Over the years, La Salle has had many student-athletes go on to represent their home nations in the Olympics games. From gold medal swimmer and former holder of several world records, Joe Verduer, ’50, to Ira Davis, ’58, who represented the Stars and Stripes in three different games on the track, the La Salle Explorer tradition is rich in the Olympics games. That legacy continues today with, three athletes who took to the world stage this past summer. Two current La Salle women’s soccer players, Elizabeth Estrada, ’26, and Ricshya Walker, ’25, competed in three CONCACAF games each for their respective ancestral countries of Guatemala and Jamacia, respectively, this past year. Estrada played in two games in international competition, logging 78 minutes and returned for the team’s camp during the Olympic window after the squad failed to qualify for the games. Walker scored one goal during her time playing for Team Jamacia this summer where she suited up for Reggae Girlz in three matches.

Another name that remains a prominent figure in the world of professional women’s basketball is La Salle alumna Cheryl Reeve, ’88. Reeve, a member of the La Salle women’s basketball program from 1984-88 and an assistant coach from 1988-90, is the current head coach and president of basketball operations of the four-time WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx since 2010. Reeve also coached the USA women’s basketball team to a gold medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics.