During her basketball playing days at Auburn University, new San Diego women’s coach Blanche Alverson knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life. She was twice named the Southeastern Conference Student-Athlete of the Year while pursuing a degree in biomedical sciences and her ambition was clear: She intended to become a doctor.
“I found an interest in math and science growing up. My mom was a math teacher for a long time, so naturally I’m just kind of wired that way,” she said. “I did want to pursue the medical path . . . I had full intention of that being my track.”
Nell Fortner, her coach at Auburn, didn’t see things going in any other direction. “I thought she was going to be a doctor,” Fortner said.
But Alverson’s mother knew differently, even as Blanche went off to Spain after graduation to play professionally.
"We encouraged her to take that because what an incredible opportunity,” Cindy Alverson said. Her daughter planned to prep for the challenging Medical College Admission Test while playing in Spain, but Mom was not convinced. Her instincts were proven correct when Blanche called home to announce she was not going to take the MCAT after all.
“I think I want to be a basketball coach,” she told her parents.
“I was not surprised in the least,” Cindy Alverson said. “Basketball gave her so many wonderful experiences and I think she always had a desire to provide those same experiences to others.”
“Mamas know their kids,” said Fortner, conceding that Cindy Alverson had a better grasp of her daughter’s intentions.
Fortner got the news when Averson informed her she was accepting a graduate assistant coaching position at Texas Tech. And she was stunned by the change in her career plans.
“What are you doing? Wait a second. Are you sure you want to get into this crazy coaching world and not be a doctor?” Fortner asked her. “She said, `No, I love it. I absolutely love it.’
“I can see it now,” Fortner continued. “Her energy, you need that as a coach. Blanche is so smart — she picks up things so quickly. I knew she’d be successful at whatever she chose to do.”
Alverson’s one season in Spain helped convince her she wanted to stay connected to the game, even beyond her playing career.
“I knew if I was going to take the medical path, I had to be two feet in, and at that point I was not ready to do that,” Alverson said. “Something was holding me back and maybe I didn’t even know what that something was. And now maybe I do know what that was.”
USD Athletic Director Kimya Massey said Alverson’s energy, positivity and confidence all worked in her favor during the interview process. Her background as a high-level student and athlete also helped sell him.
“The fact that she is a first-time head coach didn’t scare me at all,” said Massey, who hired a lot of rookie head coaches during his nine years as an associate AD at Oregon State. “There’s also some excitement about that because they’re learning as they go. There’s going to be mistakes but there’s also an openness to new things.”
That’s a key asset for a coach in the modern college landscape, Massey said. “Her level of intelligence navigating our current space is really important right now. It’s changing so quickly — light years different than it was two years ago, and two more years it’s going to be light years different again.
“I think you have to find somebody who’s not afraid of that, who can adapt to that and is willing to take on that challenge. Sometimes with a new head coach, they’re so excited about the opportunity, it’s like, `OK, another challenge: Bring it on.”
Alverson’s coaching path began with the GA assignment at Texas Tech, then included stops at New Mexico State, USC and, for the past six seasons, at Georgia Tech, where she was reunited with Fortner.
She is appreciative that each assignment provided her with different opportunities to grow and only reinforced her determination to make coaching a career. Alverson said there is no aspect of the job she doesn’t embrace.
“I fell in love with coaching and with impacting people,” she said. “I fell in love with it all — the recruiting the workouts. I loved the camaraderie of continuing to be part of a team. And to having close relationships with staff and players.”
Now 34, she has known Fortner for about 20 years, since she was a high school freshman in Andalusia, Ala., the hometown of former NBA star Robert Horry. Initially she had little interest in becoming a fourth-generation member of her family to attend Auburn. She wanted to spread her wings and find a school farther from home.
Her family moved to Buford, Ga, before Alverson’s junior year in high school. She had grown to 6-foot-3 and thrived at a much larger high school. Ultimately, Alverson said she could not resist joining Fortner at Auburn.
“Her energy is off the charts. She is such a lover of life,” Alverson said of Fortner, who coached the U.S. women’s national team to a gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. “It didn’t take long for me to realize this is where I want to go.”
From 2010 through ’13, Alverson became just the fourth Auburn player to score 1,000 points, grab 500 rebounds, dish 100 assists, make 100 steals and block 50 shots. She started 105 games for the Tigers and scored a career-high 32 points against Mississippi State as a senior.
“It ended up being the most phenomenal college experience for me,” Alverson said.
Fast forward to 2019, and Alverson received a phone call with a job offer from Fortner, newly named the head coach at Georgia Tech. Alverson jumped at the chance to reunite with her coach.
Tech made it to the NCAA Tournament three times in their six seasons together, including this past season with Alverson running the Yellow Jackets’ offense. She said her USD teams will play fast and shoot a lot of 3-pointers.
Mostly, Fortner and Alverson have been a good fit because both bring energy and passion to every task.
“The one thing that’s never changed about her is her infectious personality. That’s the first thing you notice about Blanche,” Fortner said. “She just has an infectious, energetic, really fun personality. That’s energizing for her and anyone that’s around her. It drives her to achieve her goals.”
“Nell and I were very similar in that regard,” Alverson echoed. “We have a passion for people, big personalities, never met a stranger. That’s me, as well, and a big reason why from an early age she and I connected.”
Alverson takes over a Toreros program that enjoyed 15 winning seasons under Cindy Fisher, including five straight 20-win campaigns from 2012 through 2016. But USD hasn’t made it to the NCAA Tournament since 2008 and the team struggled the past two seasons.
She arrives just in time for the completion of the Wellness Center and Basketball Practice Facility, a three-story, 80,000 square foot multi-use structure that will include new basketball offices and a practice court.
“I was so impressed with just the vision of the athletic department as a whole,” Alverson said. “I think in a lot of ways San Diego sells itself. But the vision they have and the opportunity for growth with women’s basketball, I think it’s a phenomenal opportunity to be a part of something really special in the coming years.”
Eight players are expected back from this season’s squad and the Toreros have signed five high school prospects. Alverson said they will augment the roster with multiple veterans out of the transfer portal.
Players she hopes to bring to San Diego will be high character, competitive and fueled by a desire to win. “People who want to be successful and have goals and aspirations is really important,” she explained.
“When you are driven in life, not just athletically, I do think the two are related. In my history as a student-athlete and now coaching, you can see that they are connected. The goal is to compete for championships here.”
Alverson believes she is ready for the assignment and her mentor agrees.
“Giving her the responsibility to really focus on the offense at Georgia Tech, it grew her confidence and helped her learn and study more,” said Fortner, 66, who retired recently after four decades as a college or professional coach. “When you give your assistants responsibilities and they run with it, they really grow their game. That’s what Blanche did.”
Fortner says her protege has more than merely a chance to win at San Diego. “I know she’ll be successful. There’s not one doubt in my body that believes Blanche won’t be successful.”