Historic. Grand. Monumental. These are the words that can be used to define Alexa Mustafaj ’25’s Middlebury basketball career. Sadly, the era is coming to an end, but it will be remembered forever. She broke the all-time scoring record for Middlebury women's basketball (1,628 points) and then added another half thousand points to finish her career at a staggering 2,180 all-time points. She averaged 22.5 points per gam and led the NESCAC in points per goal. In this edition of Seven Questions, Mustafaj reflects on her time at Middlebury, plans for the future and considers the memories from Middlebury basketball she will cherish forever.
Victor Korte: Every great hooper has an origin story. When did you start dribbling a basketball, and how did you fall in love with the sport?
Alexa Mustafaj: Since when I can remember, I think around third grade. I come from a big basketball family, so immediately once I picked up the basketball and knew how competitive it was, I loved everything about it. I fell in love with the sport growing up and playing with my older brother, and two boy cousins. Everyday after school we would play 2v2, with me being the only girl, until the sun went down. Never once did they take it easy on me, elbows always flying around, and I think developing my skills with them is what made me so competitive and have such a passion for the sport.
VK: Game day is always a good day. Do you have any pre-game rituals like LeBron James’s chalk toss or Jayson Taytum’s ear tugging that gets you into the flow state and ready to ball out?
AM: If you ask any of my teammates, they would tell you I am the most superstitious person they know. Stemming from my high school varsity team, my team was insanely superstitious with the pre-game rituals, to the extent of where my coaches bought in and did everything the same for almost two full years on game days due to our winning streak. So I definitely carried that into college, and have many pre-game rituals starting with my meals for the day, and the amount of shots I put up before the game. I also wear the same shoes the entirety of the season, never changing them, even if they become so worn out.
VK: What are some of your favorite pre-game songs that get you hyped for game day?
AM: I don’t have any specific songs I play each and every game day, but I am a very big EDM fan, thanks to my teammate Augusta Dixon, so we bond over that and always blast it on the bus and in the gym until the speakers almost blow out.
VK: Setting the all time scoring record for Middlebury women's basketball is an impressive achievement. Who has been your biggest influence or mentor during your time at Middlebury?
AM: I would have to say my other brother. He is two years older than me, and played four years of college basketball at Vassar. He was definitely the hardest on me growing up, being a competitive older brother, but has been such a great role model these past four years. Since he experienced it all before me, he has always been there throughout, as my biggest supporter and number one fan in all my accomplishments, as well as during times where it gets hard and I need some advice. I always know I could go to him, and that is something I’ll be forever grateful for.
VK: If you had to choose a favorite memory from Middlebury basketball, what would it be?
AM: Definitely the triple overtime win against Tufts my junior year. Having it be on senior day too, there were so many fans in the crowd, and it was electric — I had never played a game that lasted that long. To get to beat them, in our last home game at Pepin, for the first time in about 20 years, with everyone there and then to celebrate with family and friends afterwards is something I will remember forever.
VK: What will you miss most about Middlebury basketball?
AM: The things that I will miss most about Middlebury basketball are the long bus rides, team meals and the locker room. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to be on such connected teams throughout my time here, that the girls that I played with are like my sisters and will be my
friends forever. Annoying each other on long bus rides, and eating team meals together on the road in the middle of nowhere is what I am truly going to miss more than anything else.
VK: As you are graduating this year, what are your plans after college? Is basketball involved in your future, or are you pursuing a different career?
AM: I don’t have any big basketball plans after college, unfortunately, besides just practicing at home with my younger cousins who are in high school. Since my passion for sports and basketball is so strong, following graduation, I am pursuing a career in the Sports & Entertainment industry.
