Boland carving new path off playing field
North Union, BVU grad lands international position
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Autumn Boland was a standout for North Union and Buena Vista University on the softball diamond.
Now, she's working towards experiencing more success in a different area of the sports world.
Boland, who will complete her Master's degree in Sports Management through the University of Florida this coming December, was selected to study in Ireland for a Sports Business Program.
"This trip includes working with some of the best people in the international sports industry, working a large-scale event and taking work shop sessions with amazing professionals," said Boland, a native of Swea City. "I was one of the select few to make it into the program. This is such a huge honor for me knowing that all my time and experience is starting to pay off."
During her four-year career at North Sentral Kossuth (which later became North Union), Boland hit 25 home runs, 42 doubles, drove in 154 runs, scored 118 times and collected 179 hits.
She went on to compete for the Beavers for three seasons, starting all three years at second base. Boland hit .339 with two homers, 23 runs and 16 RBI last spring with 10 multi-hit games.
"My time at Buena Vista was dedicated to softball, school work and working part-time, so I never got the chance to study abroad," she said. "I knew if I didn't try for this program, I would regret not taking this opportunity to better myself and my knowledge."
Boland currently employed with Contemporary Services Corporation in the Dallas-Fort Worth area as an Event Manager. She worked in Atlanta during Super Bowl 53 and the recent NCAA Gymnastic Championships, and is set to head to Kentucky for over two weeks in preparation for the upcoming Kentucky Derby.
"My ultimate goal is to work in professional baseball," Boland said. "That's when I know I have made it."
Boland has created a donation site to help with the cost of the program in Ireland through Facebook.
"I want to thank everyone who has already helped me," she said. "I cannot express how much everone means to me and all the suppot I have been given the past year. I have so many people in my life pushing me to make sure my dreams happen.
"I just want to show people that a girl from small-town Iowa can make a big impact on the world."