Alexa Kinas Shines in New Role as Starter

In her first regular season appearance for the Loyola women’s basketball team Nov. 4 against Kentucky State University, first-year guard Alexa Kinas scored seven points in six minutes. 

In her first seven games of action, Kinas came in off the bench and averaged seven minutes per game. However, since Jan. 18 at Saint Louis University, Kinas has become a consistent member of the Ramblers’ starting five. 

Kinas, a native of Kaukauna, Wis., played four sports in high school but said she preferred basketball over cross country, track and golf.

Kinas said she finds the sport to be more enjoyable emotionally.

“I just love the team aspect of it.” Kinas said. “I love just the winning and competitiveness. I just enjoyed it.”

When it was time for Kinas to think about playing in college, she said she was drawn to the opportunities Chicago offered. She said Loyola’s coaching staff and the team’s welcoming nature were major factors in her decision to compete for the Ramblers. 

Before signing with Loyola, Kinas said she already knew one of her current teammates — second-year guard Audrey Deptula. The two had previously played together for the Wisconsin Flight Elite in the Athletic Amateur Union — a travel club basketball team in Wisconsin. 

Deptula said Kinas’ defensive intensity and confidence as a first-year were both impressive and unmatched. She said Kinas’ easy-going presence in the locker room and mindset of not taking life too seriously make her a great person to be around. 

With a relationship five years running, Deptula said Kinas isn’t just a friend to her, but to the entire team as well. 

“She has been truly great, especially the chemistry piece for our team, which is much needed,”Deptula said. “Just a face anyone can go to if they need to talk about anything. She’s my best friend on the team and just my best friend overall.” 

Kinas also shares a close connection to her other first-year teammates. She said having a group who’s going through a transition like her makes it easier for them to relate to each other. She described the group of six as a family. 

Head coach Allison Guth said she wanted Kinas to join the Rambler family after seeing her skills on display in high school. 

“She is just someone that, to me, had the whole package,” Guth said. “Immediately when we got to evaluate her, unbelievably gifted, probably the best athlete that we had seen in a long time and one of our best athletes on our current roster.” 

Guth said she was impressed by Kinas’ athleticism and ability to work on both sides of the ball. Her capacity to navigate the floor, be a scoring threat and create opportunities for the team made her, in Guth’s mind, the right fit for the guard position. 

However, the process of Kinas’ commitment was anything but traditional. During the summer before her senior year, and just three days after committing to play at Loyola, Kinas was playing in a tournament with her club team. With Guth and other coaches in attendance, Kinas tore her ACL and ended up missing her final high school season. 

Kinas’s injury caused the program to not have the summer preparing her for the collegiate level they anticipated, according to Guth, but Kinas showed nothing but toughness in the face of adversity. After taking almost a year and a half off, she returned to the game. 

Since then, Kinas’ hard work has led to her role in the team changing from coming off the bench to being a regular starting five player.  

“She is just an integral part of our success and what we see this future of our program being,” Guth said. 

The elevation to starter is a result of the combined work put in by both Kinas and the coaching staff, according to Guth. Assistant coach Jordan McCann was mentioned as a major part in Kinas’ development, taking on the role as a defender during practices to replicate the opponents Kinas faces in games.

“We have hounded that kid,” Guth said. “Like when I mean being up in your chili and pressuring and fouling and getting her used to what she is going to face in the A10. I got to give credit to the physical efforts of Coach J at practice deafening a kid like that.” 

Coaches haven’t just worked with Kinas on the physical side of the sport, but also on her mentality. Guth said assistant coach Jenna Rubino-McCormick has been involved in the process of developing Kinas’ point guard instincts and ability to score from all parts of the court.

Even with the help from coaches, according to Guth, it’s come down to Kinas’ time and effort, and the reps and experience she’s contributed to her new role on the team. 

Kinas said putting 100% into everything she does is important to her. 

“For me it’s just always doing the little things,” Kinas said. “It’s not always about the starting part or anything for me because hopefully I’ll play the same regardless if I’m starting or if I get two minutes or one minute.”

Off the court, Guth said Kinas is funny, has a great singing voice and has shown a lot of growth, which Guth credits to who she is as a human. 

“It’s because she cares about people and she really has put in the work to develop true friendships both on the team and among the community here at Loyola,” Guth said. “She is just a really special human. She is just an unbelievably driven kid.” 

As Kinas is only a first-year, Guth said she’s confident she’ll keep growing into her role as she continues to learn from those around her in the locker room and lean into her competitive spirit as a player. 

“I think she has the capability of being a tremendous leader on our team,” Guth said.