Interview with USJ’s Men’s Basketball Team Captains
By Jacob Wang and Caroline Bucari
Feb. 4, 2026, basketball player and student reporter Jacob Wang and student reporter Caroline Bucari sat down with the captains of University of Saint Joseph men’s basketball team, Freddie Feldrappe and Lence Altenor.
Jacob Wang: Let’s get to it! Lence Altenor and Freddie Feldrappe, what does your day– to– day look like as a college athlete, and how important is it to have a routine?
Lence Altenor: I didn’t really learn about having a routine until this year. Coach Glen Miller emphasized the importance of routine and habits that you stick to. At the start of this year, my roommate and I built a routine. We have been sticking to it! It starts with waking up at 5 a.m. to read the Word of God, then we do a little journaling, and then we head to the gym at 6 a.m. with others—and you as well, Jacob. We get a nice workout in. Then we fuel up with a good breakfast and get ready for classes. After classes, I always go back to the gym. In the gym at this time, I like to do something light like shooting or, more importantly, work on a weakness. Routine is really important; it is very important for self-improvement. It teaches you how to say no. I am reading “Atomic Habits.” It helps me get into my routine. The book shows how you get rewards. I don’t like to brag but working on all this I scored 30 points in my game yesterday.
Freddie Feldrappe: I think having a routine makes it easier than without one. There’s a lot of things you have to do as an athlete. If you don’t have one, it makes it easier to miss class, miss meetings, not do your homework, and not get major assignments done on time. I usually set my alarm for 5:40 a.m., and I try to get to the gym at 6 a.m. Then I eat breakfast and work at 9 a.m. Then class at 10 a.m.; class at 1 p.m. At 2 p.m. I have free time, then practice. After practice, I get homework done and then get some sleep and do it again.
Wang: Freddie is an honor-roll student; how do you balance academics while being a student-athlete? Also, congratulations to both of you for scoring 1,000 points recently.
Feldrappe: I think the most important thing to keep academics afloat is to do assignments on time. It’s easy to get behind if you don’t submit assignments. Luckily, I have had a good time with academics. Get your assignments in on time and do your best!
Wang: And for you Lence, how important is it to you to find time to have balance? Basketball can take up a lot of your time. How do you find balance within yourself to make time for yourself?
Altenor: That’s a great question. Balance is a part of routine and your day-to-day life. You have to make sure you have time for yourself. For me, I’m a napper; I’ll make time for a quick little nap in my day, especially if I feel overwhelmed or stressed. I also make time for downtime, usually after dinner. It’s when I can just relax. I even read, and though it can seem like it takes up a lot of energy, it’s relaxing.
Wang: USJ is an award-winning program; Jim Calhoun came over and took over the program. From your point of view as captains, being here all four years, what do you wish more people understood about leadership in basketball at this level?
Feldrappe: I think leadership is making the people around you better and exemplifying what you expect from everyone. Everyone can do this and exemplify the good behavior they want to see in others. We must challenge others to be the best version of themselves; and I wish more people saw that.
Wang: Lence, same question to you.
Altenor: Something I would want them to know about leadership at this level is you can’t compromise; and that is one of the hardest things I’ve had to grasp. When you’re on a basketball team and playing basketball with your friends—your brothers—sometimes it’s hard to hold your brothers accountable. You can be best friends off the court, but on the court, you must tell them how it is. If they are not performing to the best of their abilities, you have to have hard conversations. That’s the goodness in brotherhood, but also a hard thing in leadership.
Wang: What was one conflict you managed as a team, and what did you learn from it as captains?
Altenor: A conflict we managed was a problem with consistency. It’s a hard thing to manage—always having energy and effort, but the best teams can do it. so we know it’s possible. You can’t come in without good energy and defense even if your body may hurt or is tired. As leaders and players with high standards, we expect you to come in with that same energy or more. That’s how you separate good teams from bad teams.
Feldrappe: Even from the preseason, we have set good standards and expectations.
Bucari: To add to that, what are the expectations for the team versus individuals on the team?
Altenor: As for setting expectations, it starts with the bond of the team. It’s hard to have a connection with someone you don’t know.
Feldrappe: The coaches know the team the best, and the coaches know what roles need to be filled, but as for individuals, they know what they are capable of. We have to keep up team meetings and conversations between individuals.
Wang: You guys are a part of the No. 1 team in the country. How hard is it dealing with expectations and mental pressure, and how do you all deal with that?
Altenor: I wouldn’t say it’s hard. You can’t look at the past and compare it to now if you want to be a good team. Work ethic is a good indicator of what kind of team you want to be. The numbers don’t matter because, at the end of the day, you have to win games. The best teams can lose to the worst teams. You have to have heart, grit, and perseverance.
Feldrappe: I agree with that. The work you put in is going to pay off. I think it is good to trust that. Also, we are doing something that we love, so I think it’s not that difficult to manage expectations. Ultimately, I love what I am doing, so I wouldn’t want to stress out too much.
To learn more about USJ men’s basketball upcoming schedule and see these amazing players, visit: https://www.usjbluejays.com/sports/mbkb/2025-26/schedule
Thank you again to Freddie Feldrappe and Lence Altenor.