Q-and-A With Nicole VanderPol

Jan. 9, 2008

If you owned a boat, what would be its name?
“`Look What I’ve Got!’ Because my boat would be one of those big Hacker-Craft wooden boats that is very rare and expensive, but classy looking.”

You are a Green Bay Packers fan… do you like their chances to reach the Super Bowl?
“I think their chances of getting to the Super Bowl are very good. The best quarterback in the league, Brett Farve, leads them! He is a great, classy leader, and every time he throws a touchdown pass he celebrates like it’s his first touchdown pass ever.”

If you could have any job, what would it be?
“My dream job would be working for Nike in England and living in a flat in London.”

What technological advancement (i.e. TIVO, HDTV, sling box, GPS, video iPod, etc.) do you enjoy the most?
“I love my video iPod because I love watching music videos from my favorite artists. I also love TIVO because my favorite TV show, Ugly Betty, is on during our games and TIVO allows me to record it.”

What are your favorite websites to surf?
“I love celebrity gossip so my favorite website is People.com. I love it. I save myself money by not going out and buying the magazine every week. My other favorite is Nike.com.

What has been your most embarrassing moment since your freshman year?
“Too many to remember!”

Do you have any pre-game rituals?
“The only pre-game ritual I have is I have to listen to three Josh Groban songs, `My December’, `Remember When it Rained’ and `Canto Alla Vita.’ My teammates like to give me a hard time about listening to those songs because they aren’t very upbeat and one of them isn’t even sung in English. But, they get me pumped up!”

Do you have any hidden or useless talents few people know about?
“Back when I was in first grade, I was cast in our high school’s production of The Sound of Music. I played the second youngest Von Trapp child, Marta. Also, I’ve been known for my killer cartwheels, thanks to my earlier years of gymnastics.”

If you could compete on any game show (past or present), which would it be?
“The Price is Right, with Bob Barker hosting. I’ve always wanted to spin the giant wheel.”

Which celebrity would you want as your partner if you were on Dancing with the Stars?
“There would be a couple celebrities I would like to have as my dancing partner; David Beckham, Hugh Grant, Josh Groban, just to name a few.”

How would you describe yourself on the court? Off the court?
“On the court, I love encouraging my teammates and being very energetic. Off the court, I’m pretty reserved and somewhat of a nerd.”