Kira Chivers: First Recruit to Franchise Cornerstone

In her final year as a Rambler, fourth-year guard Kira Chivers is as committed to the women’s basketball program as the day she walked in. From not signing to a school until after she graduated high school — an uncommon time for collegiate athletes — to becoming the definition of the program in the eyes of head coach Allison Guth, Chivers has made herself known around the Atlantic 10 conference. 

Chivers was Guth’s first recruit after accepting the head coaching position, and Chivers said she and Guth had a plan to get Loyola on the map nationally. Her commitment to the program is one of the reasons Chivers said she remained at Loyola for all four years of her eligibility, especially in the height of the transfer portal era of the NCAA. 

“[Guth] had a vision for this place, and I had that same vision,” Chivers said. “I wanted to be a part of it. I’m a person of my word. I told her that we would do something special here. There’s been highs and lows, but we stuck it out together.”

Chivers’ recruitment to Loyola took longer than most collegiate athletes. Normally, students make a decision on continuing their athletic careers in their junior year or early senior year of high school, depending on the sport. It wasn’t until June 13, 2022 after Chivers had already finished high school, when she became a Rambler. 

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Chivers said many schools were looking to recruit experienced fifth-years who wanted to complete their full college eligibility. Chivers’ first and only Division I offer was from the University of Illinois-Chicago when she was 16. She said the team wanted her to make a quick decision, and she felt rushed, ultimately turning it down. 

Chivers knew her potential going into recruitment and said she felt she wasn’t getting the looks she wanted from different universities. Playing Division I basketball was a goal she’s had since she started playing at 8-years-old. She became one of the few athletes who graduated from high school not knowing where she’d be playing basketball in the winter. 

Her original thought was to be a walk-on at a school she’d been accepted to academically. If it wasn’t for a call from Guth, Chivers might not have made the impact she has today. 

Chivers’ confidence in herself and playing ability stemmed from playing AAU basketball for the Illinois Defenders, playing for Marist High School on Chicago’s southwest side, and switched to a Nike sponsored Elite Youth Basketball League team, playing with future collegiate players across the country, like K.K. Arnold from the University of Connecticut. 

During her time at Loyola, Chivers has started in 64 of 111 games played and shoots 33.1% from the field, averaging just under five points per game. Her biggest impact on the court is her leadership ability and commitment to the program, Guth said. 

“She is just grit and grace personified,” Guth said. “That’s all you want as a coach is somebody who’s willing to give their blood, sweat and tears at every moment. She felt like Loyola could be put on the map, not just in the A10 but on a national scale, and that buy-in has been felt.”

Loyola women’s basketball’s senior night Feb. 14 was a tough one for Guth. The morning of their game against Saint Joseph’s University, Guth watched a video narrated by Chivers, sharing what her time on the team has meant to her. Guth said she was in tears by the conclusion of the video. 

“I was a struggle bus,” Guth said. “It was so cool how she put it to words — she’s a poet, she’s beautiful with her words — but how she put it towards her love of this experience, how much it’s grown her as a woman, to be brave and courageous but to remain soft in her ways.” 

Outside of basketball, Chivers is working towards finishing her degree in English with a concentration in creative writing and a minor in psychology. She’s a big fan of writing, reading and listening to poetry, even seeing her favorite spoken word poet — Rudy Francisco — when he tours. 

The bond between Guth and Chivers is deep, as Chivers is the only player who’s been here the same amount of time as Guth, facing each win and loss together. 

Chivers recalled her first conversation with Guth before she committed to Loyola and said they didn’t even talk about basketball. She said Guth wanted to know about her life and goals, and Chivers knew Guth was a coach who cared more about their players than if they could put a ball in a hoop. 

Chivers’ position as a leader on the team is something she’s earned. Following in the leadership footsteps of former Ramblers like Sam Galanopoulos and Sitori Tanin, Chivers said gaining trust from her team and the coaching staff requires having an open line of communication. 

“I’m just super grateful that I have people who trust me in the big moments on and off the court,” Chivers said.

Chivers’ favorite memory with the team was picking up their first post-season win in the Atlantic 10 against Fordham University March 7, 2024 during  her second year, and being able to win with that team was something she’s held close to her ever since. 

“That whole team was really special,” Chivers said. “I think back on that memory, like, we moved a mark. I think we did something huge, and we trusted each other top to bottom.” 

Before she graduates in May, Chivers is joining the “So You Want to be a Coach?” program, created by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association allowing female players to learn more about the coaching role, which former player and current assistant coach Alyssa Fisher went through. Chivers said the program will help her network with college basketball programs to jumpstart her dream career of coaching, which she hopes to achieve after receiving her diploma. 

Guth said she wishes she could coach Chivers forever, but as Chivers’ last couple of games are approaching, Guth knows her future is bright. 

“A player like that,” Guth said. “She’s going to be so successful in life.”