When it comes to U.S. college sport, there’s what you see in the highlight reels and then there’s the real story. In Episode 2 of Keep It Real: Talk Track, we sat down with two athletes who’ve lived it all: Austin Ludwig and Leah Bermudez, both captains and standouts at Gannon University, who now call the Gold Coast home.
Across this candid, no-script conversation, they unpack what student-athletes really experience; the wins, the doubts, the pressure, and the growth. Whether you're a rising athlete eyeing college sport, or a parent trying to understand the journey your child is about to take, this episode offers something powerful: honesty.
For Austin, the U.S. wasn’t the original plan. After being released from the Brisbane Roar youth academy, he could’ve called it a day. Instead, he took a leap of faith, trading A-League ambitions for a U.S. college opportunity at Gannon University. It was a reset, a chance to rebuild both as a player and a person.
Leah, meanwhile, had always seen the U.S. as the next step. A Canadian standout who followed in the footsteps of the Canadian women’s national team pathway, her mindset was clear: play as long as she could. Gannon wasn’t her first choice—but it turned out to be the perfect fit.
Both athletes describe the adjustment period as steep but rewarding. From freezing Erie, Pennsylvania winters to managing full-time studies alongside 6 a.m. training and constant travel, the experience is not for the faint-hearted.
Yet, it’s in that grind where the growth happens.
“You grow up a lot. You learn how to lead, how to push through setbacks, and how to actually support a team,” says Leah.
Austin adds, “College soccer in the U.S. is the closest thing to being a pro without signing a pro contract. The setup, the facilities, the structure—it all prepares you for what comes next.”
Both note how the experience forged more than just athletic development, it taught them discipline, resilience, and how to manage the demands of life off the pitch too.
Leah now plays in the Australian NPL while balancing her career. Austin returned to the Gold Coast, where he became a back-to-back NPL Player of the Year and now plays professionally for Brisbane Roar in the A-League.
The message is clear: U.S. college sport can be a launchpad, but only if you use it wisely.
Their advice?
Too often, the college dream is sold as a glossy success story. Austin and Leah pull back the curtain. They talk about financial pressure, mental health, leadership responsibility, and the weirdness of cultural shifts (Walmart cereal aisles and no ketchup chips included).
But through it all, their story is one of perseverance, maturity, and finding belonging in unexpected places.