More Than Ordinary

July 11, 2002

OXFORD, Miss. - Loves to fly-fish, has a knowledge of cars and listens to the musical group White Zombie. Sounds like your typical teenage boy, right?

Well, your guess may be correct, but these are also interests of Cheryl Wilson, a senior on the Ole Miss Lady Rebel volleyball team. And, by the way, she would also buy a ticket to watch a bullfight match in Spain.

"I'm just an Alabama girl from Birmingham and it's not unusual," Wilson said on her love of fly-fishing. "I have loved fishing since I was little, and I also saw fly-fishing on television and thought it was beautiful. My dad bought me a fly rod, and I did it. I'm all about challenges and figuring out techniques."

Wilson, who transferred to Ole Miss from Auburn following the 1999 season, is preparing for a couple of challenges in her final year. The first comes on the court as Wilson and her Lady Rebel teammates go through a coaching change. Although the change comes just prior to her final year of college, Wilson feels good about where the program is headed.

"It (the coaching change) is a challenge for us because, in the middle of our college careers, we have to change gears and everything is different. The expectations are different, and it raises the stakes.

"Everyone on the team has adjusted well, and it has been fun. We enjoyed the challenge even though we did not know what to expect. This staff is helping us understand how to win and that's been the team's focus. That has helped to create a more competitive team. We know how it feels to win and it feels good."

Ole Miss head coach Joe Getzin feels good about having Wilson around for his first year. Getzin says that his challenge is to keep his 5-foot-9 performer on the court as much as possible.

"Cheryl is the squad's most athletic player, and with her athleticism, we have to find a way to keep her on the floor," said Getzin, who took over the Ole Miss head job after serving as an assistant at South Carolina. "We have played Cheryl at setter and on the right side. It is important to have a good right-side player because she sets the defense with her block. Cheryl has played volleyball for a long time and has a great amount of experience."

Another area that Wilson has a lot of experience in is drawing, and she has turned her interest in art into a possible post-graduate career.

"My major is art," said Wilson. "I've always drawn, and I can't even remember when I started. When I was little, I would draw cartoon characters over and over again. I studied painting my first three years in college, and then over the last year, I have picked up ceramics and pottery.

"Art is relaxing for me, and it's a way of expressing myself. I'm working on my own style, and right now, I'm at the stage where I am experimenting with different things.

"I have realized that the more work I produce, the more people turn their heads and say. 'I'll buy that.' My father has encouraged me, and I'm going to pursue this. I will have to attend graduate school to get a job in the art profession. I will probably attend graduate school for ceramics, and by earning my master's, I can be a college professor or I could own a studio or shop."

But, before she settles on her plans after graduation, Wilson is eyeing a successful campaign in her final season on the volleyball court.

"I'm ready to play a lot this year," Wilson said. "We're looking to be competitive with teams we haven't been in the past. We've also discussed performing well in the SEC Tournament instead of just making the postseason. We know we can accomplish this because Coach Getzin has given us that confidence.

"I'm looking forward to playing with my teammates. We have great chemistry, and there are no conflicts on the team. That makes things smooth, and also makes for a good season."

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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