With three years already under her belt, senior guard Alexis Govan of the Lady Topper basketball team plans to make her fourth and final season one for the books. Every new year brings with it new opportunities, and for Govan, she’s had the opportunity for a bit of a role reversal this semester.

The 5-foot-10-inch San Antonio native is enrolled in Sports Management 490 – an internship course for her major that has her doing several different tasks for WKU’s Athletic Media Relations Office.

Govan, who’s one semester away from graduating early, said the experiences thus far have upped her appreciation for the media relations members she’s grown accustomed to during her three years as a player.

“They do a lot more than people think,” Govan said. “Like a lot more goes into finding these numbers and putting together a media guide than you’d think.”

“I’ve been helping with softball box scores, getting the older records and stuff like that, so when the season comes around they can put them out. I’ve gotten to look that up and a lot of digging up old stuff, finding out more about the history of Western.”

Not only has Govan been able to better her understanding of the history of the university’s athletics, she’s also been given the chance to better understand her very own teammates.

She’s sat down for lengthy interviews with several Lady Topper teammates and members of the men’s basketball team — which, according to Govan, has put her in some unfamiliar situations.

“Sitting down and interviewing my teammates and interviewing the boys, it was weird to be that person because even with me they were nervous, and I was like ‘I’m your teammate, these are just questions,’” Govan said. “I think it was different, and then trying to get stuff out of them — now I see how hard it is for you all to get stuff out of us.”

Govan said her interview with redshirt sophomore guard and normally quiet teammate Kendall Noble has stood out to her thus far.

Noble stepped in for Govan last season after the Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year went down with a season-ending stress fracture in her left tibia. She had averaged 11 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game.

“It’s been interesting just to find out more things, and it’s actually cool to see their personality,” Govan said. “I wish I could show you the interviews for you all, because Kendall — everybody thinks she’s so quiet. That was the best interview I think I’ve ever seen her do. She was so relaxed and herself.”

Govan said last season’s extended stay on the bench was a learning experience for her from a coaching perspective, and that her internship has been a prime opportunity to learn more about the behind the scenes of media relations.

That gives the senior experience in three different areas within the sports field, which should bode well for Govan, who would like to explore a career in sports following her graduation — when she’s done playing, that is.