Former Badger Alev Kelter (left), a longtime hockey and soccer player, is third on the all-time U.S. points list after just 13 tournaments. Credit: Getty Images

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Alev Kelter played soccer and hockey at the University of Wisconsin and was good enough to participate in the Olympic developmental program in both sports.

All along, her goal was to make a U.S. Olympic team.

She never dreamed it would be as a rugby player.

Kelter, 25, a native of Eagle River, Alaska, was named Monday to the women's Sevens team that will compete in the Summer Games next month in Rio de Janeiro.

She tried out for USA Rugby's women's Eagles national team in 2014, basically on a whim, after failing to make the U.S. hockey team for the Sochi Winter Games. She immediately impressed then-coach Ric Suggitt with her athleticism.

"I had no expectations," Kelter said. "I went to the (Olympic) training center (in Chula Vista, Calif.) January two years ago. I ran around for five days and Ric said, 'I think you'd be a great rugby player.'

"So a month later I graduated from Wisconsin and I drove my truck to San Diego and I've been there ever since."

The Rio Games will mark the first time women's rugby is part of the Olympic program. All matches will be played Aug. 6-8 at Deodoro Stadium.

Sevens is a faster version of the traditional 15-a-side game; Sevens games are 14 minutes in duration — two seven-minute halves with a two-minute halftime.

"Alev has really come a long way in rugby in the short amount of time she has been playing the game," said U.S. head coach Richie Walker. "She is a real threat on attack....She adds a different dynamic to our team, which fits well with the style of play."

The 5-foot-7 Kelter said her background as a soccer midfielder and a hockey defenseman prepared her for rugby, which borrows a bit from both sports. Kelter was captain of the U.S. hockey team that won gold at the 2009 IIHF World Women's U-18 Championship.

"I wouldn't be a rugby player right now if I hadn't played hockey and soccer," she said. "The physicality you have from hockey — I grew up playing boys hockey in Alaska — led very easy to tackling.

"And then there's a lot of kicking in rugby, off of set plays and through the uprights, so having knowledge of kicking and what side of the foot you're supposed to use and the timing helped me in rugby. So I have to thank soccer and hockey for preparing my physically for this sport."

In just 13 tournaments, Kelter has surpassed all but Lauren Doyle and Victoria Folayan on the all-time U.S. points list. She wore the Team USA jersey in a silver medal performance at the Pan American Games.

Walker's team includes veterans Folayan, Jillion Potter of Texas and Kelly Griffin of California. Richelle Stephens, the youngest player on the 12-women squad, represented the U.S. at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games.

Jane Paar, a Wauwatosa East High School graduate, was in the mix to make the Olympic team but did not make the final cut.

Another local player, Ben Landry of Pewaukee, did not make the final cut for the men's Sevens team.

ROAD TO RIO

Gary D'Amato will be covering his 10th Olympics for the Journal Sentinel. In the weeks leading up to the Rio Games (Aug. 5-21), he will be writing occasional features on Wisconsin athletes and their Olympic pursuit.