Four thousand, seven hundred and thirteen. This figure represents the number of miles between the United States and DePaul women’s tennis player, Katarina Milinkovic’s, hometown in Serbia. It also represents the number of miles that Head Coach Mark Ardizzone traveled to first watch her play. Milinkovic is just one of DePaul’s 20-plus international athletes who has traveled halfway across the globe to start their college athletic experience.

But with thousands of miles between the athlete and the university, how are athletes like Milinkovic even discovered?

Former cross-country Head Coach Pat Savage explained that “the number one way” to globally recruit is for the athletes and coaching networks to contact DePaul. DePaul is very well connected with coaches in Canada, Ireland, and Great Britain.

“Recruiting is much like building relationships,” men’s soccer head coach Craig Blazer said. “It’s like give and take.”

He explained that it is a daily task to find the best student-athlete to attend DePaul, whether in Chicago or abroad.

Just ask Ardizzone, who visited 11 countries this summer recruiting for women’s tennis. With his numerous trips to Eastern Europe, he has become quite well-known across the pond.

“I’m more of a celebrity in Hungary and Croatia,” he said.

Yet endless hours at airports and dozens of train rides around non-English speakers make this process no easy task. However, Ardizzone perseveres, knowing that he has a better opportunity to acquire a higher level international player than a high-ranked American player who may not even consider DePaul.

But what makes these international players consider the school?

Several current athletes had already heard of DePaul without being contacted. Canadian cross-country runner Chris Miedema discovered DePaul through a Notre Dame friend.

He said he immediately took a liking to DePaul’s mission of athletic success and faculty friendliness. A short time later, he crossed the northern border to become a Blue Demon.

Fellow cross-country and track and field runner Matthew Graham tells a different story. Hailing from Scotland, he heard about DePaul while applying to other universities. He was drawn to DePaul’s city atmosphere, academics, and athletic programs, he said.

He then contacted Savage, who later met the runner in Scotland. Being over 3,000 miles away from where he grew up, Graham admits that “it’s difficult being away from home at first.”

But after just six months in the Windy City, he said he was here to stay.

For Milinkovic, she had her heart set on DePaul from day one. Two of her good tennis friends were already attending DePaul and highly recommended it.

When she met with Ardizzone in Serbia, further persuading confirmed her decision.

On top of that, Milinkovic knew that Chicago was the place for her.

“I’m fascinated by life in big cities,” she said.

She is also pleased with the fact that some of her fellow DePaul athletes share her Serbian culture and language.

However, some international athletes had quite different experiences in discovering DePaul.

Men’s soccer players Andre Gutierrez and Thiago Ganancio attended high school in Chicago’s suburbs and did not consider DePaul until a short while before tossing their mortar boards. Gutierrez said that DePaul was initially recruiting a friend before turning to him.

In Ganancio’s case, he impressed the athletic department after attending a one-day soccer camp during the summer of 2009.

After DePaul continued to contact him, he visited the school several times before making his decision.

For both players, the opportunity to play soccer while receiving a good education made DePaul stand out.

Ardizzone takes the concept of building relationships to heart. He realizes that while it may be exciting for parents to send their children abroad for college, it is also very scary.

This is one of the main reasons he travels, he said. He wants parents to know him and believe that he will take care of his athletes.

At the same time, Ardizzone does what other coaches may not even consider.

He encourages his American athletes to visit the homelands of their international teammates. So far, about five or six players have taken the journey.

“It’s such a unique opportunity,” he said. “You can’t get that kind of education in the classroom.”

Savage agreed that introducing international culture to American students is valuable.

“I wish we could bring more foreign kids because they bring a new perspective to DePaul,” he said.