Ursuline Academy is delighted to announce that Theresa Kaiser ’07 and Liz Kaiser Dwyer ’10 have been chosen as the 2021 Recipient of the Distinguished Alumna Award.
Nominated by Mark Kaiser and Nora Brooks ’16
Summary: As dedicated alumnae of Ursuline, Theresa and Liz take great pride in their coaching of the Ursuline varsity soccer team for more than 6 years. They played soccer at UA in their early years and have brought their talents to the students today leading the team to win the Class 2 State Soccer Title in June of 2021. This was a historic moment in the school’s history deserving of much celebration and accolades by the Ursuline community. Coach Jen Brooks had confidence in them, and they poured their hearts and knowledge of the game into their athletes who faced a very difficult schedule who came out on top. Theresa and Liz, rooted in our Ursuline values of Courtesy, Loyalty, Courage, and Serviam, encouraged their athletes on how to live out these values on and off the field. This was evident in how well the team got along with each other and how they treated their opponents. Leading up to the Final Four, Theresa and Liz reached out to past alumnae soccer players for their words of encouragement to the team before games and helped to connect the whole community behind them as the team went to the state championship game. They are considered very supportive of each other, their team, and their school and are role models to many of what loyal Ursuline sisterhood is long after graduation. Knowing how important it is to have a crowd, Theresa and Liz helped get more students to create a bigger cheering section around the Basketball team’s successful season and their passion is so appreciated.
Professionally, Theresa and Liz are educators and strive every day to help their young students reach their full potential, even though these particularly challenging years through the pandemic. Their support and care for one another, their students at their schools, and especially their dedication to Ursuline Academy Athletics and the loyalty they have shown and created within our community is worthy of the Distinguished Alumnae Awards this year.
Theresa and Elizabeth have been coaching soccer at Ursuline Academy at the varsity level for 6+ plus years now. They both are very dedicated to their high school, soccer & the students. We are very proud of where they started in their early years as they never gave up on the athletes or the program. Their hard work & efforts as a team paid off in the 2021 season as they won the Class 2 State Soccer title. They also played a very tough schedule but again, it paid off. Their dedication to the girls & school, Coach Jen Brook’s confidence in them, and the team’s confidence in each other allowed for the end results. Both girls are now teachers in St. Louis serving EVERYDAY during the pandemic whether it be through soccer, school or tutoring.
Theresa and Elizabeth have always been supportive of the school since before they started there. They visited the campus and didn’t look anywhere else. They both still have Ursuline banners in their houses and wear the sportswear often, as they are very proud of where they went and now. They are also best friends, along with their older sister Jamie ‘04. When Liz got married, every one of her bridesmaids was from Ursuline & they went there to take her wedding party pictures – in the rain. They would be shockingly proud to be bestowed this honor.
-Mark Kaiser
I have known both Theresa and Liz since they were in high school. Theresa was definitely one of my role models growing up! I always admired the pride she took in herself and her school, and I think both of those traits are still evident. When I think about Theresa and Liz, the word that best comes to mind to describe them is supportive. They have had their share of knee surgeries and I will never forget sitting on the front of the golf cart and watching T comfort Liz after tearing her ACL. Their support still holds up now in the way they show their care for each other and their Ursuline sisters.
Additionally, this year our basketball team had some good success, and we could not have done it without Theresa and Liz getting the fans and student section excited for us. As accomplished athletes themselves, they know the value of having a strong cheering section and they always made sure we had a strong cheering section at the basketball games they attended. As another Ursuline alumna/coach I really appreciated seeing their passion for the Ursuline sisterhood still so strong and prominent.
I had the special privilege of sitting close to Theresa and Liz on the sideline this year as they made their post season soccer run, acting as an unofficial photographer. From a coaching perspective, I admired how they encouraged each of their athletes to live out the Ursuline values of courtesy, loyalty and courage on and off the field. This was evident in how well the team got along with each other and how they treated their opponents. Prior to the final four, Theresa and Liz reached out to as many UA soccer alums as they had contact with and asked for them to share words of wisdom to the current team. I love how they found a bridge between past and present players! This also shows how much they still value the Ursuline sisterhood! Theresa and Liz would be the perfect candidate for this year’s award because of the great success they have had with Ursuline soccer but also because of the great success they have had with reconnecting alumnae to current students.
-Nora Brooks ’16
