Erickson Heats Up Quickly With Boilermakers

Easing into things wasn’t Nicole Erickson’s style in high school--and nothing has changed.

Less than a month into her freshman year, Erickson is starting at point guard for nationally ranked Purdue, putting her name in the Boilermakers’ record book and creating fan excitement in West Lafayette, Ind. Yeah, pretty much the stuff she has always done.

“It’s been great,” said Erickson, one of the best female basketball players in county history while at Brea-Olinda.

“Every game is a big game. We’ve already played Stanford, Vanderbilt, Tennessee. It’s been incredible; so much fun.”

Having fun isn’t too difficult when you’re exceedingly talented. She has started the last three games and is averaging 7.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and two assists for Purdue (3-3), ranked No. 11 in the USA Today/CNN Poll. Solid numbers for someone adjusting to life in the Big Ten Conference.

“I think it’s an adjustment any time you go from the high school level to the college level,” she said. “You have to prepare yourself mentally for every game.

“You’re playing against people who are as talented as you and who know the game as well as you do.”

Erickson, 5 feet 6, dazzled the crowd while starting for the first time in the Boilermaker Classic last Saturday against Florida A&M.; She scored 18 points, and had five rebounds and five steals in Purdue’s 97-37 victory. She also tied the school record for three-pointers in a game by making six of nine.

“I was a little bit nervous, but not really,” Erickson said. “It wasn’t that much different than coming off the bench. You still have to do the same things and not mess up.”

At Brea, the bench was something Erickson only visited to catch her breath in between terrorizing opponents. A starter since the first game of her freshman year, Erickson led the Ladycats to a record of 130-5--a 96% winning percentage.

Brea won its fourth consecutive State championship last season as Erickson averaged 15.7 points and 8.1 assists. She also received The Times Orange County Edition player of the year award for the second consecutive season.

And although Erickson’s transition has been especially smooth, she believes her development is far from complete.

“I have some habits I have to change,” she said. “I was used to doing things a certain way at Brea for all those years, and I can’t do that stuff now.”

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Kristin Spataro and Ayesha Attoh led Princeton (26-5) to the Ivy League women’s volleyball championship.

Spataro, a 5-6 junior setter from Corona del Mar, was named most valuable player of the Ivy League tournament, won by Princeton in mid-November. Attoh, a 5-8 outside hitter from University, was the Ivy League’s freshman of the year. Both were selected All-Ivy League.

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Heather Dillard finished her Alabama Birmingham volleyball career with another strong season.

Dillard (5-9), a Cypress graduate, led the Great Midwest Conference in assists for the second consecutive season.

Dillard, an all-conference setter, averaged 12.3 assists. She averaged 10.8 last season.

The Blazers were 8-24 and tied for fourth in conference at 4-8.