Women’s basketball ready to hit the hardwood

The Portland State women’s basketball team is gearing up to begin a highly anticipated season. With the first exhibition game slated for 6 p.m. on Saturday, the team looks to prove itself a worthy opponent against Western Washington.

Head coach Sherri Murrell, the driving force behind the recent turnaround success of the Vikings, is confident that the depth of the team will lead to increased performance. Under her guidance, the team has already been stellar, boasting a 23-10 record last year and going on to the postseason for the first time since 1996–97.

Murrell has been in her position for only two seasons, but during that time she has earned a 45-19 record. This puts her as the second-winningest coach in the Big Sky Conference.

“I think they were the right team for me at the right time,” she said. “Hopefully, I instill confidence in them and push them.”

This year, for the first time in school history, the Portland State squad was named to win the Big Sky Conference in both the coaches and media preseason polls. And the Vikings know that means other teams are going to come gunning for them.

“We need to build on what got us here. We need to work on having a target on our back, because people always want to take down the top dog,” senior guard Claire Faucher said.

Faucher, along with junior forward Kelli Valentine, are now the two biggest names on the Portland State court after forward Kelsey Kahle graduated following last season. Both Faucher and Valentine had impressive numbers in the 2008–09 season.

Valentine was the second leading scorer, behind Kahle, with 376 points, and Faucher came in third with 371 total points. Both led the team, behind Kahle, in field goals as well as offensive and defensive rebounds. Faucher was named Unanimous First Team All-Big Sky, Big Sky All-Academic Team and Big Sky All-Tournament Team last year.

“Claire is probably one of the best point guards on the West Coast—an amazing passer,” Murrell said. “[She] has great vision on the court. She seems to have eyes around her whole head.”

Valentine also earned her share of accolades last season. She was named Honorable Mention All-Big Sky, Big Sky All-Tournament Team, and in the 2007–08 season, she was named Big Sky Outstanding Freshman.
“Kelli has not only a quick shot, but quick feet,” Murrell said. “She has a deadly shot from 15 feet out, but beyond that she can score in and outside.”

Murrell said all of the Portland State players bring strength to the court. Specifically, she said junior guard Lexi Bishop, who is coming back from a knee injury, is in full force now.

“She is an aggressive defender and is strong in three-point shooting,” Murrell said.

Murrell added she is also impressed by the increased play of sophomore forward Katy Wade. “She has always been a threat on defense, but now she is a big threat on offense as well.”

Both Murrell and Faucher expressed excitement about the lot of new players that are emerging along with the starters.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Faucher said. “We have a young team, and we help them develop through the foundation we have.”

Murrell feels that one of the keys to making the NCAA tournament in the spring is avoiding injuries.

“We need to stay healthy,” she said. “We have the depth, we just need to make sure that continues. The pressure to be at that level has always been there.”

Even with the positional strength her players bring to the court, Murrell said much of the team’s success is not just pure skill—it’s playing as a unified group that brings wins.

Faucher said of the team’s unity, “I know it’s not only my play, it’s the team’s…We have so much competiveness at practice. [We have] a lot of talent, and everybody has fun.”

As the women plan to prove that Portland State is a serious threat in the Big Sky Conference, they are getting ready for what is expected to be an exciting season. The women start the regular season at home on Saturday, Nov. 14, against Washington. Tip off is at 2 p.m. at the Stott Center.