For junior middle blocker Erica Jepsen, summer is beginning to wind down. After spending time at her home in Kennewick, Wash., Jepsen is returning to Portland to coach summer volleyball camps, spend time with her teammates and earn a little extra money along the way.
Last year, Jepsen earned All-Academic Big Sky Conference honors and was a solid contributor on the Vikings team that won the regular season conference championship. She joins five other juniors on the team who are preparing for another conference championship run.
The first game is a little over a month away, and Jepsen has been dedicated to her training both at home and on campus. The Vanguard caught up with Jepsen for a few questions earlier this week.
Vanguard: Why did you come to Portland State?Erica Jepsen: I came to PSU because the volleyball program was amazing and the school was really great. I also wanted to try something different.
VG: What is your proudest moment on the court? EJ: Definitely my proudest moment is when we beat Sacramento State at home last year to clinch the regular season conference championship.
VG: If you could alter one thing about your sport, what would it be? EJ: I would make it a contact sport.
VG: What is your greatest strength? EJ: I really care about people, specifically my teammates.
VG: What is your favorite place to eat around campus? EJ: Hot Lips.
VG: What is your favorite thing to do in the city? EJ: There are a lot of things I haven’t done…I like to walk around and check out all the different people and places there are.
VG: What would you buy first if you won the lottery? EJ: I would save it all until I could think about it and make a better decision.
VG: What is your most embarrassing on-court moment? EJ: My freshman year I forgot to go in [to the game] three times in a row, and we were going to get a technical the next time it happened. Coach got a little mad. Plus, it was a home game!
VG: What was your favorite toy as a child? EJ: My pink blanket. It is in a memory box now.
VG: What was the last thing that you cooked? EJ: I’m at home right now so my mom is cooking! The last thing I baked was chocolate chip cookies.
VG: If you could attend one sporting event or concert what would you choose to attend and why? EJ: I would attend Creation Music Festival. Basically, it is a bunch of Christian bands. It is out in the wilderness for four days and you get to camp.
VG: During the summer, what will you do to prepare for fall? EJ: Lift lots of weights. Run lots of sprints. Do lots of court exercises everyday.
VG: Do you read the Vanguard? How often? EJ: Yes. I read every issue. I also do the Sudoku.