ELKHART — Angie (Andrews) Torain took her love for learning and sports and turned them into a career.

The 1990 Central High School graduate who earned nine varsity letters and the Catherine Wolf Award as Elkhart Community Schools’ top senior female athlete is in her 16th year as a collegiate administrator. Since last summer, she has served as assistant commissioner for The Summit League.

“I’ve always had a passion for education and athletics,” said Torain, who was the guest speaker at last week’s Wolf banquet honoring 2012 award winner Zoe Disori. “I feel very blessed to have found a career that allows me to encourage student-athletes to continue to do things in the classroom while they do things on the court or the field.”

As an athlete, a young Angie Andrews excelled as a basketball center and sprinter on the track. She also ran cross country to make herself a better track athlete. She went on to play basketball and run track at DePauw University.

Her desire for academic achievement led her to law school at Indiana University. She saw herself going into entertainment law, but wound up where she is very comfortable — the world of sports.

She has held positions with the NCAA, IUPUI and Horizon League (formerly the Mid-Continent Conference), using a knowledge of the law and organizational skills to help schools with rules compliance and to run championships.

Torain brought a prop to the Wolf banquet. It was the NCAA Division I rules manual — about as thick as the Chicago phone book.

“I spend most of my day looking through this book,” said Torain, who does research, conducts investigations and interprets rules to make sure Summit League schools are on the up and up when it comes to things like recruiting, financial aide and eligibility.

The Summit League has nine member schools — IPFW, IUPUI, Missouri-Kansas City, Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota State, Oakland, South Dakota, South Dakota State and Western Illinois. Oral Roberts and Southern Utah left after the 2011-12 school year. The conference sponsors 19 championships — baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor track and outdoor track for men; basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor track, outdoor track and volleyball for women.

Between the compliance and the championships, Torain is on the road a few times a month and away from her husband, Kyle, and three daughters — volleyball player Kaylyn, track athlete Amari and future basketball player Addison — and their home in the Chicago suburbs.

“The most challenging part of my job is keeping the balance between family and work,” said Torain.

She offered words of advice and encouragement to the young athletes and the adults gathered at the Wolf banquet.

“Now that I’m a parent, I realize that family and friends do so much more than cheer for you on the sidelines or pick you up after practice or drop you off for a competition,” said Torain. “They also get nervous. They love you so much and so badly want you to succeed — on the court and off. They will do whatever they can to help you succeed so appreciate them and thank them.”

At that point she turned to thank her proud mother — Glen Harris-Miller — who had taken off work to come to accompany her daughter at her speech.

Torain also encouraged those gathered to give back.

“There is no better reward in life better than helping those who are less fortunate reach their potential,” said Torain.

All About Angie Torain

Athlete: The former Angie Andrews won four letters in track (coach Garvin Roberson), three in basketball (coach Jane Lutz) and two in cross country (coach Jean Kerich) at Elkhart Central High School. She was an MVP and mental attitude award winner in basketball and helped the Blue Blazers to two seconds and a third in the 1600 relay at the IHSAA State Finals. She was named Catherine Wolf Award winner as Elkhart Community Schools’ top senior female athlete in 1990. More recently, she has run in 5K, 10K and half marathon road races.

Student: Elkhart Central High School (graduated 1990); DePauw University in Greencastle (graduated 1994 with a Bachelors of Arts degree in sociology); Indiana University School of Law in Bloomington (graduated in 1997 with a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree). She competed in basketball and track at DePauw.

Work: Assistant commissioner for institutional services/championship administrator for the Summit League in Elmhurst, Ill. (2011-present); associate athletic director/senior woman administrator for IUPUI in Indianapolis (2007-11); assistant director of championships for the NCAA in Indianapolis (2006-07); associate commissioner for institutional services/championship administrator/senior woman administrator for the Mid-Continent Conference in Elmhurst, Ill. (2002-06); assistant director of enforcement/secondary violations for the NCAA in Indianapolis (1999-2002); director of compliance for the Horizon League (formerly the Midwestern Collegiate Conference) in Indianapolis (1997-99); legal assistant/clerk for Boehringer Mannheim Corp. in Indianapolis (1996-97).

Family: Husband, Kyle; daughters, Kaylyn (15), Amari (10), Addison (5).