Alverno College Uses Women’s Sports to Boost Enrollment

Alverno College. Photo courtesy of Alverno college.

After years of struggling with declining enrollment, Alverno College changed its recruitment strategy — and it’s starting to work.

The Catholic women’s college on Milwaukee’s south side saw a 5 percent increase in new student enrollment this year, thanks in part to its renewed focus on athletics.

That enrollment boost includes a 60 percent increase in new undergraduate enrollment and a 75 percent increase in new student athletes this school year.

Alverno College’s 2026 soccer team. Photo courtesy of Alverno College

Alverno has always offered its students athletics, but in recent years it had scaled back the programs as the school tried to regain financial footing.

In June 2024,  the college’s accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission, designated Alverno in “financial distress.” That designation was removed six months later, but not before the school’s Board of Trustees cut its undergraduate majors from 43 to 29 and also eliminated nearly 40 full and part-time faculty positions.

Alverno President Christy Brown said a three-year plan to turn the situation around included increasing enrollment by encouraging athletes to choose Alverno.

Brown says there is an excitement on college campuses when there are athletics.

“We’ve had the biggest (new) class that we’ve had in 10 years,” Brown said.

Despite the progress, Alverno’s enrollment is still well below previous years. This year, overall enrollment is 961 graduate and undergraduate students. That’s down from a high of 1,785 in 2021.

Alverno is not alone. Many small liberal arts colleges across the country have faced financial challenges due to declining enrollment, growing costs of higher education and decreased financial support.

But Alverno’s rebound is notable after other small private Wisconsin schools have closed — including Northland College in Ashland and Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee.

When looking at possible enrollment strategies Brown, who became Alverno’s ninth president in July 2023, said she looked at the school’s history.

“There were a lot of great athletic stories that I learned about when I arrived here and I want that same sort of experience for the students who are here now,” Brown said. “It just became a natural strategy to help grow the college.”

Brown says athletics is personal for her. She played sports and so did her daughter.

“I feel as though athletics helps encourage our students to grow their confidence, to grow their discipline, to grow their ability to collaborate with others,” Brown said. “I think there is a correlation between leadership and women doing athletics.”

Alverno College’s 2026 soccer team. Photo courtesy of Alverno College

Sendi Garcia was hired as the school’s soccer coach in July 2025 and has been instrumental in recruiting students to Alverno to play for the team, including four women from Hawaii.

Before Garcia’s arrival, Alverno hadn’t had a soccer team in four years.

“Obviously this first year there are going to be a lot of ups and downs,” Garcia said. “But we’re working through it as a team and learning that in life, things don’t get easier, they get harder and you have to learn to adjust.”

Freshman Richelle Mae Javar had never heard of Alverno in her home state of Hawaii until her club soccer coach mentioned it. Learning about the new team and the school’s nursing program, Javar decided to make the leap.

“It’s kinda like a roller coaster,” Javar said. “There’s days where I’m good, but there’s also days where I miss home. But I feel like being part of Alverno, I like the environment and especially being a part of the soccer team.”

So far, the team has only won one game — but it was a good one.

“It was Ohana night,” Garcia said. “It was the game dedicated to the Hawaii girls. So I just felt like the spirits were really high that night and it just felt really good to take that win.”

Alverno College’s 2026 soccer team during a game. Photo courtesy of Alverno College

Alverno College doubles down on women’s sports to boost enrollment was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.