This week, I caught up with senior Andrea Wilkinson of the Lawrence University Women’s Basketball team. Wilkinson has played on the team since her freshman year and is one of two senior leaders on the team. She is currently seventh in the league in defensive rebounds and eighth in minutes played.
Gabe Chapman: How’s the season going for you?
Andrea Wilkinson: It’s okay. Wins and losses wise it’s not that great, but as a team, I think there is definite improvement from where we were a couple of years ago. So, I think the program is headed in the right direction.
GC: What are you happy with what you’ve done personally this year?
AW: I would say just helping lead the team to having a strong work ethic and not getting frustrated with losses, because it’s hard to continuously not win a game and still work hard at it. But you’ve got to keep pushing through in order to get the rewards you want.
GC: As a senior do you see yourself as one of the leaders on the team?
AW: Yeah I’d say Patsy [Kealey] and I are the two strongest leaders on the team. We’ve helped lead to the team in the right direction – – especially because we have such a young team with mostly sophomores and freshmen, so we’ve been sort of forced into that role.
GC: What are your goals for the rest of the season?
AW: Definitely to get a win. We have three games left and two of them are very winnable, so just to leave it all out on the court and hopefully get one win at least.
GC: After four years of playing on the team, what accomplishments are you most proud of?
AW: I’d say it would be last year when we were down against Knox College and ended up coming back to win the game in the final minutes. It was one of the most exciting games I’ve been a part of during my time here.
GC: What has it been like playing a sport all four years at Lawrence?
AW: I personally love it. I think it has helped me manage my time better, and I also love being part of a team because you immediately have a friend group and they’re always there for you. I also love basketball so being able to play has been great.
GC: How do you guys prepare for a game, and how do you evaluate the game afterward?
AW: To prepare for games we usually watch film of the other team and look for what type of defense they’re going to run or specific plays, and go through those things in practice, so we know what to expect before the game. As for after the games we try not to dwell on it too much, but we might go over some films and some major points we need to work on and discuss that at the beginning of practice. That way we know what we need to work on for the next game.
GC: What’s your favorite part about being on the basketball team?
AW: I’d say my favorite part is my teammates. I love everyone on the team and being able to get to know them all and see them and hang out with them everyday—even if it’s at practice.
GC: Did you come to Lawrence to play basketball?
AW: Yeah I played basketball and volleyball my first three years here so being able to continue playing sports was a major reason why I came here. I’ve loved my time here and being able to play. I would definitely do it again.