Terps Tour Under Armour With Luminary and Maryland Made

Last week, Maryland Made and Luminary partnered to send 12 female student-athletes to Baltimore to tour Under Armour’s Global Headquarters and meet with Luminary CEO Cate Luzio, UA Chief Merchandising Officer Kara Trent — and other important figures — in person.

This visit was part of the "University of Maryland Women Athletes Leadership Program" powered by Under Armour and Luminary.  It's something the companies co-launched for the first time this year, and included an in-person visit to UA Global Headquarters in addition to all of the virtual programming and networking on the UMD campus.

Under Armour hosted and funded the trip, wanting to host the collegiate student-athletes in close proximity to Baltimore. 

“The UA x Luminary x UMD visit gave our student-athletes an exclusive look behind the brand, allowing them to see firsthand the many teams and functions that bring Under Armour to life,” Maryland Made’s Sydney Anderson said. “It was powerful to watch them network with professionals and be exposed to the wide range of career paths available within the company.”

The event was the latest in a partnership among Maryland Made, Under Armour and Luminary, a group focused on empowering women and allies through professional development, education and networking. 

“You could see the impact and the significance of today on the faces of the student-athletes throughout the day,” Luzio said. “Being able to see it at Under Armour in person solidifies all the work that’s gone into this program so far. Seeing it all come to fruition through these young female athletes and leaders, it’s hard to articulate  how proud I am of this program and its impact.”

Luminary has been working with a select group of female student-athletes all year to help them prepare for success post-graduation and in sport. 

“The four years I spent in College Park were the best four years of my life,” Luzio said. “They were the most pivotal. I can’t even put into words how special this partnership is. Seeing Luminary’s logo in lights next to Maryland’s and Under Armour’s is such a ‘wow’ moment for all of us.”

Kelly Welsh, Under Armour’s Marketing and Activations Lead for UA’s Team Division & Grassroots, hosted the Terps and gave them a tour of the company’s global headquarters.

"As a former student-athlete at an Under Armour school who went through our Rookie (internship) program before joining Under Armour full-time, it was a full-circle moment to give these student-athletes a similar opportunity – even if just for a day,” Welsh said. “I still remember being in their shoes – knowing I wanted to work in sport, but not knowing what that path looked like or where it started. There were so many roles at Under Armour I didn’t even know existed until I met the people doing them, so our goal was to introduce them to a wide range of teammates (employees), especially former student-athletes, and help them start thinking about how their skills can translate into incredible career paths at companies like Under Armour. At the end of the day, the student-athletes left UAHQ understanding that meaningful relationships and strong, consistent effort will open doors to future opportunities."

Upon arrival, Maryland met a handful of key figures from Under Armour’s marketing division, including the Collegiate Marketing and Activations lead, Cal Swardbrick, the Maryland Sale and Service Senior Lead, Brian Swatek, and the Team Division & Grassroots Marketing and Activations Senior Manager, Nick Young. 

“Under Armour was honored to host twelve exceptional female student-athletes from the University of Maryland, along with UMD staff members and our valued partners from Luminary,” Young said. “This program is designed to unlock potential by building confidence, expanding professional networks, providing exposure to a wide range of career paths within a global sports brand, and developing future leaders who will make an impact beyond their collegiate experience. We hope the student-athletes found meaningful value in their visit to Under Armour, and we look forward to continuing this important and inspiring partnership.”

After lunch, the Terps learned the story of Under Armour’s beginning and rise to becoming a $5 billion company. Under Armour’s Senior Director of Executive Communications, Kevin McDermond, shared a video with the group and told them the story of Maryland alum Kevin Plank, who played for Maryland and started the company. 

Then, a “Fireside Chat” panel featuring Luzio, Kara Trent and Bonnie Bernstein inspired the Terps with their anecdotes and advice on evolving from student-athlete to thriving in professional life while remaining rooted in sports and leadership. 

Luzio, Luminary’s Founder and CEO and proud Maryland alum, started the chat with a rowdy “Go Terps!” before creating a space for inspiration and education on what life after sports can look like for dedicated athletes. 

