Minnesota State senior forward Alyssa Van Klei has provided the Minnesota State women's basketball program with great leadership this year. A Stillwater, Minn., native, Van Klei has seen limited action this year due to an injury sustained earlier in the season.

During the 2012-13 campaign, Van Klei has seen action in three games for the Mavericks while sustaining a .500 three-point percentage in hitting two-of-four attempts. During the 2011-2012 season, Van Klei appeared in 28 games for the Mavericks and finished the year with 45 points, 37 rebounds, and four assists. In Van Klei’s sophomore year, she finished with 10 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and five steals in 16 games for MSU.

MSU women’s basketball head coach Emilee Thiesse stated the following about Van Klei:

"Alyssa plays a large role in the leadership of our team having been voted a co-captain by her teammates this season.  We've come to really appreciate her vocal presence day in and day out as she has valuable experience as a fifth year player.   Despite Alyssa's difficult battle against the injury bug this season, she has shown great character in putting the team first and we are excited to finally have her healthy again."

Q&A with Alyssa Van Klei

Q: What has the team done well to get off to a good start this year?
AVK: We come into practice every day with the mentality that we are going to get better.  We just continue to push each other in practice and work hard toward our goals. We know it starts on the defensive end, and when we make that a priority, we are successful and it has helped us win games.

Q: What has your experience been like with suffering a serious injury throughout this year?
AVK: Injuries are never fun to deal with, but sometimes it’s just the cards you are dealt.  I think that when you have a serious injury, you learn a lot about yourself.  Mentally and physically it can be frustrating.  My main focus has just been to stay positive and keep working hard.  I have great teammates who are there to support me, and I do whatever I can to contribute to the team and make us better.

Q: What did you work on during the offseason?
AVK: My main focus in this off-season was just to rehab my knee after surgery in April.  I did a lot of therapy in the pool and with a therapist back home.  Towards the end of the summer I was able to start some shooting workouts, but my main focus was to get my knee back to where it needed to be.  I am still continuing to work on this.

Q: How has life as a collegiate student-athlete been?
AVK: Life as a student-athlete has been great.  I have built some great relationships while I have been here and have been able to travel to a lot of places.  It really is a special opportunity to be apart of this program and I am thankful for it every day.

Q: How does the future of Maverick women’s basketball look?
AVK: The future of Maverick women’s basketball is very bright!  We have a great group of younger girls who work hard and are very dedicated.  I love playing with them, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.  Even though I won’t be around next year, I will definitely be following their success.
 
Q: What were some specific learning experiences for you last season? 
AVK: I think that last season I really just learned to battle through adversity.  The thing about basketball is that it is always teaching me something.  How you respond to adversity says a lot about who you are.  I think that in any season, you have to learn how to grind it out and finish.  Things are not always going to go your way, and you have to find a way to rise above it.

Q: What are your hobbies outside of basketball?
AVK: Outside of basketball I love to spend time with family and friends.  I love to spend time outdoors when the weather is nice, no matter what I’m doing.  When I am not playing basketball I enjoy coaching and watching the game; I definitely get that gene from my Mom.  I am also a huge Vikings fan and enjoy going to and watching games with my Dad.

Q: What do you love about the game?
AVK: I love the competitive part about the game.  It’s a pretty special thing when you have a group of people come together for one goal and one purpose and then succeed.  I love that feeling.

Q: What is one essential skill that you use to be successful in basketball and in the classroom?
AVK: Time management.  There is no way you can be successful without this!

Q: Would you consider this a successful season when you look at your performance on the court?
AVK: A successful season on the court is me doing whatever I can do to help the team.  It’s not about what I did, or me, but about what we did together as a team.