On tap with ... Spencer Lucian

A: In the classroom, that came pretty quickly. I got an eight out of 20 on my first Physics 103 quiz … and I think it got worse before it got better. In baseball, it came when I first stepped foot in the weight room. I had never really lifted before, so needless to say I couldn’t really keep up with the rest of the guys and I could hardly walk after every workout for about two weeks.

Q; Greatest highlight of your sports career?

A: I’d have to say hitting a home run at the NCAA regional tournament as a sophomore. We were playing Arkansas in an elimination game, and they were hosting the tournament, so the stadium was pretty much at capacity. The home run put us up 2-0 going into the eighth inning. Running around the bases in front of a park that had gone completely silent was an unforgettable moment.

Q: What is the best part about being an athlete on campus?

A: I’m never really bored. There’s always something I could be doing to get better athletically. If I ever need a break from homework, I can always go and hit off a tee or go for a run. I know that even though I’m not doing work in the academic sense, I’m making myself better at baseball.

Q: What is the worst part about being an athlete on campus?

A: Some days after practice or a long road trip, you have absolutely no energy to work. You just want to sit in a chair and do nothing. The Princeton workload doesn’t really give you many of these opportunities for free, so keeping on top of your work when you’re mentally and physically exhausted is one of the hardest things about being an athlete.

Q: What is your favorite thing to do when not practicing?

A: Recently, I’ve found myself playing a lot of Rock Band and Guitar Hero. I think this is just a phase I’m going through, though.

Q: If you didn’t play baseball, what other sport you would play?

A: I would play squash. There’s something about the movement and flow of the game that makes it very exciting to watch. I’ve played a few times at Dillon, and when I hit a shot exactly as I planned, it feels just like putting a good swing on a baseball. The problem is, I hit about one good shot a match, maybe.

Q: If you were the head coach for a day, what changes would you make (if any)?

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A: I’d let myself play every position on the field in one game. At some point or another I’ve played every position except first base, catcher and pitcher in college, so I’d like to give myself the chance to do all nine in one game.

Q: What’s the most embarrassing song on your iPod ?

A: My iPod is pretty much exclusively embarrassing music.