Ivy League hoopsters are Division I athletes on the court and exceptionally accomplished and eclectic humans off it. Ivy Hoops Online presents the latest edition of our Off the Bench series that takes fans inside the stories that you might not otherwise know from the stands or through your screen.
Izzy Wesley ‘29, a rising sophomore on the Brown women’s basketball team, is the second twin we have featured in this series. An innate teammate and ultimate family person, she brings “gioia di vivere” to the Bears, and she is channeling it in all the ways that make a team better:
If Brown’s Open Curriculum could have one spokesperson, Izzy Wesley might be the obvious choice. As a sophomore economics major on the business track, she says her school’s uniquely flexible learning environment has allowed her to explore different interests and challenge herself in areas she might not otherwise have considered.
Curious by nature and adventurous in spirit, Wesley is both joyful in the academic opportunities she began last year, and refreshingly comfortable with the uncertainty of what her future will look like. She is quick to admit that she is “still figuring out exactly what [she wants] to do after college.” While members of Gen Z are often addled by pre-professionalism, Wesley is happy to be “using [her time in Providence] to learn more about [her]self and discover what [she] might pursue in the future.”
Wesley has always embraced the idea that she could learn from everyone around her. She “grew up alongside a twin brother, Luca,” and she is effusive in her appreciation for what his presence and support, has meant.
“He has always had my back,” she says, and even more, “It was nice having someone to compete with but also someone who understood everything I was going through — the good and the bad.”
Wesley expresses a wise gratitude about her good fortune that she and her brothers (they also have an older brother, Dylan), could go to the same schools, play on the same teams, and provide for each other “built-in competition and built-in support.”
“Luca continues to challenge me every day, and he reminds me that both of us can do whatever we set our minds to, because we have faced harder things before,” Wesley said.
Luca has also shown up for some of his sister’s biggest moments, like on Valentine’s Day last year, when the Bears snapped a 20-game losing streak against Harvard, clinching a spot in the Ivy League tournament.
At home in New York City, Wesley and her siblings were taught that teamwork, empathy and resilience were the priorities. Their parents, Enrica and Rico, were both former athletes who encouraged them to “play everything.”
Wesley did so enthusiastically. Soccer was her first love, and she played it along with tennis, lacrosse and baseball, until the COVID-19 pandemic shut soccer down. Briefly, Wesley put all her energy into basketball, but she soon missed the conditioning and lateral movement she had been getting on the soccer pitch. She believes that playing goalie in soccer sharpened her athletic IQ and playing lacrosse made her a more skilled defensive basketball player.
A through-line emerges: Wesley is the rare athlete who can excel no matter what sport she touches.
More to the point, she is the rare person who can take knowledge she acquires in one arena and translate it to others. Having taken pride in her brothers’ successes, Wesley now thrives on “seeing my teammates make that one more pass, or get a good defensive stop.”
Where did the discipline, commitment, and sacrifice to be a Division I college athlete come from? Wesley says her dad, who played college football for Texas Christian, instilled in her the values of leadership, perseverance and resilience that guide her inside Pizzitola Sports Center and beyond.
“He always emphasized that sports should build your character, not completely define who you are,” Wesley said. “That’s something I carry with me.”
Wesley credits her mother for encouraging her to see that not every worthy pursuit involves winning and losing. Wesley took culinary classes growing up and is grateful for the emphasis Italian culture places on “slowing down and appreciating time with family, food, and relationships.”
The “enjoy life” ethos is a healthy departure from the relentless, achievement-driven culture that tends to prevail in cities like New York.
“My mom has always been a big advocate for doing what truly makes us happy,” Wesley said.
Wesley notes that Italian and European basketball emphasize “playing together, understanding the game, and having love and passion for the sport,” perhaps more than these elements are prized in the United States.
At Brown, Wesley has embraced a culture that genuinely values women’s athletics.
“I think we are appreciated not only because of our performance, but because of the community and leadership we bring to campus,” she said.
Wesley believes the success of women’s teams over the past year has enhanced the visibility of women’s sports on her campus. Given her team-first approach to life, it is not surprising that her teammates are what Wesley prizes most about her college experience.
“They are my family away from home,” she said. “Through the ups and downs of being a student-athlete, my teammates have been the people I rely on.”
Wesley is a study in gratitude.
“So many people have poured their time, knowledge, care, and support into me throughout my life,” she said. “If I can have a positive impact on the people around me, I’ll consider that a success.”