For Linzee Leal, leadership has always been rooted in showing up. For her teammates, her family, and her community. A 2025 graduate of Texas Lutheran University (TLU) with a degree in kinesiology and a concentration in sports management, Leal’s collegiate journey reflects a deep commitment to excellence and making an impact wherever she’s needed.
A standout softball player and student leader, Leal completed her time at TLU with an impressive academic record, campus involvement, and a legacy defined by discipline, service, and heart. That balance of athletics, academics, and leadership helped her earn recognition as a finalist for the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Woman of the Year.
Transferable Skills Learned from School and Sport
Leal credits her growth to the habits and expectations she developed as a student-athlete, skills that continue to guide her beyond graduation. Speaking to her already many achievements, she notes that a range of skills helped her along the way.
“It was important that I incorporated leadership, responsibility, professionalism, hard work and dedication, communication skills, along with organizational skills,” she says.
Those qualities were on display throughout her softball career at TLU, where she helped lead the program to one of the strongest seasons in its history, including a fourth Division III Women’s College World Series appearance. A two-time World Series qualifier, Leal finished her collegiate career among the program’s all-time leaders in stolen bases while earning multiple All-SCAC honors.
In the classroom, her discipline translated into academic excellence. Leal graduated with a 3.76 GPA and was recognized multiple times on the SCAC Academic Honor Roll, reinforcing her belief that leadership doesn’t stop when the game ends.
Surrounded by Leaders from the Start
Much of Leal’s leadership philosophy was shaped long before college, beginning at home.
“I think it’s fair to say that I have been blessed with a family who shows up and demonstrates a lot of leadership skills,” she says.
With parents who are both coaches and teachers, Leal grew up watching leadership modeled through service and sacrifice.
“I have always admired my parents’ hard work and dedication to their work,” she says. “I have seen the passion and sacrifices they have made for their students, athletes, and even for their families. I have seen the way they love their athletes and push them to be the best version of themselves, and that is something that I have always admired.”
That influence carried into her collegiate experience, where her softball coaches played a pivotal role in her leadership development.
“Once I started college, my softball coaches became a very important part of my life. The way they loved us beyond the softball field, pushed us, and prepared us to become not only the best athlete we can become, but the best young ladies [and] women we were preparing to become,” she says.
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Accountability, Teamwork Define Leadership Philosophy
When asked what leadership means to her, Leal looks beyond the titles and more towards everyday actions.
“Leadership means being a good example, a role model,” she says. “Someone who is going to push you to be the best version of yourself.”
She emphasizes that accountability and encouragement go hand in hand.
“Someone who is going to hold you accountable but still love you and cheer you on,” she says.
That mindset guided her involvement across campus, including leadership roles in student-athlete organizations and service-based groups, where she focused on lifting others while setting a consistent example through her actions.
And ultimately, her definition of leadership comes back to the most important lesson in sports. “I think it means being a good teammate,” she adds.
Carrying Lessons from College Into What’s Next
Looking ahead, Leal’s goals remain focused on growth, faith, and consistency.
“In the end I just hope to become the best version of myself that I can become in every aspect of life,” she says. “The end goal is to become the woman that God has prepared me to be.”
Professionally, she’s continuing to build on the foundation she developed as a student-athlete, applying those same principles of effort and accountability in her career.
“I plan on continuing to work hard and help my company to my best ability,” she says. “I hope to improve my tasks day by day and learn more as the year goes on.”
Leal says the NSLS helped expand her understanding of leadership beyond athletics.
“I think [the NSLS] has shown me that becoming a strong leader doesn’t have to just be throughout your sport, but in the classroom as well,” she says.
Through her NSLS experience, she gained skills that prepared her for what’s next.
“It has taught me leadership skills for clubs and organizations at school,” she says. “It has even taught me the qualities and characteristics needed for life after college, such as occupations, internships, and interviews.”
Linzee’s Advice for Future Leaders
Leal’s advice leans back onto teamwork, humility, and effort.
“When you want to become a better leader, as someone who was a part of a team and as an athlete, it starts by being a good teammate,” she says.
She encourages aspiring leaders to put others first and stay consistent, no matter the setting.
“You put others before you and you honestly become their family,” she says. “In the classroom you set an example and you work hard no matter what, no matter where.”
Above all, Leal believes leadership is about perseverance.
“Always give it your best, but that doesn’t mean that you have to be perfect,” she says. “You have to be tough enough to push through the hard times and enjoy every moment that is given to you.”
Meet Bailey Austin next, another student-athlete and kinesiology major who led her water ski team to a national title all while maintaining a 3.97 GPA and participating in a range of service initiatives.
