Last Thursday Texas A&M Corpus Christi beat Lamar 68-61 in the Southland women’s tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to next week’s NCAA tournament. The Islanders only won 6 games in 2021 but 3 years later they are heading to the NCAA tourney for the 1st time in program history. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Texas A&M Corpus Christi SR Alecia Westbrook about her team’s storybook season.
You were born/raised in Missouri: what made you choose Texas A&M-Corpus Christi? I was actually born in New Orleans but raised in Missouri. I was always in the cold so when I came here in the summer and saw the palm trees/weather I decided “Let’s do it!”
You play for Coach Royce Chadwick: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? His patience. I have been around him for 5 years and he makes sure that we understand what he is talking about. He is a great human being as well.
You started 11 games as a freshman and set a school freshman record with 30 BLK: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I just learned from the 8 seniors I had in front of me: they taught me a lot while I got to play against them every day in practice.
Last year you were named conference POY & DPOY: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? It was amazing: I was the 1st person at my school to ever win both awards. I did not expect it and found out when my teammates told me in the weight room.
In the 2023 WNIT you had a double-double (11 PTS/11 REB) in a loss at Wyoming: what did you learn from that loss that you think will help you next week? Just to go out there and play because you never know if you will have another game. You need to leave everything on the line and play your hardest.
Last January you scored a career-high 27 PTS/9-10 FG in a 2-PT win at Incarnate Word: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? I think so. They are a great team and every time we play at their place it seems to be a 1 or 2-PT game.
Last Saturday you became the 9th player in Southland women’s basketball history to be named 1st-team all-conference 3 times: how have you been able to remain so dominant throughout your college career? My coaches/teammates put me in positions to be that type of player, and then I just have to do what they expect me to do.
In the Southland tourney title game on Thursday you scored 17 PTS/6-6 FG in a 7-PT win over Lamar: how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most, and what did it mean to you to win a title? It was crazy! Winning the title was unreal: our teammates ran onto the court and Coach Chadwick was able to win another 1 so it was great for our entire community.
You led the league in RPG for 3 straight years from 2021-2023 and FTM for 3 straight years from 2022-2024: what is the secret to being a great rebounder/getting to the FT line? For rebounding it is about tracking the ball early: I know when my teammates will shoot it so I just follow the ball. For FT shooting I try to read the defense, get to the line, and then take my time once I get there.
What kind of seed do you think you deserve, and what kind of seed do you think you will get? I have no idea…but as long as we are playing I am good!