After a second-round loss to Tennessee in the NCAA tournament, Felecity Willis hangs up her Arizona uniform. She's hoping her six assists in the game made WNBA scouts take notice.

With four NCAA Tournaments under her belt, Felecity Willis, senior guard for the University of Arizona Wildcats, has had a fortuitous college career. A two-time All-Pac-10 pick, Willis led her team in assists and minutes played this year, while also being called on to be a team leader. She dished out over 500 assists in her career at Arizona, which puts her third on the school's all-time list. And when not pounding the hardwood, she played shortstop on Arizona's softball team the past three seasons.

In this interview, Willis talks to Gball about what it's like to be recruited out of high school, how to make a great assist, and the pros and cons of being a two-sport athlete in college.

Gball: What has been the best part of playing for Arizona and what has been the most difficult?
Willis: I think, in the long run, the best part has been making the NCAA Tournament every year that I've been here. From 1996 on, we made the tournament, and that's just a great compliment to the team. Not only the team this year, but the teams in previous years. And to be able to come to Arizona as a freshman and make an impact, and get into the NCAA tournament year after year, and now have that be an expectation, has been great.

I think the most difficult or most frustrating thing has been that during my first three years we ended up finishing fourth in the Pac-10 every year. This year we had the chance to win the Pac-10 title, and we blew it so many times [the team finished second in the league]. So that's a disappointment--for this year to have the Pac-10 title right there and not be able to reach out, grab onto it, and hold onto it.

In the game against Oregon State on March 2, you sank two free throws in the last 29 seconds of overtime to put the team ahead. What was it like to face that pressure situation?
It's very nerve-wracking, but it's great when the shots go in. So it's just a great feeling to be put in that situation and to be able to handle it.

Is being in the clutch like that something that you've tried to prepare yourself for?
Not really. I mean you can try all you want in practice. But in practice it's more funny, than anything, when your teammates try to rattle you. It's nothing you can prepare for, either you have it or you don't.

On the flip side, what happened in the Wildcats' next game on March 4, (Arizona blew a huge 22-point lead and lost to Pac-10 champion Oregon)?
To give up a 22 point lead is just crazy. I think we just weren't playing that well midway through the second half. Turnovers were one problem. Not playing defense was another. They just out-hustled us.

You have led your team in assists the past two years. What is the key to making a good pass?
I think the key for me is being able to see the whole floor and being able to read defenses. It's nothing that I learned, it's just something that I picked up. Well, I guess I did learn it, but I learned it way back. When I was little I was able to pick up things fast, especially in basketball.

You were pursued by a number of schools before selecting Arizona. What's it like to have schools coming to you and having to make that decision? Was it difficult?
Oh yeah, it was very difficult. When I first started getting letters, I was getting them from a lot of colleges--from the East Coast and everywhere. And it's a very hard decision to make, because there are so many great schools out there and so many things that you can do. But you can only choose one.

Basically it came down to four schools, and for me, after I got it done, after I picked Arizona, it was a huge weight off of my shoulders. I know my parents were happy, my coach was happy, and I was just happy to have it over with. But, it's an exciting time, too, because the coaches are contacting you, they're sending you letters, and doing a lot to try to recruit you to their school.

Why did you choose Arizona?
I first came here I was in my junior year in high school. It was when they had the Olympic trials at Arizona. I got to tour the campus, got to meet the coaches, and I liked the atmosphere--because where I'm from, Napa Valley, California, it's the high desert. So I just moved from one high desert to the next. I liked the atmosphere, I loved the weather. It wasn't too close to home, but it wasn't that far away from home. And then halfway through my sophomore year my parents ended up moving here.

You also started on Arizona's softball team last year. How did you deal with the overlap in seasons?
It's difficult. I came in [every season to the softball team] not having the practice that everybody else had. And it got frustrating, at times, because I knew I could be a much better player. There just wasn't that much time in the day [in my schedule] to be able to work at it. But I had a lot of fun with it. Coach Candrea is the best coach, my teammates were awesome, and I was just fortunate to be able to get that experience. But I won't be playing this year because I'm hoping to get into the WNBA or continue playing basketball. So, I won't be able to play softball this year.

Which sport do you prefer?
I'd have to go with basketball. Softball was just a thing I did during the summer. I played travel ball, and I played high school softball--but only my junior and senior year. So softball was always a side thing after basketball, to keep me out of trouble and just for something to do. I love them both, but I'd have to go with basketball, because that's hopefully where my future is at.

Are there advantages to being a two-sport athlete at a Division I program?
Yeah, definitely. You get to know more people. I've got my basketball teammates and my softball teammates, and they're personalities are so different. Just experiencing two different sports is awesome. I got to travel to different places and meet other people. You also get known as a two-sport athlete at your school--they call me Deion and things like that.

What are your career goals, both as an athlete and after athletics?
As an athlete I want to continue to play basketball, hopefully in the WNBA. If that doesn't happen, then somewhere overseas. Then after my playing days are over I'd like to be a coach someday, but that's hopefully much later on. I'm majoring in communications, so if I don't do any of those things, I'd like to do something with radio or TV--some type of broadcasting.

How did you get into basketball?
My older brother. He played every sport and I just had to follow him. And I fell in love with basketball. I was 10 years old in fifth grade when I started playing competitively on a team. And from then on I've been playing. I started early compared to some of my teammates, because one of my teammates didn't start until 10th grade.

You're described in the Arizona media guide as a tenacious player. How do you psyche yourself up to be aggressive on the court?
It's natural. It's been with me every since I was little. Like I said, having an older brother, you've got to be aggressive in everything you do. Whether it's playing basketball or fighting or whatever. So I think it just carried over with me every year and it's just a part of me.

You also mention in the media guide that you'd like to visit Puerto Rico where your parents were born. Is your ethnic background an important part of who you are?
Yeah, I think it is, because I'm three-quarters Puerto Rican and the rest white. My parents tried to bring us up in that culture, in that style. When I was little we would go to Puerto Rican picnics in California, our friends were Puerto Ricans or Hispanic, and that definitely had an impact on my life.

Do you have any advice for high school players hoping to play at the college level?
Always work hard, always try to achieve your goals, and don't let anybody hold you back.

Interview conducted in mid-March by Gball Assistant Editor Shelly Wilson.