort and practicality guide her maternity fashion (“My style was, like, comfy casual, but also, like, if my bump is showing a little bit, nothing fits. Like, I'm pregnant. What do you guys want me to do?” – Lynn, [12:15])
  • Ali compliments her for her “Rihanna” bump style ([12:11]).

• NWSL Moms Community

  • Admission to the tight-knit NWSL mom’s group upon her pregnancy announcement.
  • “It is nice to have, like, a community... it's nice to just, like, feel like I have a community to talk about the craziness of like pregnancy and motherhood.” – Lynn, [24:18]

• Changing Environment for Mothers in NWSL

  • Lynn reflects on the dramatic shift from seeing motherhood as the “end of a career” to something supported, protected, and even celebrated.
  • “If you would have asked me five years ago, do you want to have kids and continue to play afterwards, I would have said absolutely not... at the time, I wasn’t ready to like sacrifice my career for kids. And I think that now you don’t have to make that sacrifice.” – Lynn, [25:57]
  • Both agree there is still further to go, especially regarding the league salary cap and dedicated club resources for parents.

4. Lynn’s NWSL Career & Reflections

• Championships & Memories

  • Lynn details her journey to four NWSL championships, describing each one as special and unique, with their own narrative (“Each one, I feel like, is so unique in its own way... It's like your children. It's like, I love you all equally, but, like, different.” – Lynn, [19:14])

• Firsts Segment (“BFFR NWSL Awards”)

  • Nickname: “Burger” (a family thing… “because I was a colicky baby, and they said, like, when burger cheese is like a stinky cheese, so now they call me Burger.” – Lynn, [14:01])
  • First Jersey: Mia Hamm
  • First Intimidation Moment: Entering the national team meal room with legends (“Press, Tobin, Carly, Pino… aura around them...” – Lynn, [15:08])
  • First Food to Remove from Earth: The squash family
  • First Big Purchase: “2017 Camry... I still have it today.” – Lynn, [16:58]

• Admiring the Next Generation

  • Expresses admiration for young star Temwa Chawinga (“She’s so humble… just has a knack or an eye for goal… she’s incredible.” – Lynn, [21:57])
  • Celebrates the way young players are raising the bar.

5. Personal Journeys: Family, Names, and Weddings

• On Changing Her Last Name to Biandolo

  • Lynn shares the emotional process of making her married name part of her public identity, and the significance of the Biandolo name (“…such a gifted name on the back of my jersey, I was like, obviously, I’m gonna do this… And then when my dad was like, you definitely need to do this, I was like, bawling, obviously.” – Lynn, [41:21])
  • Importance of claiming family roots and history (“putting Africans on the map or kind of taking back things…” – Lynn, [42:46])

• Wedding Dress Stories

  • Both Ali and Lynn recount the deeply personal stories of having their wedding dresses made by loved ones—Ali's by her friend Maggie; Lynn’s by her father-in-law, a tailor. Each describes the experience as transformative and more meaningful than they could have imagined ([30:12–37:41]).
  • "I was willing to sacrifice something for the sentiment of him making it. But then I saw it, and I was like, oh, yeah, this is literally exactly what I wanted." – Lynn, [32:22]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Progress of Women's Soccer:
  “Right now, in this time in women's sports, we are all celebrating each other and like ourselves for being part of this growth.” – Ali, [06:31]

• Reflections on Championships:
  “It's so unique in its own way… It's like your children… I love you all equally, but, like, different.” – Lynn, [19:14]

• On Motherhood in the League:
  “If you would have asked me five years ago, do you want to have kids and continue to play afterwards, I would have said absolutely not... at the time, I wasn’t ready to like sacrifice my career for kids. And I think that now you don’t have to make that sacrifice.” – Lynn, [25:57]

• Changing Her Last Name:
  “Such a gifted name on the back of my jersey, I was like, obviously, I’m gonna do this.” – Lynn, [41:21]

  “Every time somebody, like, I scored a goal and somebody had to announce my name, I was like, yeah, we are… putting Africans on the map.” – Lynn, [42:46]

• Championship Party FOMO:
  “I miss winning.” – Ali, [06:29]

  “If you’re a millennial, you won’t want to leave before 11pm...” – Ali (re: Kesha surprise appearance), [09:42]

• On Style and Comfort During Pregnancy:
  “My style was like comfy casual, but also like, if my bump is showing a little bit, nothing fits. Like, I'm pregnant. What do you guys want me to do?” – Lynn, [12:15]

Important Timestamps

• Opening: Discussing 2023 champ, lack of celebration, and how it’s changed [00:00–00:39]
• Introducing Lynn & Championship Weekend Recap [01:52–03:09]
• Afterparty Shenanigans [03:09–06:31]
• Growth of the NWSL & Reflection on League Progress [06:31–09:12]
• Kesha Party Story & Millennial FOMO [09:12–11:21]
• Pregnancy Style, Pelvic Floor Training [11:35–13:16]
• "Firsts" Segment (Nicknames, Jerseys, Intimidations, etc.) [13:32–18:36]
• Lynn on Four NWSL Championships [18:44–21:02]
• Admiration for Temwa Chawinga [21:57–23:14]
• Motherhood in the League & NWSL Moms Group [23:14–25:57]
• Policy, Support & Challenges for Moms [25:57–29:36]
• Wedding Stories: Family, Names, and Dress [29:36–37:41]
• Wedding Season & Soccer Schedules [37:41–40:21]
• On Changing Her Last Name [41:21–45:51]
• Signature Change & Jersey Stories [45:51–46:57]
• Best Gift Ever Segment [46:03–46:57]
• Outro and Farewell [47:23–47:46]

Tone & Style

• Conversational, candid, and full of warmth—reflects the authentic camaraderie between Sydney, Ali, and Lynn
• Unfiltered, humorous, with genuine emotional moments
• Balances both lighthearted banter and discussions on important challenges and progress in women’s sports

Quick Takeaways

• NWSL celebrations and recognition have grown tremendously; today’s players are experiencing a new level of support and visibility.
• The league’s attitude toward motherhood has made giant strides, but plenty of work remains to ensure true equity and support for athlete-parents.
• Personal connections—family, marriage, and even the symbolism of a last name—carry deep meaning for athletes with public-facing careers.
• Lynn’s humility, resilience, and pride in her journey is as palpable as ever, inspiring players and fans alike.

This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in the real-life highs, lows, and evolving landscape of women’s sports, combining laughs, heartfelt stories, and some much-needed honesty about what it means to “have it all” as a pro athlete.