From the court to corporate: former Virginia tennis star moves to new career

Natasha Subhash is no stranger to accomplishment. During the Class of 2024 alumna’s final year at Virginia, she was named the school’s Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year for an astounding third time, and in October she received a distinction visited upon only three Cavaliers before her — being named a Top 30 honoree for the 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

These days, having graduated from the University, Subhash is still the same high-achieving individual. Only this time, instead of studying or competing in collegiate tennis tournaments, she is an accountant for a leading advisory firm. The recognition feels different. Subhash is now successfully navigating the corporate world by carrying the same drive and discipline that defined her as a student-athlete.

She is only a handful of months removed from a five-year Virginia career overflowing with tennis accomplishments, including being named the 2020 ITA National Rookie of the Year and three times becoming an ITA Singles All-American, honors that summarize a laundry list of wins and tournament runs. But already she is toiling away in the corporate world.

“I love the firm I'm at,” Subhash said in an interview. “And people are great. So it hasn't been too challenging of an adjustment.”

Subhash began her job back in October in Tysons, Va. as an assurance associate for Forvis Mazars, an accounting and advisory firm. Subhash audits for companies, meaning she looks for fraud in their financial statements. She is enjoying the work, and she loves the firm and its people, but just like many things Subhash has achieved, it took years of grit and determination to get there.

Subhash attended Virginia’s renowned McIntire School of Commerce, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce with concentrations in Accounting and Management in 2023 before completing her Master’s degree in Accounting in 2024. She was an incredibly accomplished student, a three-time Academic All-American, and in 2023, she received McIntire’s Walter B. Doggett Accounting Award, given “in recognition of distinguished academic achievement and outstanding scholarship in the discipline of accounting.”

“The department for accounting is amazing,” Subhash said. “They're all so helpful and just great teachers, so I really enjoyed those classes … And then it was the McIntire faculty that sold it for me.”

Subhash managed to balance her training with summer internships, receiving accounting internships after her third and fourth years, which she credits in part to the school’s excellent staff.

After graduating from Virginia, Subhash did not have the relaxing summer one might expect. She started working towards her next goal. She spent most of her summer studying for the Certified Public Accountant exam — a 16-hour, four-section assessment that evaluates the knowledge and skills required to become a licensed accountant. Not only was the studying difficult and grueling, but that summer was one of the first times she was not constantly playing tennis or working out.

“It was a really tough adjustment at first, from constantly being active all day to just studying, and then maybe working out once,” Subhash said.

For many athletes, it can be jarring to transition from the structured, fast-paced world of collegiate sports to the slower rhythm of post-graduate life. Subhash, like many former college athletes, has found it challenging to adjust to a desk job. Her new job has forced her to adapt to a very different kind of daily routine, but it does provide a similar busy schedule.

“I think all athletes, that's what we're used to, and you just kind of can't live without anymore,” Subhash said. “I can’t do a day where I’m not doing anything. It makes me so restless.”

However, the most significant adjustment for Subhash since graduating has been the absence of the close-knit team environment that defined her time at Virginia. For years, her days revolved around a group of teammates — they were her support system, her travel companions and her partners in high-pressure tournaments. She grew used to the intense workout routine and practice schedule, but what she really misses is the unique group of people you find on a team, something that is nearly impossible to replace.

“Having a group of girls that you spend so much time with every single day and then travel together, went into battle, figuratively, together — that was very special,” Subhash said.

Subhash misses all that, but her time in college gave her plenty of experience and wisdom that will aid her in this next chapter. Being on a small team, Subhash became an expert in working with other people — recognizing each other’s strengths and weaknesses, learning how best to support one another.

“I think being on a small team like tennis really taught you how important it was to really get to know everyone on your team so well,” Subhash said. “Because if you know your teammates, then the new guys can mesh together better, and then it just all clicks.”

Looking to the near future, Subhash plans to continue building her career in accounting while staying open to new possibilities. She has no “10-year plan or anything,” she said, but she knows she wants to stay in accounting for a while. She has done plenty of volunteer work over the years, and the thought of nonprofit work allures her — maybe as a full-time job, maybe on the side.

“For now, though, just starting out, stability is really important,” Subhash said. “So I'll probably be here for a little bit.”

The daily grind of an accounting job leaves scarce time for an athletic career. But before starting her job, Subhash found time to coach tennis at her old academy — a reminder that her passion for the sport still plays a prominent role in her life.

From the court to corporate: former Virginia tennis star moves to new career

Natasha Subhash is navigating a new career in accounting while reflecting on her remarkable journey at Virginia

Local Savings

Comments