Allie Ross grew up in a home where being a student-athlete was simply part of everyday life. “Both my parents were collegiate athletes,” she says. “My dad played baseball at George Washington, and my mom played tennis at the University of Richmond.” Naturally, she and her younger brother were introduced to a wide range of sports early on.
Soccer, though, stuck. Not because it was the most obvious choice, but perhaps because it felt like her own. “I honestly think I liked soccer because it was something different from what my parents did,” the third-year says. “And I think I was also the best at it growing up.”
That instinct to carve her own path still defines Allie today. On UVA Women’s Soccer team, Allie plays forward, a position that tends to entice players who like to take initiative. “I’m very attacking-minded in life,” she says. “I’m a very goal-oriented person.” For her, the appeal goes beyond scoring; it’s about working toward something alongside her teammates.
That collaborative mindset has carried over to her experience at McIntire. During the Integrated Core, for which she worked on a project with corporate sponsor CarMax, she says the experience felt closer to a professional setting than a traditional class. She learned how to better navigate group dynamics, accept constructive feedback, and commit to a shared direction even when multiple good ideas were on the table. “The hardest part was figuring out what we wanted to do for our project idea,” she says. “But once we committed, we were all in.”
McIntire also opened doors to experiences she didn’t expect. In Professor Ryan Nelson’s Strategy and Systems and IT classes, she explored topics like AI and leveraging it in the workplace. “Prior to taking classes at McIntire, if you were to tell me I was learning about AI in the Comm School, I wouldn’t have believed you,” says the Finance and Management concentrator. “He really opened my eyes.”
That combination of teamwork, accountability, and high standards feels familiar. It mirrors life in the ACC, where the pace and competition are constant. “You can’t really match it anywhere else in the country,” Allie says, “but it’s a blessing in disguise to be constantly surrounded by the best.” To keep up, she’s studied film with her coach, built confidence in her game, and put in extra work outside of scheduled practice.
This summer, she will take that same dedication and competitive mindset to New York, joining Santander’s Financial Sponsors group as an Investment Banking Intern. The appeal for someone like Allie makes total sense: “The speed of it, the competitive nature, and being able to work on a team just sounds like an incredible opportunity to me.”
As she looks ahead to her final year, her goals remain clear. A national championship is on the list, along with continuing to build relationships across McIntire and the broader University while preparing for her professional path.
At her core, her perspective is straightforward: “I love scoring goals,” she says. “Working together with my teammates to get to that end goal? There’s nothing better than that.”
