AU Athletes Expand Career Skills Through 2026 Development Programs
Athletes Unlimited athletes continue building their careers beyond the field and court through a growing slate of professional development opportunities in 2026.
Across several career-focused programs, current and former AU athletes have gained experience in areas ranging from artificial intelligence and data analytics to networking, resume development, and corporate business skills.
Ali Newland, Maddie Burns and Kirby Burkholder were among the athletes who completed the EY Athlete Career Readiness Program. Additional AU athletes participated in the Women Business Collaborative Athlete Business Academy. AU also partnered with The Pathways Foundation for a seven-week AI Career Accelerator featuring athletes across multiple sports.
For Newland, a professional softball player and 2026 AUSL reserve, the opportunities prepared her for the future while she remained focused on her playing career.
“I’m really focused on playing softball and trying to be the best softball player that I can be,” Newland said. “But at the same time, I want to be prepared for the rest of my life that comes after it.”
The EY program brought together professional athletes and Olympians from around the world for a 12-week experience that included online coursework and sessions with EY executives, recruiters and other professionals. Newland said her learnings included resume building, networking, sustainability, AI and creative thinking.
She is now participating in the AI Career Accelerator, which includes a Google AI Professional Certificate and hands-on work applying those skills to a real-world business challenge with Arena.
Newland said she has already used what she learned in her everyday life, from content creation to using Gemini to help with organization and productivity.
Burns has followed a similar path.
The former AU Pro Lacrosse defender also completed the EY program and is currently participating in the AI Career Accelerator. Burns works full-time for Procter & Gamble while continuing to play professional lacrosse and compete with the U.S. national team.
For Burns, the programs have offered another way to build skills and connections while navigating both sides of her career.
“There’s just so much upside to being able to be in these rooms and meet these people, that you really have nothing to lose and only something to gain from these experiences,” Burns said.
Burns said one of the biggest benefits has been connecting with other athletes who understand the challenges of balancing sports with preparing for a career outside of competition, while also gaining access to professionals who can help athletes navigate that transition.
Although AU no longer operates a lacrosse league, Burns has continued to receive access to career development opportunities through the organization two years after her lone AU season.
“It really just goes to show that AU’s mission and vision isn’t just something that they speak, but they really take the action behind it,” Burns said.
AU’s Chief Impact and Athlete Engagement Officer Hilary Meyer helps connect athletes with those opportunities. Both Burns and Newland credited Meyer and the athlete engagement team for continuing to invest in their development outside of competition.
“I have been so grateful to Hilary and her team, just for her responsiveness and willingness to help me and do all of these things,” Newland said. “They have been above and beyond in all of this for me.”
Burns said the continued support has kept her connected to AU well beyond her season playing in the league.
The AI Career Accelerator also includes Tess Clark, CC Andrews, Lydia Rivers, Akela Maize, Bella Bergmark, Imani McGee-Stafford, Asia Taylor and Dorie Harrison among its AU participants.
For Newland, taking advantage of those opportunities is part of preparing for a future that does not have to be fully mapped out yet.
“It’s nice to know that people are thinking about you beyond just your play on the softball field,” Newland said. “And you know, women’s sports are a little bit different. You maybe don’t have as long of a career. You might be pivoting to a completely different career.”
Even for athletes like Burns who have already begun that next chapter while continuing to compete, the opportunities provide another avenue to keep building.
“I feel like AU is really investing in not just the player development, but they understand the piece of building up women that can thrive in many different aspects of their life,” Burns said.
Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.
