More Than a Game: International Student-Athletes
Contact: Taiah Gallisath, Associate Director of Athletics Communication (Written for the North Central College Magazine – Spring/Summer 2026) The energy inside the Hal & Benna Wilde Res/Rec Center during photo day is high, with cameras flashing, teammates laughing, and woven through it all, a chorus of languages and accents that makes the moment feel bigger than sports. Such scenes have become increasingly common at North Central. In the 2025-26 academic year, the College was home to 28 international student-athletes across nine programs. Together, they represented 15 countries. What began as a gradual international presence has grown into a defining element…
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