The Texas A&M women's basketball team announced that Alyssa Michalke (Schulenburg, Texas), who was the Commander of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets in 2015-16, has been added to the roster as a walk-on. Michalke was the first female to be Corps Commander in its 140-year history.
"I am thrilled to be able to add Alyssa to our team," said Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair. "She has a real passion for the sport of basketball, and her experience in the Corps gives her great leadership skills that she will bring to the team. We already had 11 players on our roster, so she is truly our 12th Man."
Michalke, who was Corps Sergeant Major as a junior, was a member of the Ross Volunteers and the O.R. Simpson Honor Society while in the Corps. She was the Most Outstanding Freshman and Most Outstanding Sophomore for her company and her brigade. In addition, she played on the Corps' softball team and was a player-coach for the Corps' basketball squad.
"Alyssa Michalke is a leader in every aspect of her life," said Brigadier General Joe Ramirez (U.S. Army-Ret.), Commandant of the Corps of Cadets. "Whether leading cadets as the first female Corps Commander at Texas A&M, leading in the classroom, or leading on the basketball court – she excels at all that she does, and knows how to inspire others to follow her lead."
"She is a tireless worker and a standard setter in all that she does, and she strives to be the best in every endeavor that she undertakes – including sports," added Ramirez. "She is the kind of leader who leads by example and instills confidence in all who work with her. She is a superb leader, an exceptional student, and an outstanding athlete. She is one of our very best who will go on to great success in all that she does in the future."
Michalke is an Ocean Engineering major, who is a member of Omega Epsilon – the National Honor Society for Chemical Engineering, the Texas A&M Marine Technology Society (MTS), and the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME).
In addition, Michalke has been involved with Sports for Kids – a Texas A&M student organization that encourages involvement in youth sports.
A four-sport athlete at Schulenburg High School, Michalke was a Texas Girls' Coaches Association 2A All-State selection and District 28-2A MVP as a senior in 2012. She was a two-time all-district selection in basketball, helping Schulenberg to a regional semifinal appearance in 2012, and district championships her junior and senior year, as the Ladyhorns lost only one district game during those two seasons. In addition, Michalke was an All-District catcher in softball, and lettered in cross country and golf.
A star in the classroom as well, she earned Academic All-State honors from the TGCA, and graduated as Valedictorian with a 4.0 grade point average.
