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We are still about 2 weeks away from the tip-off of a new college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to start preparing for the action ahead. We will do so via a series of season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage with Nebraska SR F/C Alexis Markowski, who talked about growing up in Lincoln and her expectations for this season.
You were born/raised in Lincoln: what made you choose Nebraska? My dad played here in the 1990s so I was always raised as a Husker fan. I always knew that I wanted to play college athletics, and I remember going to games/camps here as a kid.
In 2022 you were named Big Ten ROY: how were you able to make such a smooth transition from high school to college? I have always been a hard worker who will do whatever it takes for my team to win. I was fortunate to have upperclassmen/coaches who supported me as a freshman: they really helped me succeed.
In 2023 your 15 double-doubles were 2nd-most in the conference behind only national POY Caitlin Clark: how are you able to balance your scoring with your rebounding? The team needs me to be a good rebounder for us to have success and it is something that I am good at. My teammates are unselfish and get me the ball.
Take me through the 2024 postseason:
In the conference tourney title game you had 23 PTS/13 REB in a 5-PT OT loss to Iowa: where does Clark (34 PTS/12 AST/3 STL) rank among the greatest players that you have ever faced? I think she is the greatest player that I have ever played against. She is a generational player…so I am glad that she is no longer in college! She is very talented and makes everyone around her better.
In the NCAA tourney you scored 16 PTS in a 2-PT win over Texas A&M and 8 PTS in a 10-PT loss at Oregon State: what did you learn from your postseason run that will help you this year? Being able to win that 1st game was very motivating. Our program is going in the right direction…and we want to go even farther this year. The women’s tourney allows the top-4 seeds to host, which is a huge advantage, so if we have a good season then it would help us move forward. Last offseason I worked on facing post players who are bigger/stronger than me: we recruited some 6’8” scout guys to go up against, and I have been learning/improving.
Earlier this month you were named Preseason 1st-Team All-Big Ten: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor for the 3rd year in a row? I tend to not worry about stuff like that, even though it is a great honor. My focus is being a great leader for my team and doing everything I can to win.
You earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in each of the past 2 years and are a 4-time selection to the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? I am very fortunate to play at a university where life beyond basketball is the focus. I have a lot of great resources to help me manage my time/do well academically.
The Big Ten has added several new teams this year: any thoughts on conference realignment? I love it! The conference just got that much better with teams who bring different styles. We will spend a week in California over New Year’s to play 2 of the top-5 teams in the country (UCLA/USC). We want to play against the best and expanding the conference gave us the chance to do that.
Your father Andy was a 2-time basketball captain at Nebraska and your AAU coach: who is the best athlete in the family? That is a tough 1. I am a very confident person so I would love to say myself…but we are all pretty good athletes. I think it is my mom: she was a very good high school athlete, and that is where I get my competitive drive from. She runs pickleball in Lincoln!
What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? This is my senior season, so I want it to be my best. We were SO close to being conference champs last year and it is still on our minds. We want to get back to the title game, bring home the trophy, and make it even further in the NCAA tourney.