Ali Newland’s Journey of Gratitude and Growth
The Game That Keeps Teaching: Ali Newland’s Experience
“So looking back and knowing I can do hard things, I think is one of the biggest benefits of being a college athlete as you move forward into the rest of your life.” – Ali Newland
From early morning runs inside Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge to the highs and lows of playing softball in the SEC, Ali Newland was built on toughness, grit, and lessons that carry well beyond the field. After all, being a collegiate athlete teaches you just as much about life and yourself as it does about the sport you play.
“You know, I did 20-hour weeks. I ran Tiger Stadium at six o’clock in the morning. I can do hard things, and a lot of things as you go throughout the rest of your life tend to pale in comparison. So I’m definitely thankful for that,” said Newland.
All of the hard mornings and long weeks helped shape Newland into a two-time All-SEC First Team player and a two-time NFCA All-Region First Team honoree. Known for her versatility and leadership, she became a steady presence in the Tigers lineup, bringing both power and composure at the plate while setting the tone for LSU’s offense.
Newland finished her career in Baton Rouge with a .298 average, 25 home runs, 122 runs batted in, 278 total bases, and 104 runs scored in 200 games played. Her production and consistency made her one of the most dependable hitters on a perennial SEC contender, and her impact stretched far beyond the stat sheet.
However, through all the great games she played, one of the most cherished parts of her journey was the relationships and bonds built with her teammates.
Some may live with the notion that they need no one, or that it is them against the world, but when you are fortunate to have the love and support of great teammates who become lifelong friends, you truly have something special.
“My very first at bat as a college athlete, I hit a grand slam at home, and I will never forget walking back into the dugout when Taylor Pleasants gave me a hug and said, you can stop shaking now, it’s okay,” said Newland. “Just the vicarious joy that we all felt for each other is something that I will never forget.”
I had to go back and ask about the toughness of running Tiger Stadium. If you have ever been there, you know just how massive the place is. Attacking those steps at six in the morning is no easy task, but Newland took the positives and saw things in a different light.
“I was honestly so excited. Like again, just how many people get to see Tiger Stadium at sunrise and then also at sunset the next day,” said Ali. “I try to think about it from that perspective of gratitude that this is something I get to do.”
She did admit to the intensity of it and how big of an adjustment it can be for a new collegiate athlete to get used to. Still, she remembers the breakfasts afterward with teammates and the time shared just as much as the running itself.
I found Newland to have a very forward thinking personality about herself, a characteristic that helps people get through tough things in life. When you focus on the silver linings and the good that can come from situations, it makes things a bit easier to endure.
In life there are periods of transition. Whether it is a new job, a promotion, or a change in where you live, things change, and with that comes a little uncertainty and whiplash from things you could not have imagined in your wildest dreams.
For Ali Newland, she encountered veteran lefty Keilani Ricketts in her first professional game. In the softball world, that is a huge deal and can be a bit intimidating on your first day.
“My first game that I played in pro ball, Keilani Ricketts came out of the bullpen. And I was like, what is happening right now?” said Newland. “You’re like, okay, I’ve knocked out the starter, this is awesome, and then it’s Keilani Ricketts out of the bullpen.”
Newland went on to explain the importance of mental preparation for a young player. Of course, you face good players in college, but in the pros, everyone is good. That reality made her understand even more that this is a game of failure.
As seen in the inaugural season of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, the reserve pool was full of talented players. With there only being four teams in the 2025 season, some really good players had to wait for a call to join a roster. That was Newland. She saw action in eight games this past season, playing for both the Blaze and the Volts.
When presented with the opportunity, Newland came in and made an impact immediately, slashing .368/.429/.684 with one home run, five runs batted in, and three doubles.
Ali Newland is still writing her professional story, but she has made the most of every opportunity so far, showing the same competitiveness and composure that defined her LSU career. Whether stepping into a key at bat or bringing love and support to her teammates, her focus has never changed. Every day became a new chance to learn, compete, and grow in the game of softball.
I wanted to get her first-hand experience on how that was for her.
“Yeah, I think it’s a tough role to be in. All of us who were in the reserve pool were kind of waiting to go play and itching to go play,” Newland said.
Playing in the AUSL is such a cool experience, and everyone I’ve talked with who is part of it is extremely grateful for what the league has done to push the game of softball forward at the professional level. Newland was no different.
She never dreamed she would one day be on a professional platform like this. It truly is living the dream. People sometimes use that phrase sarcastically, but for Newland and many others, it’s the truth.
