Alverno Boosts Enrollment With Athletics Push
The Milwaukee women's college reinvested in sports after financial distress, reporting enrollment gains for the 2026-27 academic year.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in College Applications
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Alverno College in Milwaukee reported a 5% rise in new-student enrollment and a 60% rise in new undergraduates for the 2026-27 academic year after reinvesting in athletics. New student-athletes rose 75%, following a strategy led by President Christy Brown.
Why it matters
The gains follow a period in which the Higher Learning Commission designated Alverno as in financial distress and the college cut dozens of services and staff positions. The results suggest that expanding women's athletic programs can serve as an enrollment strategy for small private colleges.
Alverno's new student-athlete enrollment rose 75% for 2026-27, compared with the prior year, after the college reinstated its girls' soccer program following four years of dormancy. Overall new undergraduate enrollment rose 60%, though the source does not specify the baseline total.
The players
Alverno College
A private Catholic liberal arts college in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, historically known for its women's undergraduate programs.
Christy Brown
The president of Alverno College, who designed the three-year enrollment plan built around athletics.
Higher Learning Commission
The regional accreditor that designated Alverno as in financial distress two years before the enrollment gains.
The details
Alverno President Christy Brown created a three-year plan to grow enrollment through athletics and hired a girls' soccer coach in July 2025 to revive the dormant program. The college now sponsors basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, volleyball, and track and field, and plans to debut women's flag football in 2028.
Timeline
Two years before publication: Alverno scaled back athletics and was designated in financial distress.
July 2025: Alverno hired a girls' soccer coach, reviving the program.
2026-27 academic year: Alverno recorded enrollment increases.
2028: Alverno plans to debut a women's flag football team.
Culture Shift
The rebound at Alverno reflects a broader pattern in which small private colleges use women's sports to attract students at a time of declining enrollment. The Higher Learning Commission's financial-distress designation that preceded the turnaround illustrates how severe the pressure on such institutions has become.
Prospective students interested in Alverno's women's sports teams, including the new flag football program slated for 2028, should check the athletics roster before applying. Families weighing colleges can compare admissions timelines and athletic scholarship options directly with each school.
The takeaway
Athletic programs can be a practical lever for small colleges seeking enrollment growth. Students comparing schools should weigh whether a college's sports offerings align with their goals.
Further reading
For more on how schools are navigating enrollment, see College Applications.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Athletic Business Magazine.
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