Faulkner will pass her wisdom along

Natalie Venegas

Lisa Faulkner, who was named NAIA Co-Player of the Year for the

Vanguard women’s basketball team last season as a senior, plans to

join head coach Russ Davis as an assistant coach next season.

The Lions (32-4) finished their season with a conference

championship, and advanced to the NAIA quarterfinals, before falling

to Union University, 87-72.

Faulkner finished with 10 points and 12 assists in her finale.

“We had a really good year, we just ran into a team that played

their best basketball,” she said. “But I understand we had a really

good year, and it was a great experience.”

In the 2004-05 season, Faulkner, a 5-foot-4 point guard, was an

All-American and led the Golden State Athletic Conference and the

NAIA in assists.

She amassed 385 assists for an average of 10.7 per game, while

committing only 99 turnovers.

She also broke a NAIA tournament single-game record with 17

assists in a first-round win over Edward Waters.

“People like that don’t come around often,” said Davis. “She did

some amazing things, and she was the best point guard to play for

us.”

Faulkner briefly considered playing professionally overseas. But,

after assisting Davis last year with the Orange County club team Cal

Swish, she focused on a future in coaching.

Faulkner will join John Barney, Robbin Dittenbir and Paulette

Seaman as assistant coaches next season.

“I think [Faulkner] will be really good at it,” Davis said. “She

has court sense, competitiveness, intelligence and a good work ethic.

She’s going to bring an intensity, and she’s going to make my job

easier.”