Raquel Cazares/THE RIDER
Kade Hackerott is a Masters of Business Administration graduate student and is currently a guard and forward for the UTRGV Women’s Basketball team. Hackerott is currently leading the Southland Conference with 82 free throw attempts, 65 of those made.
Q: What is a fun fact about yourself?
A: “I like to read. That’s about it.”
Q: What/who inspired you into getting into basketball?
A: “Probably my dad. He was a basketball coach all throughout my life growing up so I was around the game a lot. So probably seeing that led me to be more involved in basketball.”
Q: Who is your favorite basketball player? Why?
A: “Tim Duncan, honestly. I just liked his game when he was in the NBA. I enjoyed it, so him.”
Q: What is your favorite music genre and who is currently your favorite artist?
A: “I like some pop and R&B music, but kind of everything. Taylor Swift is my favorite; kinda basic.”
Q: Do you have any game-day superstitions or rituals?
A: “No, I just like to make sure my hair is slicked back so I don’t have flyaways, but that’s about it. No superstitions, just prepared.”
Q: What is your favorite movie/show?
A: “I did like ‘Big Little Lies’, that’s a good show. Movies … ‘Interstellar’, it’s a good one.”
Q: Do you have any hobbies?
A: “I like reading. I really like ‘Percy Jackson’; anything by that author. I like walking, baking, just stuff like that. Hanging out with my friends, doing puzzles. We do puzzles, which maybe is lame, but we have fun.”
Q: What would you say serves as your biggest motivation?
A: “I think the joy for the game. I love playing basketball. So that’s why I do it because I enjoy it. I think I wouldn’t do it as much or do it at all if I didn’t enjoy it. So, you know, just really appreciating every chance that I get to step out [on] the floor and compete.”
Q: What is something you like about UTRGV?
A: “I love the atmosphere here, especially on game days. We draw a great crowd. People really come and support us, which is really, really awesome. And then just the whole staff throughout the athletic department is fantastic. We receive so much support and I think that that’s really awesome.”
Q: What do you hope to achieve by the end of this spring semester?
A: “Basketball wise, winning the conference would be great. Winning the conference tournament, going to the NCAA tournament … that’s the top goal of everybody’s season. Outside of basketball would just be to keep my grades up and get closer to graduating with my MBA, move on to real life after college.”
