A 1990 graduate of Sterling High School, Alisa Swanson Altenburg participated in tennis, basketball, and softball. Earning a varsity letter for every year she participated in tennis, Alisa was a standout member of the tennis team. For two consecutive years she was awarded the Hustle Award. Alisa was a three-time NCIC All-Academic Team selection her sophomore, junior, and senior year. She placed third in the NCIC doubles competition in 1987 and 1988. In 1989 she obtained first place in the NCIC doubles competition. At the end of the 1989 tennis season she competed in the state meet. Alisa was also granted the MVP Award at the conclusion of her junior and senior year. She was also selected as the captain of the team her senior year. Her basketball career at SHS was also very strong. Alisa received two varsity letters in basketball and obtained numerous awards from her team. Both her junior and senior year she was on the NCIC All-Conference Team and the NCIC All-Academic Team. Alisa was awarded the Karna Abram '83 Offensive Award her junior year and was selected for the All-New-Mor-Roc-Ster Tournament Team. She was also a two-time Daily Gazette All-Twin City Team Selection in 1989 and 1990. During her senior year, Alisa was chosen as the captain of the team.In softball, Alisa led the team her junior year in numerous statistical categories which included, 24 games played, 26 runs scored, .405 batting average (30-74), 30 hits, 19 walks, .521 on-base average, and .945 fielding average (five errors in 91 chances). The following year she led the team with 24 games played, 36 runs scored, .443 batting average (31-70), 31 hits, 28 walks, .602 on-base average, seven stolen bases (7-7), and .934 fielding average (six errors in 91 chances). She obtained the Jolene Leseman '79 Batting Average Award two consecutive years for batting the highest average on the team. In addition, Alisa was on the NCIC All-Academic Team and NCIC All-Conference Team both her junior and senior year. She also served as captain of the team her senior year she had eleven of 24 multiple hit games. At the conclusion of her high school athletic career she was awarded the Roscoe Eades Award. She then continued her education and athletic career at Illinois Wesleyan. While at Illinois Wesleyan she participated in tennis and softball. In tennis she received varsity letters all four years that she participated and was a three-time team captain. In the 1990 and 1991 season she placed second in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) singles competition. Competing in singles in 1992, she placed first. In CCIW doubles competition she placed second in 1990 and 1991. The following year she took home first place in doubles. In addition she was named the CCIW team champion in 1992. Her career singles record was 58-10 and her doubles record was 57-11. Alisa's career team dual meet record was 45-10. With four additional college varsity letters in softball, Alisa obtained a total of eight college varsity letters. She was an outstanding softball player for Illinois Wesleyan and was named an All-American Scholar Athlete by the National Softball Association all four years she was a member of the team. Alisa was on the CCIW championship team with a 31-7 record in 1991. In 1992 she was named to the CCIW All-Academic Team and in 1992 and 1993 she was named to the All-Conference Team. During her junior season, she led the team in numerous statistical categories; including 26 runs scored, .460 batting average (40-87), 40 hits, 21 walks, .565 on-base average, and 1.000 fielding average. She was also a two time GTE/Co-SIDA Academic All-American Softball Team member. During Alisa's senior year she was captain of the team and received a bid to the Division III Regional Tournament. At the conclusion of her college athletic career she was inducted into Order of the Titans, IWU's athletic honorary. In addition to her amazing athletic career in high school and college, Alisa has had a very successful academic career. She obtained a number of scholarships and awards while in high school and college. She was on an academic scholarship all four years of college and remained on the Dean's List. She was a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta freshman honor society and the Kappa Delta Pi national education honorary. Alisa was named the Elementary Education Department Outstanding Senior at the conclusion of her college career and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1994. Alisa is currently a homemaker after teaching fifth grade for Unit #5 for four years. While she was teaching she was also coaching for Sterling schools. Her husband, Tod, and her have one son, Wesley, and reside in Sterling.