Tiffany Owens, a junior outside hitter on the Arizona volleyball team, tallied 39 kills and a hitting percentage of .344 as the Wildcats swept their first weekend of competition. Her performance earned her Pacific 10 Conference player of the week. The Arizona Daily Wildcat caught up with Owens yesterday to discuss “”The Wiz””, her sneaker preference and why she would eat Mexican food for the rest of her life.
Daily Wildcat: Besides volleyball, what is your favorite sport and why?
Tiffany Owens: I would have to say basketball. If I didn’t play volleyball, I would probably go out for basketball.
DW: If you had to pick a restaurant to eat at for the rest of your life what would it be?
Owens: That’s a tough one. It would have to be some Mexican restaurant, not really sure which one.
DW: What would you eat?
Owens: Enchiladas and tacos. Yes, and tacos.
DW: Who has the best nickname on the team?
Owens: Who has the best nickname? Um, this is tough. I’m trying to remember a good one on our team. Kaylen Banister, we call her K. Beezy.
DW: Who is your favorite team to play against? Is there one team that when you know they’re coming into town you get really excited to face?
Owens: USC. Our team can’t stand them besides ASU.
DW: What’s the most exciting thing to happen to you while you were traveling with the team?
Owens: We met some basketball player that plays for the Phoenix Suns. I forget his name. I don’t remember his name. We were going to L.A. and he was at the airport.
DW: Do you have any hidden talents?
Owens: Unfortunately no.
DW: No weird whistling or anything?
Owens: (Laughs) No.
DW: Do you like watching TV? What’s your favorite show?
Owens: My favorite show is “”The Steve Harvey Show.”” It’s a comedy. I love to laugh, so …
DW: How different is San Bernardino, Calif., than Tucson?
Owens: Completely different. Let’s just say the heat. It’s way hotter here than it is in San Bernardino. There’s a lot more cactuses (Laughs). San Bernardino is way greener in general.
DW: What’s your favorite part of game day?
Owens: My favorite part of game day would be our team huddle when we jump up and down.
DW: And winning of course, right?
Owens: Oh, of course winning (Laughs).
DW: Do you have an interesting fan experience? Is there on person you always see and think, ‘Wow, that person is crazy’?
Owens: My teammates. They’re crazy.
DW: Do you have a preference of sneakers?
Owens: Nikes for sure! Always. Or Jordans!
DW: Is coach Rubio (head coach for Arizona volleyball) a funny guy?
Owens: He tries to be funny. He tries to crack a joke here and there but …
DW: Has he ever had a funny joke?
Owens: He … no. But sometimes he gets his words all confused, all mixed up and we’re all laughing.
DW: Which player is the most gullible on the team?
Owens: Which player is the most gullible? (Long Pause and looks around at outside hitter Dana Hutchinson) Dana Hutchinson. Dana Hutchinson.
DW: What’s your favorite holiday?
Owens: My favorite holiday is Christmas because that’s when I go back home.
DW: Lions, tigers and bears, oh my! Which is the scariest?
Owens: Tigers.
DW: Tigers? Is it the stripes?
Owens: (Laughs) Yes.
DW: Do you like the “”Wizard of Oz?””
Owens: It’s been a while since I’ve seen it. I’m really a big fan of “”The Wiz””, which is a black “”Wizard of Oz.”” Michael Jackson is in it.
DW: He was the lion, right?
Owens: Yeah!
DW: What was your favorite movie that you saw this summer?
Owens: “”The Orphan.”” It wasn’t scary, it was suspenseful. I really enjoyed it — it was something new.