Andre Cook, Head Coach of men’s basketball, embarks on his third season with the Hilltoppers. Cook brings 18 years of coaching experience  to the table. A  Hilltop Views reporter chewed the fat with Cook.

Catherine Hennessey: How long have you been coaching basketball?

Andre Cook: This is my 18th year coaching basketball at the high school and college levels.

CH: What brought you to St. Edward’s?

AC: My predecessor here, Ryan Marks, often recruited my guys at Hudson Valley to come play at St. Edward’s. When Ryan took a job at The University of Texas-Pan American, I asked him if I had at a chance at his job. He sort of circulated my name, which helped me get a foot in the door.  I applied along with a lot of other people, but I was fortunate enough to get the job in July of 2009.

CH: What is your favorite part about coaching at St. Edward’s?

AC: I love that the students are always so positive and in a good mood, and they’re also so supportive of our players and everything we do. Obviously I love coaching too, and I love my own players and the coaching aspect of the job, but being on campus and being able to see the type of young people there are keeps me young, and I love it.

CH:What is the most challenging part of your job?

AC: The most challenging part is that we are the best academic school in the league, and we have to back that up so recruiting the type of student-athletes to have success in the league is difficult. We have to be more selective so that’s harder.

CH: What do you and Coach Martin do to encourage the guys to do well in school with such a busy basketball schedule?

AC: That really is job number one for us. I love coaching and I want to win just like everybody else, but these guys are working for their degree, so that’s number one on my list. We have an academic coach, team study halls, we encourage tutoring for classes they are struggling in, we have a zero tolerance policy for missing class and we go over their progress reports.

CH: What would you say the team philosophy is and what are some goals you have for this season?

AC: This year, our goal is to get up and down the court more and play faster. We’re trying to put in an offense that’s more predicated on reads and pushing the ball up the court, and I think the players are liking the more up-tempo because we can play more guys. The top four in our league make it to the conference tournament, and the winner of that tournament goes to the NCAA tournament, so that’s what we have to do.

CH: Who are the teams to beat this year?

AC: The conference has really improved over the last few years. Arkansas Fort-Smith is new to our conference this year, and they were picked to win on both the men and women’s sides. Texas A&M International won last year and they’ve improved, and the local rivalry at St. Mary’s will be good as well. I know it sounds cliché, but the wins this season are going to be earned because I really don’t see a bad basketball team.

CH: What would you like to see from the St. Edward’s community this season?

AC: When we really promote the games, we get great numbers.  We had a great turnout at Thursday night’s exhibition, and Saturday we had a decent turnout. We have a bunch of games in November before the students leave to go back home for Christmas break, so I would love to see them come out and support.