With 20 varsity teams, the Blueboys and Lady Blues are fierce competitors making their mark in the NCAA Division III Midwest Conference.

“Student-athletes learn teamwork, how to handle adversity, time management, goal setting and perseverance, through their time on an athletics team. It is part of a holistic educational approach that you receive at Illinois College,” said Illinois College Director of Athletics Mike Snyder. “Our student-athletes learn academic skills in the classroom and experience personal growth on the athletic fields in order to be successful in all facets of their lives.”

Rachel Macon ’11 recalls her first visit to campus, which included a Lady Blues basketball game. She said that seeing the team atmosphere and how connected players were, along with encouragement from her mother and then admission counselor DeVone Eurales ’05 convinced her that IC would be a good fit.

Just before her first semester, Macon was dealt a devastating personal blow with the loss of her mother to illness. The tragedy almost kept her from the College completely. She missed Welcome Week and considered staying in her hometown. Ultimately it was Eurales, who met her on campus and went “above and beyond” to ensure that she adapted to college life, along with the support from her teammates, which allowed her to succeed in the face of adversity.

“IC was there in a difficult part of my life and I won’t forget that,” said Macon. “I don’t think I would have made it at a bigger school. Athletics at IC really connected me to friends immediately and my teammates shaped my Illinois College experience.”

Macon scored over 1,000 points as a Lady Blue and graduated with a double major. She later earned her master’s degree in communication from Illinois State University. Today, she serves on IC’s Alumni Association Board, works as a senior analyst for the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and owns and operates Let’s Meet, a business that helps young professionals succeed. The lessons Macon learned through balancing athletics and academics were fitting practice for her busy life after graduation and have helped her to find success.

“Coachable students become coachable employees that can go further in organizations,” said Macon. “When you have had the student-athlete experience, you gain a dual mentality where you know the value of being highly competitive, but ultimately understand the most important part of success is teamwork. You can only be a success if your team succeeds.”

Jeff Boss ’78 has certainly found success since his days on the Blueboys basketball team. His education at IC led to a successful career in banking, currently serving as the executive vice president at Morton Community Bank, one of the largest banks in Central Illinois today.

Boss’ career path is more winding than most, starting with a double major degree in biology and business from Illinois College and including work in biomedical sales and owning his own mortgage business. While Boss says his competitive nature stemming from athletics has helped him in his career, he said his mentors at the College and the lessons he learned in teamwork and making connections have had the biggest impact on his life.

“My biggest strength is in bringing people together. Looking back on the growth that I have worked toward at the bank is humbling. I owe a lot of what I have been able to achieve to my roots at Illinois College,” said Boss.

Boss continues to play golf regularly with many of his friends from IC, including brother-in-law Steve Mills ’77, who was also a student-athlete competing in basketball and track for the Blueboys. In fact, the men married sisters Marty Huss Boss ’78 and Betsy Huss Mills ’77. Both alumni have stayed well connected to the Hilltop; Boss currently serves on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, while Mills is chair of the Illinois College Board of Trustees.

Bianca Savarese ’16 came to Illinois College because she thought IC would help her gain the skills she would need to go to dental school. While playing soccer was a bonus, she said the experience also prepared for her steps after graduation.

“I learned a lot about myself as a player, as a student and as a person,” said Savarese. “I could focus on being committed to athletics without having to sacrifice my academics.” Savarese is currently enrolled at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry, where she continues to apply the lessons she learned on the soccer field.

“The biggest lessons I learned are about leadership and accountability. Being a captain meant having people depend on you to be there and keep a positive perspective, even during a loss,” said Savarese. “It’s helped me be more resilient in dental school and keep a positive attitude. You have to accept that sometimes you struggle to get better. But hard work will make you better in the long run.”