This week’s #WaveCrushWednesday is senior point guard Leslie Vorpahl, the Tulane women’s basketball star who is a force on the basketball court and in the classroom. Leslie has started for the past two seasons and is the second player in program history to reach 1,000 points and 500 assists in her Green Wave career.

Vorpahl has her name all over the Green Wave record books. She is a three-time all-conference selection and a member of the All-Academic Team for the American Athletic Conference. Recently, Vorpahl was chosen for the “So You Want to be a Coach” program, received the Sportsmanship Award and was named the 2016-17 AAC Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. To go along with these accomplishments, she boasts a 3.756 GPA as a business management and marketing major.

What made you want to play college basketball, and what about Tulane made you come here?

I have always had a strong passion for the game, and my childhood dream was always to play Division I basketball when I grew up. I chose Tulane because I really enjoyed my visit with the coaching staff and players. I also liked how it was a prestigious academic school on top of it being in a fun, vibrant city.

You won the [American’s] Scholar Athlete of the Year award. How does it make you feel to be recognized for your academic achievements? How does your academic success impact your game?

It was definitely an honor to receive this award! I mean this is ultimately what you go to school for. I am thankful I have never been academically ineligible to play in a game and I have always been a player that wasn’t the fastest or tallest, so I had to rely a lot more on my IQ for the game.

What makes you want to become a coach?

I want to stay around the game as long as I can, and I want to give back to younger players all that I have learned as a player.

What have you learned from a coach as great as [Tulane women’s basketball head coach Lisa] Stockton? 

Something I have learned from Stockton is that your team goes as your head coach goes. Having confidence and passion as a coach are two things I have noticed in a lot of great coaches. What makes her and other great coaches special are their ability to make solid relationships with their players and then bringing out their highest potential in each of them.

Where do you see yourself in three years? And then, where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In three years, I want to still be playing basketball overseas, God willing. In 10 years, I don’t know if I like to plan that far ahead.

What advice would you give to a younger version of yourself?

Just to work hard in everything they do and never settle at where they are at in life. And, ultimately try to always find positives in any situation you go through because that type of mindset is contagious and people will want to be around people like that!