March 9, 2009

BERKELEY - The Cal Lutheran Tournament gave California junior goalkeeper Elizabeth Layton a chance to get back in the pool after spending the first part of the 2009 season on sidelines with an arm injury. The Newport Beach, Calif., native earned three saves in the second half in the 16-2 dismantling of Villanova on March 6 and had five saves in one quarter of work against Redlands, allowing just two goals over the weekend. CalBears.com chatted with Layton and found out a little more about her, including her team nickname.

CalBears.com: When are you happiest?
EL: "On the beach, anywhere."

CalBears.com: Your grandpa, Robert Worrell, competed in football and rugby at Cal. Did that influence your decision to come here?
EL: "The fact that my grandpa is a Cal alum definitely influenced my decision. I wanted to be able to share this experience with him. Both my parents went to UCLA, so I thought I'd change it up. It has always been really important to me to make him proud, and I hope I have."

CalBears.com: What made you choose to major in English? What's the best part about your major?
EL: "When I came to Cal, I actually had no direction towards what I wanted to study. I chose English because I thought it would be a great base for many different career opportunities in the future. I also was greatly influenced by my amazing English teacher in high school who had such a passion for it. It definitely was inspiring."

CalBears.com: Which words or phrases do you overuse?
EL: "I guess I would have to say I overuse the word `girl' when talking to my friends. Kind of cheesy, I know.

CalBears.com: If you were stranded on a desert island and could have three things what would you take?
EL: "If I were stranded on a desert island, I would probably take my dog, Pride and Prejudice, and my iPod."

Calbears.com: Who on the Cal women's water polo team is the most entertaining?
EL: "I don't know if I can pick just one person. We all get together, and I can't ever stop laughing. But if I had to choose I would probably say Paige Lorenz. If you get Paige and Erin Scully together, even better."

CalBears.com: Who introduced you to your sport and for how long have you been playing?
EL: "Some of my childhood friends started playing long before me, when I was still playing soccer. My dad sort of put the idea in my head that maybe I would like it. One thing led to another, and I started my first season in seventh grade. It has been nine years now."

CalBears.com: You recently hurt your arm - how did you do it?
EL: "I actually severely hyper-extended my elbow, which was much better than the fracture they thought it could be but I did it during practice blocking. Emily Csikos took a shot on me and the power was just too much for my arm to handle."

CalBears.com: Inthe last women's water polo Q&A, Coral Kemp wanted the next student-athlete to answer: Head coach Richard Corso likes to give some players nicknames. What is yours, and how did you get it?
EL: "Funny story actually. My nickname is `Starbucks.' My freshman year around Christmas time, Rich walked onto the pool deck with a red Starbucks cup. I got really excited because it's my favorite time of year when Starbucks brings out the Christmas cups. From then on, all the coaches called me Starbucks. "

CalBears.com: What question would you want the next women's water polo athlete to answer?
CK: "What's the worst thing someone has physically done to you during a game?"

For a complete listing of past Q&As with the California women's water polo team, click here or look on the sidebar on the main women's water polo page.