Nothing But Net Career Gains for Former UMD Basketball Star

When Abby Meyers, MiM ’23, transferred to the University of Maryland for her final year of college basketball eligibility, she wasn’t just chasing her hoop dreams. She was also building her game plan for a successful business career at the Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Meyers, selected by the Dallas Wings with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft and currently playing for the London Lions in the Women's British Basketball League, was a natural multi-sport athlete who loved competing with her two sisters growing up. But basketball ultimately captured her heart and set her on the path to collegiate sports.

After a four-year playing career at Princeton University, where she earned the 2022 Ivy League Player of the Year award, the Bethesda, Md.-native returned home as a graduate transfer to play for UMD coach Brenda Frese and simultaneously earn her master’s degree in the Smith School’s Master’s in Management Studies program.

On the court, Meyers, serving as a co-captain, helped lead the Terps to a 28-7 record and the program’s most recent Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament since 2015. In the classroom, she pursued her aspirations of becoming a global sports marketing executive by practicing data-driven decision-making, collaborating with cohort members on interdisciplinary teams and participating in experiential learning opportunities.

The opportunity to come home was a “no-brainer,” says Meyers, and the experience paid dividends in her development as an athlete and a business professional due to receiving invaluable lessons in leadership from Frese and the Smith School’s world-class faculty.

“Whether you're on a basketball team, a cohort or any other kind of team, it's about understanding and getting to know your teammates and earning their respect,” says Meyers. “But it’s also about getting to their level, empathizing with them, understanding where they're coming from and holding them accountable.”

The final course in the MiM program, Experiential Learning, allowed Meyers to work on one of the two teams assisting Major League Baseball by providing recommendations for marketing initiatives and identifying two potential cities for future league expansion. Over the seven weeks,  Meyers and her team conducted qualitative and quantitative research and shared the insights with MLB executives during the program’s presentation showcase in May 2023.

“What was so cool about that experience was that we got to apply all of the skills and strategies that we gained from various classes taken over the year for this one class,” says Meyers.

Having graduated, Meyers knows that whatever path she chooses, whether furthering her athletic career or advancing her business aspirations, she’ll take every new challenge on with confidence in her work ethic and the support from others who have helped her get to this point.

“Between the attention, camaraderie and fan base, it’s been very special,” says Meyers. “I'm sad it was only one year, but I think I made the most of it, and I can go on to my professional career with no regrets.”