Nov. 7, 2008

Get to know UCLA freshman defender Chris Cummings in this week's 11 Questions. Cummings has played in all 18 games for UCLA this season and has started in 17. He ranks fourth on the team in minutes played with 1,581 and has recorded a pair of assists. Cummings was a U.S. Under-17 National Team player and was a member of the Real SoCal club team that won three consecutive national championships.

1. What made you decide to come to UCLA?
My deciding factors in coming to UCLA would have to be the soccer, beautiful campus, quality education, and its proximity to home.

2. What has been your most memorable moment as a Bruin so far?
It would have to be winning the Pac 10.

3. Describe your emotions right before your first game and how it felt to be an opening day starter.
I was extremely nervous playing my first game. It felt awesome to start but also made me very nervous.

4. Is there any special meaning to your uniform number (#14)?
14 has been my favorite number growing up, and it just stuck with me.

5. Do you have any pre-game rituals?
I have no real rituals besides taping my left wrist. I guess it's just superstition.

6. Andy Rose says your British accent is good enough that you could pass yourself off as English. In what situations do you use that skill?
I use this skill most when I am with Andy.

7. When you're not playing soccer, what are you usually doing?
When I'm not playing soccer, I like to take my skateboard out for a ride.

8. Who is your favorite soccer player and your favorite athlete in a sport other than soccer?
My favorite soccer player would have to be Patrick Evra. My favorite athlete in a sport other than soccer would have to be Tiger Woods.

9. You list swimming and diving as hobbies. Is that springboard or platform diving? Or more like cannonball diving?
I think that swimming and diving were put under my hobbies by accident.

10. You just turned 18 a few weeks ago. Did you exercise your right to vote this week?
Yes, I did.

11. Name your all-time UCLA starting XI.
Brian Perk, Marvell Wynne, Danny Suits, Brad Rusin, Zack Zerrenner, Sal Zizzo, Andy Rose, Benny Feilhaber, Christian Vazquez, Maxwell Griffin, Jonathan Bornstein.