It was a game — and a sports season — to remember!
As Hunter’s women’s basketball team finished 77–69 against Brooklyn College to clinch the CUNY Athletic Conference championship on February 27, teammates hugged a hoop star who made history not only for the Hawks — but also for the nation.
Senior guard Alexa Charles, who scored 31 points during the game and was honored as CUNYAC Tournament Most Valuable Player, holds the record as the most prolific scorer in college basketball, topping the National Collegiate Athletic Association leaderboards across Divisions I, II, and III. Hunter will go on to play Johns Hopkins in the Division III Tournament on March 6.
But even as Charles stands out as a superstar, she joins a long list of superlative Hunter athletes.
Since 1988, when Terry Wansart MS ’95 became the director of athletics, recreation, and intramurals, Hunter has become the most successful athletic program in the CUNY conference. Wansart manages the budget for 18 teams and the Hunter Sportsplex, a million-dollar athletic facility equipped with competition and practice gymnasiums, wrestling room, fencing and yoga, men’s and women’s locker rooms, a swimming pool, athletic training room, state-of-the-art fitness center, and a smart classroom for student-athletes.
Under Wansart’s leadership, Hunter has captured 10 CUNY Athletic Conference Commissioner’s Cups since the inception of the award in 1997, the most of any college. Many Hawk teams have achieved regional and national success; meanwhile, 83 Hawks have earned conference Most Valuable Performer awards, and 24 student-athletes have won CUNY Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors. More than 50 Hunter student-athletes have earned All-American titles.
“As a former student-athlete and coach, I could not be prouder of Alexa,” Wansart said. “She represents the gold standard of what it means to wear purple and gold for the Hawks. Alexa embodies the very best of educational athletics at Hunter College. Her historic performance speaks for itself, but what makes her truly generational is the growth behind the numbers — the discipline, resilience, and self-discovery that emerge when a student-athlete is challenged academically, socially, and competitively. She has embraced that responsibility with humility, life balance, and a relentless work ethic. Her legacy is not defined solely by scoring records, but by a journey that reflects the deeper purpose of ‘pure’ collegiate athletics: growth that extends far beyond the final buzzer and lessons that endure long after the uniform is retired.”
A native of Tarrytown, NY, Charles exemplifies the gumption and resilience for which Hunter students are known more generally. When basketball web channel D3Hoopsville asked her for the secret of her success, she answered in a way that could refer to all Hunter students.
“It’s the work ethic,” she said. “You guard me one way, you’re going to see something you never thought I had. I’m a very well-balanced player with offense and defense. I don’t stop. I will never stop.”
Charles said she chose Hunter for its Manhattan location and its well-rounded experience: top sports, rigorous academics, and diverse extracurricular activities.
“It’s the best of both worlds; you get to be in the city and play basketball,” Charles said. “Mainly what drew me to Hunter specifically [was] the people, institution, and it’s versatile. You can have a social life, play basketball, and have fun doing it.”
As an accounting major, Charles navigates a tough academic load that she acknowledges is “not for the weak.”
“It’s very hard. Lots of hours studying for it. Balancing that has been pretty tough. It’s a matter of time management skills,” she said.
Even as many players with her statistical profile would be eyeing professional leagues overseas, Charles has a different “triple-double” in mind: graduating, managing her financial future, and launching her career in Manhattan.
“I don’t see myself playing in Europe. As of right now, I’m very content with what I have going on,” Charles said.
Despite her individual national rankings — including earning more than 100 field goals over the Division I leader — Charles remains grounded in her team.
“Honestly, I’m just really grateful for my teammates and the coaching staff. We’ve worked really hard,” she said. “A lot of my success comes from just working hard in the off-season as well as the season.”
Charles stands as a powerful reminder that excellence isn’t just about what you do on the court — as Hunter students learn, it’s about the discipline you carry into every room. This June, she will trade her jersey for a professional role at a New York City accounting firm, leaving a legacy that will inspire Hunter students for generations.
