For more than 20 years, Alverno Athletics has been a key part of the college recruitment equation. Adding new sports helps increase the appeal, and the coaches, under the leadership of Athletic Director Katari Key, have raised the bar for recruitment.
Those efforts are paying off. This fall, Key and her team scored a slam-dunk by bringing in the largest incoming class of athletes since 2015. The 39 new student-athletes bring the total roster up to 72, and they hail from 18 different states and one Canadian province. Of those 39 new student-athletes, 34 are from out of state, second only to 2020’s 41 out-of-state athletes. Some of the students come from nearby states like Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota, while others come from as far away as Maine, Georgia, Texas, Oregon and Hawaii.
Key says one of the reasons for their success is that she and the coaches are intentional about recruitment goals. “We have great coaches who do a great job of telling our story.”
Perhaps the biggest part of the equation are the student-athletes themselves. Golfer Avery Maxwell, who’s from Des Moines, Iowa, says she always saw herself going out of state for college.
“Alverno allowed me to branch out, but I am still close enough to home that I don’t feel completely disconnected,” she says. “Alverno offers such an amazing program and really has allowed me to be myself within my sport and grow more than I ever thought I would.”
Maxwell, who’s majoring in business and management, says being involved in athletics helps her feel connected to campus. “I love knowing that I could come back to Alverno in 10 years and be met with the same kindness I was since day one.”
Sharisty Kooch echoes that sentiment. The Oregon native is particularly grateful for the relationships she’s made with her volleyball teammates, coaches and the rest of the student-athletes. “My favorite thing about Alverno is how welcoming everyone is, and if you need something, you can go to anyone.”
Anthony Boyer, who coaches cross country and track and field, knows that camaraderie among athletes is important, so he tries to recruit more than one student from the same geographical area. But his efforts don’t stop there. “When I get them to campus, I try to make sure they know I have an open door policy so they can come to me about anything and everything.”
That welcoming environment, along with her professors and the small class sizes, help Giselle Moreno, a softball player from Chicago, feel at home. “Most every athlete knows each other and understands how being a student and an athlete may be hard at times, especially in season,” she says. “As athletes, we make bonds with each other, which really helps me feel like I have a family here at Alverno.”
The sense of community and distinctive approach to education are what attracted Dominique Tétrault, a softball player from La Broquerie, Manitoba, in Canada, and sense of community are to Alverno. “I thought the unique grading system would help me with my career as a teacher as it focuses more on learning and collaboration instead of competition,” she says. “My favorite thing about Alverno is everyone’s openness and willingness to help those who need it most. Everyone is so friendly, I feel like I am back at home.”
For Athletics, having a clear mission to recruit student-athletes while forging bonds among them is producing results. And for the athletes, the rewards beyond their sport are evident.
Says Maxwell: “No matter what, there is always someone there for you, and the school makes sure you know that.”
