Athlete Center for Excellence
Between classes, practices, competitions, and frequent travel, student-athletes face a lot of responsibilities and pressures. That’s where Franciscan University’s new Athlete Center for Excellence (ACE) can help.
“The vision is to make sure student-athletes have a support system,” says Alexis Basil, Franciscan’s assistant athletic director for Compliance and Operations and senior woman administrator. “The program caters to the unique needs of our student-athletes to help them become successful, well rounded individuals in their classes, in the sports arena, and within the community.”
The ACE Program seeks to empower student-athletes in all areas of their lives using four pillars: academics, athletics, faith, and wellness. To do so, it offers resources, tools, and events including talks on topics such as leadership, virtue, or study habits, and women’s and men’s team nights with a Holy Hour. ACE also publishes weekly newsletters and Instagram posts (@franciscan_ace_program) and provides assistance in both team settings and one-on-one meetings with student-athletes.
For example, Basil says a few injured student-athletes worked with ACE to help them remain connected to their sports, despite not being physically able to participate. Others might seek academic assistance, wellness advice, or even just a listening ear.
Basil notes the idea behind ACE has been a few years in the making, but the program officially launched last year. It’s a collaborative effort with representatives spanning the Athletics Department, Baron Health and Wellness Center, Student Success, coaches, trainers, friars, and faculty. Social work interns also assist with the program.
Moving forward, Basil says they hope to expand ACE’s programming to host speakers and roundtable discussions, incorporate more peer mentorship, and create a resource center.
“Every student-athlete is a beloved child of God, and we want to keep forming them in the disciplines of excellence and teamwork as they use sport to give glory to God,” Basil says. “We want ACE to make a difference for our student athletes, to make them even more joyful disciples when they leave here and become leaders in the world.”
High Fives
- 105 athletes were named to the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Honor Roll for holding a 3.6 or higher semester GPA during their season over the 2021-22 academic year.
- 10 athletic teams—baseball, men’s basketball, women’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, women’s volleyball, women’s tennis, men’s and women’s cross country, and men’s and women’s track and field—received national academic recognition from their respective coaches’ associations.
- Baron athletics paid tribute to the College of Steubenville basketball teams by adding the men’s basketball schedules from 1946-1981 and women’s basketball schedules from 1977-1981 to the Athletics website. Explore the stats from these historic games by viewing the Baron Men’s Basketball Schedule and the Baron Women’s Basketball Schedule.
Student-Athlete Spotlight
Name: Travis Mistry
Hometown: : Nederland, TX
Year: Sophomore
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Sport: Men’s Tennis
Position: Captain
On Tennis: “My favorite memory is our spring break trip to Florida. We had worked extremely hard during the semester, and it was satisfying to watch all the effort come to fruition at our matches in Florida. One team also talked with us after the match about how we compete and fight to win yet remain level-headed and represent Christ so well”
Career Goal: Still exploring options but enjoys his mechanical engineering classes and hopes to work in a job that allows him to communicate and form connections with people.
Favorite Saints: St. Michael the Archangel, St. Joseph, and St. Peter
