MILWAUKEE — Athletes eager to continue playing at the next level could attend D-I, D-II or D-III schools. Others may take the JUCO route, and while they have the opportunity to excel in their respective sport, they have to take care of things in the classroom. And sometimes, they may need guidance. That’s where Bryant & Stratton College’s Student Athlete Success Coordinator, Caitlyn Coffey, comes into play.

Coffey knows what it’s like to be an athlete firsthand, growing up playing basketball and volleyball. 

“I played basketball heavily growing up,” Coffey said. “My freshman year at DS [Divine Savior], I played varsity basketball and volleyball. I think I was more surprised by volleyball because it was never my main focus. But I started playing club volleyball in seventh grade and in eighth grade, I started playing at Sting. I played there through my senior year and shortly after my sophomore year, I decided not to play basketball. So I stuck with volleyball.”

Sticking with volleyball paid dividends for Coffey. She was dominant on the court and helped Divine Savior to four straight regional championships and two consecutive sectional championships as a sophomore and junior. She was also named to the first-team all-state team as a senior, broke Wisconsin's state record for blocks in a match (11), recorded 1,124 kills and 392 blocks during her prep career. 

It also allowed her to receive a handful of D-I offers from schools, including DePaul. 

“I talked to a decent amount [of schools],” Coffey said. “I don't remember the exact number … DePaul was just my favorite campus and atmosphere because it's not a stereotypical college experience.”

During her career with DePaul, she saw plenty of action. As a freshman, she started 28 of 30 matches, and she was the team’s leading blocker with 106 total blocks and 197 kills (second on the team). Her career continued on an impressive route. She competed in 57 of 60 matches during her junior and senior seasons and led DePaul with 102 total blocks in her final season. 

While Coffey dominated on the court, she also flourished in the classroom. 

“I think I started in the college of science and health my freshman year,” Coffey said. “I wasn't in love with it … but I switched to public relations my sophomore year and it was amazing. I don't think I had really ever been exposed to it as a career and it was such a nice change to be in classes where I had creative freedom.”

Coffey graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Advertising. But she also minored in public health and communications. This led her to her current job, where she serves as Bryant & Stratton College’s Student Athlete Success Coordinator. 

“I think the hardest part about working at a JUCO is that you only get to work with the kids for two years,” Coffey said. “But the best part about it is seeing all of their hard work pay off at graduation. Seeing them be completely different people than they were two years ago when they stepped in here is my favorite part.”

Even if the job provides positives, Coffey has also been around complex parts of her job. And with this, she may struggle. When this happens, she brings forth encouragement and gives them advice she has experienced firsthand for while she was a student-athlete. 

“I think it’s something I definitely did not pick up on until college was time management,” Coffey said. “It's honestly the root of every single issue that everyone has. It's my thought, so we hit that hard, especially the teams that choose to study all hours. Whatever that helps them kind of get in that zone.”

The growth of plenty of athletes and Coffey herself has been exceptional. As time goes on, she will see plenty of other athletes on the road to success. She believes attending Bryant & Stratton is the perfect way to grow as an athlete and a person. 

“I think it really helps the majority of the kids grow up,” Coffey said. “If they are listening to people and working with the people around them, I think they really leave here better and stronger people than when they came here.”