Why two-time Olympian Jordan Thompson chose Athletes Unlimited as the next step of her career
To reach the top of one’s professional field just one year after finishing college would be quite a lofty dream for most, but for two-time U.S. Olympian Jordan Thompson, that accomplishment became a reality when she helped claim the very first Olympic gold medal for the US women’s national volleyball team in 2021.
But once you’ve reached the top, where do you go from there?
Now, four years after her gold medal-worthy Olympic debut, Thompson is coming off the most time off she’s had since beginning to play sports as a child. Her next step after a months-long hiatus? She’s joining a pool of 40 elite volleyball players in a competition that will crown one winner as the best of the best: the Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball Championship.
Thompson’s post-Olympics journey has been about redefining what success looks like in her career, and has given her the freedom to reshape her decision-making process and chase new challenges.
The question of “where to next?” is something the 6-foot-4 opposite hitter asked herself following her first Olympics.
“We just literally made history. Why do I feel so weird after? I mean, it feels like the pinnacle of your career, you just accomplished the biggest thing that there is to accomplish in your sport, and you’re kind of like, ‘Okay, well, what do I do now?'” she recalled.
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The Cincinnati alum returned to Paris to claim silver in 2024 after stacking accolade after accolade with Team USA during international competitions, but found herself experiencing what she describes as “post-Olympic blues.”
Between those two Olympic appearances, Thompson’s resume continued growing. She battled through an injury that limited her Tokyo experience, making her primary goal for Paris simply being fully healthy. Mission accomplished–but that silver medal finish still left her questioning what came next.
The volleyball landscape around Thompson was simultaneously transforming. During her peak years with the national team, opportunities to play professionally on U.S. soil exploded. Thompson became one of the faces of League One Volleyball (LOVB), playing in its inaugural season with LOVB Houston, where she earned 2025 LOVB Opposite Hitter of the Year honors and LOVB Icons Second Team recognition.
Following the LOVB season, she ventured to Indonesia’s Proliga with Jakarta Pertamina Enduro, where she embraced a completely different style of play that challenged her in unexpected ways.
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“The girls just have so much fun playing, and they’re so joyful,” Thompson said. “It brought me back to how I felt as a new player in volleyball, just learning the sport, in the sense of like there was just this pure joy and love and appreciation for getting to play.”
That Indonesian experience became a turning point. Thompson realized she’d been missing something fundamental: the simple joy of competition.
For the first time in her professional career, Thompson took a true break with her first summer off from national team duties in four years.
“I had the chance to miss it,” she explained. “I was watching volleyball on TV, and I realized, like, ‘Oh my gosh. I miss competing, I miss being with my friends, I miss the huddles. I miss the feeling of winning drills in practice and winning games.'”
That realization reshaped Thompson’s approach to career decisions. Rather than chasing the next major international competition or focusing solely on Olympic cycles, she began prioritizing experiences that would reignite her love for volleyball.
“I’ve been to two Olympics, and I’ve done a lot of things in volleyball, and I really just want to enjoy my time playing and have fun and play with people that I love,” she said. “What’s the motivation for me now? What is my why?”
Athletes Unlimited emerged as the perfect answer to that question. Scheduling conflicts with overseas commitments and national team obligations prevented her participation in previous seasons. This time, with a clearer sense of what she valued, the timing finally aligned.
“It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for the past few years, and so to finally have everything fall into place, it was just like a no-brainer for me,” she explained.
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The AU format appeals to Thompson on multiple levels. The athlete-centered approach aligns with her evolved priorities, while the competitive structure offers something entirely new to tackle. As someone who describes herself as “very team-focused,” the individual point system and weekly team drafts present an intriguing challenge.
“It’s definitely going to be a new format compared to anything I’ve experienced before, but anything new is just exciting and something else to tackle,” Thompson said.
More importantly, AU offers the opportunity to compete alongside players she hasn’t shared the court with in years, including former collegiate national team teammate Kaz Brown, whom she hasn’t played with since 2017.
The international component particularly excites Thompson. The championship field includes players from several countries, such as Brazil and Thailand, providing an opportunity for continued learning, which fits perfectly with her redefined success metrics.
“I never want to feel like I’ve completed my game, or I’m satisfied with where I am,” she said. “To have the opportunity to continue learning from different players from different countries is something that I really value.”
Thompson’s decision-making process now centers on growth, enjoyment, and meaningful competition rather than external validation or traditional career milestones. At 28, she’s embracing what she calls “fine-tuning”.
“I don’t know that I’ll see the leaps and bounds that I saw when I was younger, so I think it’s more about the fine-tuning and just the joy along the way,” Thompson said.
For Thompson, Athletes Unlimited represents more than just another competition; it’s a manifestation of her evolved relationship with volleyball. After reaching the sport’s highest peaks, she’s discovered that the most fulfilling path forward is about challenging herself in new ways while maintaining the joy she found in the game when she first started.
“How much can I enjoy the process and the journey?” Thompson asks herself. By joining Athletes Unlimited, she aims to do just that.
Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.
