 |  |
Boudreau Plays Big for Owls
KEENE, N.H., 1/29/09 - Keene State College's Michele Boudreau and her hometown of Readsboro, Vt., have something in common. They are both small.
Despite its size, Readsboro (population 800), located near the Massachusetts border, is described on the VirtualVermont website as one of those "out there" places, noted this time of year for its great cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.
Meanwhile, Boudreau, who stands 5 foot 2, has made a name for herself the past four years as an indispensible point guard on the Keene State women's basketball team.
Despite her size, the hard-working guard has come up big for the Owls, who enter Saturday's game against Rhode Island College with a sparkling 15-4 record.
On the court, Boudreau, a two-year captain, is clearly the team leader. One rarely notices her diminutive stature. As it turns out, neither does she. "I don't see it as an obstacle," she said. "I try to use my size to my advantage."
"People look at her size and view it as a negative, but Michele never has," said KSC Coach Keith Boucher. "I think she turns that around with her strong desire to compete every day."
Boudreau, who has started all but one game since the start of her sophomore season, has done a little bit of everything for the Owls. In addition to controlling the flow of the Owls' offense, she is given the tough defensive assignment of keeping the opposing point guard in check. In addition to pulling down a few rebounds, Boudreau is also quick to point out the four blocked shots she had as a freshman.
Although Boudreau is averaging a career-best 9.0 ppg this season, Boucher is more concerned with another number. Leading the team in assists (57) and steals (53), she is among the national Division III leaders in assist-turnover ratio, and her 30 turnovers are the fewest among the Keene State starters.
No one appreciates Boudreau's ball control more than Boucher. "It's invaluable," he said. "From a coaching standpoint, when you know someone is going to handle the ball and take care of it, then you have a special player," he said.
"It's definitely something I've been trying to do the past two years," said Boudreau about her ability to cut down on her turnovers. "My job is to get the best possible shot each possession and make sure everybody knows what they're doing."
Boudreau found her calling at an early age. Initially a gymnast, she gravitated to basketball and began playing on an all-boys' team as a second grader.
Developing her poise at the point, she led her Drury (Mass.) High school team to the Division II Western Mass. finals as a senior. The always competitive Boudreau still grits her teeth when she thinks about the game. "Hampshire knocked us out of the tournament three of those four years," she said.
Boucher first saw Boudreau play as a freshman at Drury. There to scout one of Boudreau's teammates, he saw enough hustle, determination, and basketball intelligence to warrant keeping her on his radar. "I thought her hair weighed more than she did," said Boucher, recalling his initial recollection of his future point guard.
Fortunately, Boudreau has added to her frame since then. "She's been taking a physical beating from opposing players for four years, but keeps on bouncing back," said Boucher. "Nobody has knocked her out."
In many cases, it's been Boudreau who has delivered the knockout punch with her piercing passes, pestering defense, timely three-point shooting, and quiet intensity on the court.
"She's our heart," said roommate and starting backcourt partner Kristin Degou. "When you see someone willing to go up against a player a foot taller, you can't help but want to follow her lead."
As a sophomore, Boudreau helped lead the Owls to their first Division III NCAA tournament appearance. She's hoping this year's team will make a return trip. "I thought, from the very beginning, we had a very talented team with the potential to make it back to the NCAAs," she said. "It would be an ideal way for me to end my Keene State career."
Currently completing her degree requirements by student teaching in the Keene area, Boudreau hopes to land a job working with pre-school or kindergarten-age children. Who better than Boudreau to let small children know they can have big dreams?