“If you had asked me at the beginning of my college career if I was gonna play professional softball, I would have told you that you were crazy. That was never gonna happen,” said Ali Newland.
“I’m just so thankful for how our sport has grown and continues to grow, and I’m thankful for the people who invest in it. Commissioner Kim Ng, who came over from the Marlins, didn’t have to choose us, but she did,” Ali said. “I think her support of pro softball and her choosing to say publicly, I think this league can be something great, was such a vote of confidence.”
Newland also spoke on how we can all help the sport continue to grow. Where there is demand, there is room for much more opportunity. I personally want these pro softball players to have sustainable careers and make the money they deserve. But we have to do our part as media and fans to help drive the value of their work upward.
“I’m thankful for the people who continue to cover it. Like the fact that I’m doing this interview right now and that you’re choosing to cover softball makes such a big difference for us,” Newland explained. “We certainly would not be growing in the pro game without people like you who are choosing to cover the college game and who are choosing to cover us after college.”
When I took on the challenge of creating my own softball media outlet, my goal was and still is to promote the game at all levels. Also, to give everyone the attention and opportunity to be in the light that they deserve. The game of softball should be shared daily as much as any other sport on this planet.
Back to the reserve pool experience. As more teams are added, more players will have opportunities to join rosters, and be on teams as everyday players. Right now, the players and talent outnumber the size of the league itself. With time, that will change, and maybe even a minor league system could develop in the future. That way, players in the pool would at least have a consistent home while waiting for a call.
“That obviously happened for me twice with two of the teams in the league, and I was grateful for the opportunity to get to go play and learn from all of those people. But I do think it’s a hard place to be because you’re not getting live at bats in between those times. You’re trying to train as best you can,” she said.
Newland continues to pave her way in the professional world, even as a participant in the MLB Home Run Derby X. This was an opportunity she had applied for nearly five years ago as a tester, but due to her commitments at LSU, she was not able to take part in the process.
Fast forward to 2025, Newland was able to connect with Mike Griffin at Pro5 Baseball Academy in Holly Springs, North Carolina. That connection led to her experience as part of the Nationals Home Run Derby X team. It seemed like being in the right place at the right time and around the right people helped that opportunity bloom for Ali.
Speaking of being in the right place, Newland is now serving as a graduate manager within the North Carolina State Wolfpack softball program. She has professional aspirations beyond her playing days, which hopefully will not come anytime soon. I asked Ali what she hopes to take from this experience and how it will help shape her career.
“Long term I really want to work in an executive role in Major League Baseball. I would like to be in either management or marketing. One day down the road I am not really sure when that will be or how my playing career continues to go, but that is the goal long term,” said Ali Newland.
“I think getting to do a lot of things here at NC State is certainly helping me prepare for that, and the connections that I am continuing to make here in Raleigh and throughout the collegiate space have been of great value to me as I continue forward, not just in my playing career but in my professional career also.”
Being a graduate manager brings several hats to wear, and it is a role that helps you become well rounded in the operations of an athletic program, whether that involves coaching or administration.
“It’s been very good for me from an experience perspective just to do a little bit of everything,” said Newland. “I really just wanted the opportunity to keep playing. So being able to be at a university where I’m able to train and be with Coach Lindsay, who obviously coached me at LSU, to continue to be coached by her, and to be coached by this whole staff, honestly, getting to learn from them has been such a treat for me and has made me a better softball player.”
This experience in Raleigh not only helps her career off the field but also strengthens her performance on it. She is in a great position right now, building valuable career experience in the city of Raleigh while continuing to sharpen her skills under the Wolfpack coaching staff.
From Tiger Stadium to the professional stage and now Raleigh, Ali Newland has continued to grow with every step. Her story is one built on lessons and appreciation for the process that shapes you into who you become.
Whether it was running those early morning stadium steps at LSU, stepping into the box against some of the best arms in softball, or currently balancing and crafting her professional goals, Newland has carried the same steady approach. She continues to see things through the lens of gratitude, and that is something that stands out about her.
She knows how to handle the tough moments. She knows what it means to be thankful for the opportunity in front of her, even when it requires more than what she may have expected. Also, she continues to show what it means to love this game and the people in it.
For Ali Newland, every step, every challenge, and every opportunity has been a piece of something bigger. The story is still being written, but it already says a lot about who she is, both as a person and as a player.
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