Larry Alvey played basketball at Union from 1962-66. Alvey was recruited to Union by Coach Jack Russell out of Leitchfield, Kentucky. He was a co-captain during his junior and senior seasons.
As a senior, he averaged a double-double with 16 points and 14.5 rebounds per game. He set the school record then for rebounds in a season with 376. He currently sits in second in most rebounds in a season. He ranks fifth all-time at Union with a 27-rebound game performance that season. Alvey finished his career with 825 rebounds, which is fifth all-time, and is 30th all-time with 1,207 career points.
Alvey earned the Charles Shuler Award at the 1965 homecoming game, was named All-VSAC and All-VSAC Tournament in 1966. His team won the VSAC title in 1965.
Off the court, Alvey continued to impact those around him, serving as the first president of the “U” Club and was president of Adams Hall. At his 1966 graduation ceremony, he received the Outstanding Student Award.
After graduation, he taught two years in New Madrid, Mo. He then began a distinguished career with the YMCA. He started with the Chicago YMCA in 1968, followed by an executive position in Richmond, Va. In 1979, he was named VP of Operations in Philadelphia, and in 1982, became the President and CEO of the YMCA in Baltimore. In 1987 he became the President of the St. Louis YMCA, which is the fifth largest in the U.S. Since then, Alvey has served in many roles with YMCA on national boards, finance committees, and was the liaison between the U.S. and Latin American YMCAs.
In 2004, Alvey retired and returned to Jackson. He remains committed to Union as the Chairman of the Class of 1966 Fundraising Campaign. He and his wife, Pat, have been married 57 years and have three children, Taylor, Cameron, and Courtney. They have two grandchildren, Harrison and Caroline.
