The University of Mississippi Athletics
Out Of Africa
10/30/2007 | Volleyball
By Ben Garrett
OleMissSports.com Insider
The Ole Miss Volleyball team has enjoyed one of their most productive seasons in recent years, with an overall record of 20-6 and 9-5in the Southeastern Conference. While the team consists of numerous contributors from various backgrounds, one member has followed a unique path to the Rebel volleyball court: true freshman Jackie Jones.
Born in
Upon her arrival in the
“When I moved here, it was very different,” she said. “I wasn’t use to seeing people fully dressed. You could go to the store and buy your food, while in
“I remember the first time I went to McDonalds, my parents had to leave. Food was delivered to you in less than five minutes. I remember seeing the playground and, since I was raised around animals, I climbed in and started acting like a monkey. I scared away all the kids. It was so much different than what I was use to.”
Once she and her family settled in
Upon her acceptance to the
“It’s been a really great first half of the season, but we are going to keep going up,” said Jones. “We really decided that we want this and we know we have to work together to get it. We know that no individual can do it alone. It has been a great experience.”
A true freshman, Jones has recorded 133 kills on the year and is fourth on the team for kills per game with an average of 2.05. Head coach Joe Getzin said Jones has played a valuable part in the team’s success despite her being relatively new to the collegiate level.
“Obviously she is playing a big role for our team,” Getzin said. “Anytime you have a freshman that can step in and play at the SEC level, it means a lot. The best part about it is there is three more years of it. We are really excited.”
But despite Jones’ impressive start, junior setter Rachel Kieckhaefer said that the girls still find time to laugh with her at her unique voyage that led her to volleyball and Ole Miss.
“It’s really a unique situation because she got into school early and we got to know her a little bit better than most freshmen,” she said. “We always have something to laugh with her about because she never gets any of the jokes and we always have to explain things a little bit to her. But she always finds a way to laugh at herself.”
The Rebel volleyball program took another step forward last week as Ole Miss tied the win total from a year ago with eight matches left in the season. Defeating
Although she has integrated herself nicely on campus with the help of her teammates who took her under their wings upon her arrival in January, they all still laugh and remind her of her journey to Ole Miss when something in pop culture trivia flies over her head.
“There are cases when I hear a certain song and someone will ask me the name of the band,” she said. “When I don’t know it, they’ll say shut up, she’s from
And while her journey to Ole Miss was one with varied towns and addresses, she can finally claim
