Balance. It’s in our core.

Ellie: “You walk into a room of UChicago students, and it is such an incredible group. Even when I was 17 years old, I could feel the difference. I was recruited at a couple different places, and this team really stood out, in addition to the balance between athletics and academics. The people that I got to meet were so incredible, which influenced my decision to come here.”

Kate: “In our conference, we play schools from all across the country. Being able to compete at such a high level and travel the country with my best friends and my sister has been such a unique and enjoyable experience, and I’m super grateful for it.”

Ellie: “I’m in UIBG (Undergraduate Investment Banking Group), OFB (Out for Business), the Trott Business Program—which Kate is in too—and a couple of other clubs, experiences and advantages that I think would be very difficult to maintain at a different school playing basketball. But here you can really engage with academics, athletics and career prep in a holistic way.”

Kate: “Yeah, I feel like when I tell people like everything I’m involved in, it sounds like a lot. But I’m able to engage in all of these things while competing at a very high level in basketball, while studying at a really rigorous institution. I truly value this part of being a UChicago student.”

Kate Gross, Class of 2026, is majoring in business economics and public policy and her sister, Ellie Gross, Class of 2024, is a business economics major, gender and sexuality studies minor. They are both members of the women’s basketball team, with Ellie earning UAA All-Association first team honors this season.