Earlier this month Drake beat Bradley 63-48 in the MVC tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Bulldogs brought in a new coach this year in Ben McCollum but they have not lost a step as they are now heading to the NCAA tourney for the 3rd year in a row. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Drake cheerleader Alli Brotherton about her love of animals and making the NCAA tourney.
You grew up in Wapello, IA: what made you choose Drake? I chose Drake not only because they were starting up the zoo and conservation science major, but also because you could tell how much the professors cared about their students and their success. Coming from such a small town, while I knew I wanted to live in a bigger city, having the benefits of a smaller university (like more personal connections with professors) was super-appealing.
You played several sports in high school: which 1 were you best at, and which 1 did you enjoy the most? I was definitely involved in a lot of sports during high school: that is 1 of the perks of going to a small school. I would say I was best at cheer and our dance/pom team, part of which was why I was excited to get the opportunity to cheer at Drake. While cheer is for sure top-2 for what I enjoyed most, I would have to go with soccer as the favorite sport that I have played. I grew up playing soccer my whole life and was grateful for the opportunity to continue to play throughout high school.
You are majoring in Zoo and Conservation Science with a minor in Biology: how did you choose those subjects? I originally came to Drake with Biology as my major. I had thought for the longest time that I wanted to go to vet school, but realized that I am much more interested in the care of animals who are in need of sanctuary, like exotic animals that were rescued from the exotic pet trade or kept as house pets. Zoo and Conservation Science was originally my concentration, but when it became an option for it to be my major I took the opportunity right away because it is geared towards animal welfare, which is right up my alley. As for my Biology, I am still interested in the veterinary side of things so I was not ready to completely give it up, which is why I left it as my minor!
You are a senior: what is the post-graduation plan? After graduation, I plan to stay here in Des Moines for another year to continue working as a vet assistant before hopefully securing an internship or job at a big cat sanctuary.
1 of your hobbies is reading: any book recommendations for our readers? I am a big fan of fiction and romance novels, with my favorite book being “Normal People” by Sally Rooney. I am a huge fan of hers and would recommend people to read any of her books! They dive into complex issues like relationships/politics/family, which I find quite interesting.
In the MVC tourney title game the Bulldogs had a win over Bradley to clinch the title: what was the reaction like after the final buzzer went off, and how excited is everyone on campus this week? The energy was just through the roof and I know we were all super-excited to punch our ticket to March Madness once again. This will be the third year we get to go and we are all grateful to get the opportunity to cheer on our Bulldogs just a little bit longer. Back on campus, I think everyone is just as excited/proud of the team as we are!
Your team has only lost 3 games all year by a combined 13 PTS: has it reached a point where everyone expects the team to win every time that they step onto the court? While I have a lot of confidence in this team, nobody is perfect, and either way we are super-proud of them. They have been a very fun team to cheer for and the fans always come ready as well, making the game day experience unforgettable.
How does your school decide who gets to go to the NCAA tourney, and what will it mean to you to see your group doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? I am not exactly sure how the school decides who gets to go to the tournament, but we are all extremely grateful to be able to go and cheer on our Bulldogs on such a big stage. We are very excited for what is to come and hopefully we can walk away with some more wins!
Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for next week? As of right now, we do not have anything planned. Our main focus currently is ensuring that we are ready for tomorrow!
Any predictions for your game on Thursday vs. Missouri in Wichita? I am feeling super-optimistic about this week and the team advancing, but will be happy no matter what happens.
