Gallaudet's Easter Faafiti picked for Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd feature

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Gallaudet University women's basketball senior Easter Faafiti (Pittsburg Calif.) is featured in the latest issue of Sports Illustrated (February 7) as one of six people selected for the weekly "Faces in the Crowd" feature. This week's issue features NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on the cover, including a preview of Super Bowl XLV between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Faafiti, a forward/center, has piloted the soaring nationally ranked Bison to an 18-0 start - best in GU women's basketball history. Faafiti is ranked fifth in the nation in steals per game (4.3), 8th in double-doubles (13), 11th in rebounds per game (12.8), 17th in points per game (20.2) and 33rd in field goal percentage (53.2 percent). She leads the NEAC in overall rebounding, defensive rebounds, field goal percentage, and steals and is ranked second in points. Faafiti's strong play this season has earned her several honors, including D3Hoops.com Team of the Week (twice), ECAC Division III South Region Player of the Week (three times), and NEAC Student-Athlete of the Week for women's basketball (four times).

You can view this week's Faces in the Crowd online here: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/scorecard/faces/2011/02/07/

Faafiti was nominated by the Gallaudet Sports Information Office for the Faces in the Crowd feature. Sports Illustrated has over 3.25 million subscribers and reaches approximately 21 million adults each week.