AUGUSTA, Ga.- The Bachelor of Arts in Sports Management degree at Augusta University is still relatively new, and this year, the program will see the first graduates with the degree. Two of them just happen to play softball with the Jaguars.
 
Cadance Winder and Bailee Roberts came to AU on very different paths but will be part of the historic class.
 
Winder transferred from Valdosta State and saw the program was opening up and knew right away that's the direction she wanted to take.
 
"I thought sports management was a great way to get involved with something I've done my whole life," said Winder
 
Roberts came to AU her freshman year and was originally a finance major. Once she found out about the sports management program, she knew it would be her calling.
 
"Sports has always been a passion and once they introduced that, I knew that was something I wanted to pursue a career in," said Roberts.


 
Both Winder and Roberts know playing on the softball team has given them an advantage before they start their post-collegiate careers. Seeing how the Jaguar program is run and what it takes has been an advantage to them.
 
Since their classes have been all-encompassing and exposing them to many different aspects of sports management, they've been able to broaden their horizons, and each have had their own favorite classes.
 
"I really liked sports marketing; it really piqued my interest," said Roberts.
 
"My favorite right now is organizational behavior in sports because it teaches you how to persuade people and how to talk with people, especially in the athletic field as a woman," said Winder.
 
Roberts would eventually like to open her own softball clinic and help young girls get to where she is. Having this degree will certainly help her in that career path.
 
"I mainly want to focus on kids. Kids trying to come up in the athletic program and trying to go to the collegiate level because some don't get the opportunity and are overlooked, and I want to help guide the girls to be where I am today," added Roberts.
 
For Winder, she's looking at pro sports and her dream job would be with the Atlanta Braves.
 
"I want to work in professional sports in the long run. Being a woman in sports is on the uptick right now," said Winder. "I have more of an upper hand because I've been in sports my whole life. So just getting that hands on experience and knowing athletes and how teams are run, helps me."