“They all inspire me,” Luzio said of the student-athletes. “That’s something that isn’t talked about enough, the idea of reverse mentorship. They’re all so professional with their questions and their stories. Being able to have them in the audience and seeing the next generation of future leaders, it’s a really remarkable feeling.”

Trent, who will be taking over as Under Armour’s Chief Merchandising Officer in February after previously leading both EMEA and Americas businesses for UA, shared the three main things that translate from sports into business: accountability, resiliency and teamwork. These skills, she told the Terps, are key traits that all athletes have that will be important in their professional lives after sports. 

Bernstein, a former Maryland gymnast-turned sports reporter/writer/producer, told the group of student-athletes that “You’ll hang up your cleats at some point, but you’ll never stop being an athlete. The only thing that will change is your arena and your team.”

Bernstein is a veteran ESPN and CBS Sports journalist-turned-Swiss Army knife entrepreneur. She’s the founder & CEO of Walk Swiftly Productions and Velvet Hammer Media Consulting, specializing in powerful, multi-platform storytelling, strategic brand development and content optimization.

The panel emphasized the importance of networking and relationship building. The student-athletes in attendance took a massive step just by being there, and soaked in the wisdom of previous female student-athletes who have found profound success in their professional lives. 

“I thought it was super cool,” field hockey’s Josie Hollamon said. “They gave us such great insight and information on how to better ourselves in our networking and our relationships. They really told us how we can be as prepared as possible when we graduate for whatever comes next.”

The Terps got to take a behind-the-scenes tour of Under Armour’s innovation labs and see some of the futuristic processes and technologies that the company uses to create the highest-level products for its athletes.

“As an athlete, it was really cool to see how they work with the shoes,” track and field’s Evelyn VanZwieten said. “They’re taking them apart and running them through tests and different machines, and I can see why it’s such a wonderful brand.”

The Terps got to meet some of the design team and give real-life feedback on what they love and would like to see in future product opportunities. They then learned about the Rookie Program, Under Armour's flagship internship initiative in the U.S., and how to get their foot in the door of whatever comes their way now and after college.

Finally, a tour of the main store — of course, with a provided discount — and a chance to sign the “Wall of Fame” awaited the Terps. The student-athletes all inked their names onto the pillars of the story, creating the latest chapter in the company’s storied history. 

The student-athletes were also gifted Under Armour’s new No Weigh Duffle, with straps designed to stretch and flex with your body to help absorb impact, reduce shoulder pressure, and balance your load so you stay aligned, mobile, and comfortable all day. With direct ties to student-athletes, Terps are able to help with product feedback, marketing, wear testing, and more. 

“That was definitely a cool moment,” gymnast Katrina Mendez-Abolnik said. “I’m not a highly-known athlete, but putting my name up there with some of the greats was really neat. It makes me feel special.”

In all, the female student-athletes who attended this leadership program experienced an unforgettable day of innovation, education, and inspiration, all while building invaluable relationships and memories.

“I felt very inspired,” Maryland tennis star Aida Eissa said. “I now have a better idea of what I’m interested in and my situation. I’m so grateful for all the tools and resources we have with the people we met today. I’m more hopeful about my future and the opportunities I’ll have when I graduate now.”

2025-26 UMD Women Athletes Leadership Program Cohort

Tolu Akinduro, Track & Field
Simisola Balogun, Track & Field
Logan Buckmon, Gymnastics
Aida Eissa, Tennis
Tamari Gagoshidze, Tennis
Julia Garcia, Women’s Golf
Josie Hollamon, Field Hockey
Nicha Kanpai, Women’s Golf
Lauren LaPointe, Women’s Lacrosse
Madelena Marshall, Women'Lacrosse
Ava McKennie, Women’s Basketball
Mir McLean, Women’s Basketball
Katrina Mendez Abolnik, Gymnastics
Eva Mowery, Women’s Soccer
Bailey Murphy, Softball
Neve O'Ferrall, Women’s Lacrosse
Evelyn Rogers, Cross Country
Caroline Ross, Women’s Lacrosse
Maddy Sterling, Women’s Lacrosse
Maya Valmon, Track & Field
Evelyn VanZwieten , Track & Field
Sammi Woods, Softball