Cavalier Corner is the publication just for UVa sports fans!
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28 CAVALIER CORNER A s Virginia women's basketball alumna Kate Kreager Ahlering (Col '04, Med '05) grew up in Chan- tilly, Va., she played many sports but shifted her focus to basketball and soccer when she entered high school. Ahlering fell in love with basketball and the deep competi- tiveness and intensity of the game. Playing collegiate ball wasn't a goal of hers until she entered her sopho- more year of high school and started receiving recruitment letters. The first two years of Ahlering's college basketball career were spent at Xavier University in Cincinnati, where her team earned an overall record of 31-3 and an appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight. Following two seasons with the Musketeers, she realized she wanted to be closer to home and applied to various schools, with the University of Vir- ginia being her top choice. During Ahlering's academic transi- tion to UVA, she originally didn't have any intentions of playing basketball. However, after two weeks of being on Grounds, she reconnected with some friends from AAU basketball and found herself sitting in the UVA women's basketball office ready to play. In short order, she went from walk-on to scholarship player. She earned her teammates' respect and trust so much so in the preseason that she was elected as a team cap- tain before ever wearing a Cavalier uniform. "It was an incredible experience for me, it was transformative in many ways," Ahlering said. "When I think about UVA, I think about all of the people I met during my time on Grounds including teammates and friends. "One of my roommates from UVA was my maid of honor and is still one of my very best friends who lives a mile down the street from me. The University gave me lifelong bonds." Beyond her college years, Ahler- ing has worked as an executive in Ahlering transferred to UVA after starting her career at Xavier University. She walked on to the basketball team, earned a scholarship and was selected by her teammates as a captain before she ever played in a game for the Cavaliers. (Photo courtesy UVA) CONTINUED SUCCESS: WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GUARD KATE KREAGER AHLERING