SXU Student-Athlete Named Women’s Basketball Defensive Player of the Week
Saint Xavier University (SXU) women's basketball player Alyssa Crenshaw was named the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) Women's Basketball Defensive Player of the Week as a key figure in SXU's 83-81 comeback victory in overtime vs. Governors State University. In 32 minutes off the bench, Crenshaw grabbed a season-best 15 rebounds.
As a senior, it's the first time in her career that she has won the CCAC Player of the Week award, and Crenshaw is the first Cougar to win the award as the NAIA hands out Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week awards at the national and conference level.
"It is a great accomplishment and makes me want to push myself even harder. I have grown as an athlete while at SXU by staying committed. This sport takes a lot of time and dedication, and by putting in extra work, SXU has helped me develop into the player I am today," Crenshaw said.
Crenshaw excels just as well off the court. As an early childhood education major with a minor in psychology, Crenshaw will graduate in May 2025 and hopes to become a kindergarten or preschool teacher. While being a student-athlete and juggling academics can be difficult, Crenshaw has developed a strong routine over her four years at SXU, allowing her to follow her dream of being a basketball star and a future educator.
"As a student-athlete, I need to excel in the classroom because I have to be prepared for the world outside of college. I have a planner where I schedule time to do homework and try to get as much of it done as I can early in the week to stay on top of the work. It also helps that coaches provide us with study table time to ensure we succeed academically," Crenshaw said.
Crenshaw is a part of SXU's student-athlete leadership team, and as a natural leader on and off the court, she wants to see all student-athletes across the University develop a healthy balance between sport and education.
"Some advice I would give to another student-athlete who might be struggling to balance academics and playing the field would be that sometimes it will be difficult, and you might be drained because of it, but remember that you came to college for a reason. Reach out to your coaches and professors and keep an open line of communication. Do extra tutoring or spend more time on academics in a day," Crenshaw said.