RAPID CITY, SD – Rapid City native and former professional volleyball player Lauren Schad is putting her competitive instincts to the test as a contestant on Fox’s “99 to Beat” premiering Wednesday, September 23rd. 

Schad discussed the experience during an interview on “The Roadhouse Show” with Amy, Brandon and Zaccy Moon, describing the competition as one of the most intense — and unusual — adventures of her life.

Hosted by Ken Jeong and Erin Andrews, “99 to Beat” begins with 100 contestants competing in a series of deceptively simple challenges. The rules are straightforward: Do not finish last. A contestant is eliminated after each round until one player remains to claim the $1 million prize.

The games use familiar household objects but often require a combination of dexterity, strength, balance and concentration. Schad said one challenge required contestants to sort colorful beads into labeled test tubes using tiny plastic hands. Another had players collect rubber ducks with a hook suspended from a belt.

“Anybody can win,” Schad said. “You don’t know what you’re going to be good at. It’s dexterity, it’s physical, it’s mental.”

The pressure increased once the cameras began rolling. Schad said contestants were surrounded by dozens of cameras while Jeong and Andrews watched and provided commentary from above the competition floor.

“Adding in 50 cameras and two mega celebrities ahead of you, a million dollars on the line, and you’re like, ‘I can’t finish last,’” Schad said. “It’s fight or flight. I’ve never experienced something like that in my entire life.”

Some challenges lasted much longer than contestants anticipated. Schad said competitors spent about 2½ hours squatting during one event, leaving her wishing she had stretched beforehand.

Her background as an elite athlete helped her prepare for the intensity.

Schad was born and raised in Rapid City and attended Rapid City Central High School before playing volleyball at the University of San Diego. She later competed professionally for five seasons in France.

Schad’s family is from Eagle Butte, and she proudly represents the Cheyenne River Lakota Nation.

After stepping away from professional volleyball because of knee problems, Schad transitioned into creative work. She is now a creative director and social media manager for a North Carolina-based agency, working remotely from South Dakota.

She also creates custom rugs and textile artwork through a process known as tufting, which uses a specialized tool to weave yarn through fabric. Schad picked up the craft during the COVID-19 pandemic and has continued creating commissioned pieces for the past five years.

Appearing on a nationally televised game show was another of what Schad calls her “side quests.” Filming required her to travel to Ireland for about three weeks, just two months before her wedding.

“I like really random, sporadic side quests,” Schad said. “I’m always thinking, ‘What can I do next? What’s the thing that’s going to make me tick?’ I was like, ‘Put me on a game show. I’m ready.’”

Schad could not reveal how long she remained in the competition, but she offered viewers an easy way to spot her among the 100 contestants.

“I am wearing the brightest yellow neon sweater possible,” she said. “If you’re like, ‘Where’s Lauren?’ look for the yellow sweater, and it will not lead you astray.”

The 10-episode competition is available through Fox and Hulu. Schad said she kept a journal throughout filming, recording details about each challenge and the behind-the-scenes experience. She plans to return to “The Roadhouse Show” after the season to share more about her time on the program.