After leading the Vikings to their best season since joining the Division I ranks and setting numerous records along the way, point guard Claire Faucher recently was named Honorable Mention All-American by the Associated Press.
The award solidifies Faucher’s season as one of the finest in Portland State history, bringing some national recognition to the sophomore, who led the nation in assists and was one of the most electrifying players in the Big Sky Conference.
“I was pretty surprised,” Faucher said. “To be honest, I am honored because I doubt that I deserve it. There are so many good players out there.”
The Yakima, Wash., native began her stellar play last season as a freshman. After missing several games due to injury, Faucher was inserted into the starting lineup, and immediately provided a spark for a stagnant and struggling Viking offense.
When Sherri Murrell was named the Viking coach this off-season, she knew right away that she had a special player in Faucher.
“You could see that she was an especially talented player, and she demonstrated her ability this season,” said Murrell, who also attempted to recruit Faucher while coaching at Washington State.
Murrell’s open-court, fast-paced style meshed perfectly with Faucher’s aggressive, unselfish playing style, which she has been honing since she was a youngster.
“She was born in between two competitive brothers, and grew up playing with a very athletic group of boys,” said Mary Faucher, Claire’s mother, from her Yakima home. “She learned early what she had to give to fulfill her own competitive nature: her best.”
Faucher said that much of the recognition for the award should go to her teammates, who helped her secure her place as the first Portland State basketball player to be named to an all-American team by knocking down shots that the point guard helped set up for them.
“To lead the nation in assists the entire season is spectacular,” athletic director Torre Chisholm said. “It is an amazing compliment to her, and also an amazing representation of the strength of the team.”
An uncanny ability to break down defenses with penetration and pinpoint passing were not Faucher’s only offensive weapons this season. The Viking floor-leader was second on the team in scoring with a 38 percent shooting percentage from the floor while also hitting 54 of 169 three pointers. Seemingly unsatisfied, Faucher said increasing her shooting percentages is one of her goals this off-season.
Throughout Big Sky play, Faucher gave Viking fans a preview of what could be the next two seasons, as she demonstrated her all-around ability. In 16 Big Sky games, Faucher ranked in the top tier of the conference in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, three-point field goals made and minutes played.
“She was really on a tear during the last few games,” Murrell said.
In the final 18 games of the season, Faucher reached double-digit in scoring 16 times and had double-digit assists in 10 of those games. Saving her finest performances for the last three games of the season, she averaged 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, including a 27-point outburst against Montana in the Big Sky Tournament Semifinals.
In two of those games, Faucher obtained the pinnacle of individual statistical basketball, earning triple-doubles in games against Montana in the regular-season finale and Northern Colorado in the Big Sky Tournament. Those were the only triple-doubles amassed in the Big Sky this season.
Despite the accomplishment, she still seeks improvement this off-season.
“People have talked about the triple-doubles and stuff, but I still feel that I haven’t played that well,” Faucher said. “I think there is better basketball that I can and will play in the next couple of years.”
With Faucher at the helm, the future looks especially bright for Portland State women’s basketball, and while more individual recognition may come, the nation’s best distributor seems focused on other matters.
“I have never had those type of individual goals. I just really don’t like to lose,” Faucher said. “This may have been a good year individually, but I could really care less about the individual accolades as long as we get to where we want to be next year.”