Christen Prasse is a senior business administration and management major from Naperville, Illinois. After transferring to Nova Southeastern University as a freshman, she joined the Women’s Basketball Team midway through the season and went on to start in 25 games during her first full season, averaging a team-high of 32.5 minutes. Prasse set career-highs in points and free throws made against Valdosta State with 29 and 10.
How and why did you get into basketball?
“Honestly, it was because my older sister started playing. My dad kind of just grouped us together and said ‘You guys are going to play together and be on the same team.’ So we’ve played together our entire childhood and until her senior year of high school.”
What is your favorite thing about playing basketball?
“The competitiveness– I’m a very competitive person. In practices we’re constantly doing drills and if you’d ask any girl on my team [they would tell you] that I hate losing drills and I will do anything to win.”
Why did you come to NSU?
“I wanted to be in warmer weather. My grandparents have a condo in Sunny Isles. FL, so they attended events at NSU and they told me ‘This school is beautiful, we’ve never heard of it.” And I was looking to transfer from my original school, Saint Louis University, because basketball didn’t work out there. I was like ‘Yeah, why not? I’ll go to Florida and just start over.’ Then I came and didn’t play basketball—I was a normal student for a year and a half. In my junior year, I reached out to the coaches and said ‘I think I want to play again.’”
How is playing basketball here different than in Naperville, Illinois?
“Literally every team we play in our conference seems like our biggest rival. That’s kind of the nature of [the conference]. I feel like this conference is just crazy talented across all of the sports. At home, we had one main rival and the rest [of the teams], we didn’t really care about—there wasn’t any history. I think here, the rivalries within the Sunshine State Conference are definitely more intense, which makes [playing] more fun.”
What are your goals for basketball in the future?
“I have two and a half months left. After that, I’ll be done with basketball forever. I just want to win conference. I want to go far in the NCAA tournament and I think we’re peaking at the right time and everything is falling into place at the right time. I want to end my basketball career on a high note and do everything that I’m capable of doing.”
Do you have any pre-game rituals?
“A lot of people are superstitious on my team, but I’m pretty relaxed. This year, I started drinking coffee before I play, and I never used to do that aside from studying or focusing. If I don’t have my coffee, I kind of make a big deal out of it. So I guess getting a coffee, getting energized, and feeding off the energy from the team.”
Do you have any hobbies?
“I really like working out on my own or doing a class, like spin class or yoga class. In season, I don’t have time [to do work out or take classes]. I also like traveling. Nothing crazy hobby-wise.”
Who do you consider your biggest role model?
“Definitely my mom. She bends over backward to make sure her family is in order. She works a full-time job, helps her kids, helps my dad, helps her parents. She shows us what love and unselfishness are every day, so she’s definitely my number.”
What advice would you give to other student-athletes?
“Put in all the extra work in that you can because, over time, that’s just going to make you that much better. Remember you’re a student first and then an athlete. Make sure you handle what’s on your plant. Enjoy it, have fun and don’t take any moment for granted because it goes by really fast.”
What do you plan to do after graduation?
“I’m currently interviewing for other job opportunities. I might go to D.C., back home to Chicago, the Tampa area or here. I’m looking to get into consulting, so management consulting is my dream job. That’s the route I’m working towards.”
