Spotlight Athlete of the week

Claire Faucher5-9 Guard SophomoreYakima, Wash.

There are 338 teams in Division I women’s basketball. Each of those teams has a point guard, commonly referred to as the floor general because she distributes the ball to facilitate her team’s offense.

Well, at Portland State, the numbers say the best floor general in the nation resides in the South Park Blocks. Point guard Claire Faucher keeps the Vikings’ ship afloat, leading the nation-including powerhouses like Tennessee, Connecticut and Duke–in assists at nine dimes a game.

Faucher’s uncanny passing ability has caught the eye of many around the country, landing her one of 16 spots on Nancy Lieberman’s list, “2008 Players Making a Buzz.”

The Vanguard recently caught up with the Vikings’ young superstar.

Why did you come to Portland State?

I came to Portland State because it was not too far from home. I wanted to be able to have my parents come and watch me play. I really love Portland; it is a great city. And coach Elliott was the right person for me. It was just a great fit.

What is your best moment on the court?

This season so far has been so great: just coming into the season with expectations not being there and surprising people. It has been very enjoyable, and everything is so much fun this year.

What is your most embarrassing on-court moment?

I am pretty much a big goofball; I am always messing around. I don’t really get embarrassed, but the other day at practice we were doing a defensive drill, and I was trying to break in some new shoes that were sticking. I went to take a lateral step, and my shoe got stuck a bit, my foot caught, and I totally fell down and did like a tumble roll. Everyone saw it and laughed.

If you could change one of your sport’s rules, what would it be? I would choose to lower the hoop to 8 feet so that I could dunk. I think we should do that for like one game or one practice a year. That would be a lot of fun.

What is your greatest strength?

On the court, it’s just passing the ball. Off the court, I really am always in a good mood. I try to make people laugh and put a smile on people’s faces.

What is your favorite place to eat around or on campus?

Definitely Big Town Hero.

Do you have any unique training methods?

To be honest, I just mess around. There is no method to the madness. I just love having the ball in my hand, dribbling around. At practice, sometimes I go to the other end of the court and just pretend someone is guarding me and I am practicing my moves, and picturing what I would do in a game.

What is the first item you would buy if you won the lottery?

I should probably say that I would give it away to charity. I would probably buy a pug first, and then get a new car. I want a Jeep, but my parents don’t think it’s a good idea, so maybe a 4Runner.

What was your favorite toy as a child?

This probably sounds strange, but I loved having the basketball, or a baseball, or football. Those were probably my favorite things. I didn’t really enjoy playing with dolls or anything like that.

What is the last thing you cooked?

[Tuesday night] around 11 p.m., I made eggs. They were going to be scrambled, but then it turned into an egg salad sandwich. It was pretty tasty.

Do you have any hidden talents?

Not really, but I really like to tell bad jokes that aren’t funny at all. I guess I am just OK at juggling.

Who would you take a bullet for?

Definitely my family, my boyfriend, and all young people because they haven’t had a chance yet to enjoy some things.

What cooking style best describes you?

I am probably like grilled something … or barbecued. I really love that.

Do you read the Vanguard? If so, how often?

I read the Sports every Tuesday and Friday.