Reading, Pa. (Nov. 13, 2025) - Alvernia Associate Athletic Director and Women's Lacrosse Head Coach Megan Corrigan announced on Friday the signing of seven-year old Izzy Rivera as part of the Alvernia Women's Lacrosse team's partnership with Team IMPACT.

Izzy signed her national letter of intent to join the Golden Wolves at a signing-day ceremony held at Alvernia last night. 

Izzy, a second-grader from the Wernersville area, has battled through a rare congenital heart defect (ALCAPA) and is a survivor of both open-heart surgery and emergency brain surgery following a seizure and aneurysm. 

"We are so lucky to have someone to be a part of our program that has so much joy and positive energy," said Corrigan. "After our first meeting with Izzy and the team, I knew this was going to be an impactful experience, not only for Izzy, but for our team as well."

For the next two years, Izzy will join Alvernia Women's Lacrosse for games, practices, and other team events. Women's Lacrosse is the first program for Alvernia Athletics to partner with Team IMPACT. The NCAA and Team IMPACT announced a partnership earlier this year to strengthen the collaboration between Team IMPACT and collegiate athletic programs nationwide.

"Izzy is the true representation of what it means to be strong and brave," said senior captain Kayleigh Kight. "We couldn't be more excited to have her always remind us that it is not the wins and losses we will remember, it is the experience and family we made."

"I'm excited to have such wonderful women in Izzy's corner cheering her on and celebrating all the amazing things I know she can do," said Izzy's mom, Kelly. "The Women's Lacrosse team is another set of role models Izzy can look up to. I hope that they can find inspiration that even on your hardest days, we all have that inner strength to find the positive."

Alvernia Women's Lacrosse will open their 2026 season on Wednesday, February 18th at 4:00 PM against Marymount University. The full 2026 Alvernia Women's Lacrosse schedule will be available in January. 

About Team IMPACT
Team IMPACT's unique multiyear program signs children facing serious illness and disability onto college athletic teams across the country. Based on a clinical model, Team IMPACT guides a  symbiotic relationship between teams and children focused on  socialization, empowerment, and resilience, ensuring everyone involved has the personalized game plan they need to win, effectively building confidence and independence. Founded in 2011, Team IMPACT has matched more than 3,000 children with 750+ colleges and universities in all 50 states, impacting more than 75,000 student-athletes. If you know a child or team who may be interested, please visit www.teamimpact.org.