MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Alverno College and the Alverno Athletics department are pleased to announce the celebration of 25 years of athletics. Beginning in 2000, the Alverno Inferno were unveiled, as volleyball and basketball each competed for the first time 25 years ago, kicking off a quarter century of athletics.

In celebration of this milestone, Alverno College and Alverno Athletics will celebrate the momentous occasions at select home games throughout the year:

• Volleyball vs. Maranatha on September 9^th at 7 p.m.
• Volleyball vs. Dominican on October 4^th at noon
• Volleyball vs. Rockford on November 1^st at noon
• Softball vs. Maranatha on March 31^st at 3 p.m.
• Softball vs. Concordia Wisconsin on April 25 at noon

"It is with great excitement that we honor our past student athletes, coach, and administrators with our celebration of 25 years of Alverno Athletics," said Antonio Rivas, Director of Athletics, "I'm looking forward to leading us into the future with a commitment to keep the history of Alverno Athletics at the forefront of accomplishments to come."

"Alverno Athletics positively impacts our Alverno community," said Marlene Neises, Executive Director, Institutional Effectiveness and Sponsored Programs, who has been a part of Alverno for over 40 years. "Athletics brings to Alverno more local and national students, more on-campus events, and a respect and recognition of the hard work of being an athlete.   Personally, Alverno Athletics has given me a chance to jump up and down and cheer, and shout as an avid Inferno fan."

In 2000, the college unveiled the Alverno Inferno, as well as a renovated gymnasium while locker rooms, offices for the athletics staff, a fitness center, an athletic training room, and a team room were created. Sue Hansen was selected as the department's first Director of Athletics and Head Basketball Coach, tasked with building the new athletics program. Basketball and volleyball were the first intercollegiate varsity sports offered beginning in 2000, while cross country, soccer, and softball began intercollegiate competition during the 2001-02 academic year.

After provisional status for four years, Alverno became a full member of the NCAA Division III in 2004. With its induction into the NCAA, the college also became a member of the Lake Michigan Conference (LMC).

Alverno Athletics experienced two major changes in 2006. The college became a charter member of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) when institutions from the LMC and Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference joined together. Secondly, a generous donation by the Reiman family funded a campus beautification project that was completed in October. This included an NCAA regulation soccer field, an NCAA regulation softball diamond, and a building that houses a press box, concessions, restrooms, and storage for the outdoor facilities.

Alverno's most recently added programs were golf and tennis, with tennis being added in 2009 and golf in 2013. The additions both came under the direction of the second Director of Athletics in Alverno's history, Brad Duckworth, who is now in the Athletics Hall of Fame.

"We are very excited for the future of Alverno athletics and the impact that it will have on our student-athletes and all of the members of our campus and local community," said Theresa Barry PHD, Interim Dean of Students, Student Development and Success.