Jax State's Featherstone Attends 2026 NCAA Career in Sports Forum

06/02/2026

Former Jax State soccer player Louise Featherstone was selected to attend the 2026 NCAA Career in Sports Forum, an all-expenses-paid professional development program for student-athletes. The forum was held May 27-30 in Indianapolis and marks the second consecutive year a Jax State student-athlete has participated in the prestigious event. 

The NCAA Career in Sports Forum is an annual educational program that brings together approximately 200 student-athletes from across the country to explore career opportunities in athletics and sports-related fields. The three-day forum helps participants develop professional skills, build industry connections, and gain a better understanding of career pathways within collegiate athletics. 

Attendees participated in keynote presentations, panel discussions, breakout sessions, and facilitated dialogues designed to prepare them for careers in the sports industry. Topics included self-awareness and professional development, personal branding, career planning, networking, and strategies for navigating the sports job market. 

Through the program, participants gained firsthand exposure to athletics administration at the campus, conference, and national levels while connecting with peers and industry professionals from across the country. 

A spring 2026 summa cum laude graduate, Featherstone was named a 2024-25 Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll and Medal recipient, earned membership in the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society, and was selected to the 2025 Conference USA All-Academic Team. 

On the field, Featherstone played in all 18 matches during the 2025 season and started the final 11 contests. She finished as the Gamecocks' second-leading scorer with five goals and led the team with three assists, totaling 13 points for the season.