MEET THE REBELS: Whitney Craven

Sept. 16, 2010

Sophomore outside hitter Whitney Craven is the top returning kill leader on the Ole Miss volleyball team from a year ago in a season that saw the Louisville, Ky., native claim Southeastern Conference All-Freshman team selections. With her selection, Craven became the third consecutive All-Freshman selection from Ole Miss.

This weekend, Craven looks to lead the Rebels into Southeastern Conference play against Alabama and Mississippi State. Craven put down 20 kills against Alabama at home last season in a win and hopes to help lead Ole Miss to a win on Cox Sports TV against Mississippi State on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.

Q: What got you interested in volleyball?

WC: I started volleyball when I was about six years old. I had older cousins and sisters who had played volleyball and it was something I really had a passion for ever since then.

Q: Did you play any other sports growing up?

WC: I played basketball and softball - slow pitch though. I played both fast pitch and slow pitch, but I had more fun playing slow pitch. I also ran cross country for one year, but after that I was done with that.

Q: What made you choose to continue with volleyball out of all those sports?

WC: There was just something about it. Something felt right. It was what I wanted to do and it was something I felt I was better at than the other sports. It felt good going up and hitting the ball. It felt better than running up and down the court shooting a ball that you don't know if you're going to make or not. *laughs*

Q: Have you always played outside hitter?

WC: When I first started, I was a setter. Then I moved to outside hitter when I was 12 and have played there ever since.

Q: What was it about Ole Miss that made you choose to play here?

WC: The girls on the team. That's what really brought me here. The facility reminded me a lot of what we grew up playing in. It wasn't a huge facility - it was smaller, more intimate and homey. But mainly the girls on the team really made me feel wanted and like I belonged here at Ole Miss.

Q: So what's it like walking out on the court to play?

WC: It's awesome. The whole crowd is here cheering and loud. Honestly, for me, it's not about more than what the team brings. Regina Thomas just brings such vocal intensity and she's so strong. I'm not that vocal. It's nice to know you have a team that is full of people who can pick you up and make up for your weaknesses. It's awesome. I love it walking on the court and playing here.

Q: Who is the one player on the floor that constantly amazes you with what they do every day on the court?

WC: One player is Ruby (Courtney Cunningham). She gets in here and works her butt off. It doesn't matter where you put her - right side, outside, middle - wherever you put her on the floor she's going to give it all she's got. It makes me really appreciate the fact that if you keep working hard in life good things can happen for you.

Q: Is there a match you've played in that just stands out in your mind?

WC: The Florida match last year was fun to play in, obviously. Personally, the Alabama match here last year because I played against players I used to play with. It was nice to go against them and show them what I could do.

Q: Is the volleyball community really tight knit and how does that translate on the court?

WC: It really is and it makes me even more competitive. Not that I'm not competitive, already. But it just makes me want to go out there and go after things that much harder.

Q: So you have a day off from volleyball and coach tells you to get away from the sport. What do you do?

WC: My laundry. *laughs*. I try to relax and get away from people involved with volleyball. I like to talk to my family and spend more time with them to find out how they are really doing. I don't get a lot of time to converse with them otherwise.

Q: What do you do to relax?

WC: I like to listen to Waka Flocka. He's a rap singer. I just hang out with the girls. I do love to watch One Tree Hill. It's the best show ever because Lucas Scott is so cute. It's a bunch of people our age dealing with gossip, dating, and other issues.

Q: What are you studying?

WC: I am majoring in Exercise Science because I can't major in nursing. The nursing program requires two years here and two years in Jackson, so I wouldn't be able to play volleyball. So after I get my degree in Exercise Science, I'll go to nursing school. I want to be a nurse.

Q: Why nursing?

WC: I like babies. I like to help people and feel it's one of the best fields to go in and do that and also make a living. There are always people needing nurses, too. I want to do neo-natal work. I decided I wanted to be a nurse when my cousin had a premature baby. She wasn't even five pounds. She didn't do too well at first, but it's amazing to watch those people help something so little fight so hard for its life. I know you have to take chances and they won't all make it. But if you are able to help, maybe they will. She just showed me how simple life can be and how you don't need all the materialistic things. It just drew me in.

Q: So you went to a rival high school of teammate Morgan Springer. Does that carry over to the court here?

WC: *laughs* We were rival high schools. They beat us my senior year. I think it was more mental why we lost, we were really equal. Assumption is still a better program. We have fun with it, but we're still really good friends. Anytime you have someone across the net, you want to just beat them. But once we're on the court we just really want to win.

Q: Do you have a favorite sport to watch on campus?

WC: I like to watch tennis. I also like basketball - especially the women's game. I figure since I am a female athlete, why not go support them. A lot of my friends play tennis and basketball and softball. Tennis really reminds me a lot of volleyball. Karen Nijsson is my favorite player.

Q: What do you think will need to happen to get more people to women's sports?

WC: I think if we do better and win more on the court more people will come to the events. We're not out there publicly with as much exposure so they don't come. But if we start winning and getting people's attention, I think they'll come. People just don't understand volleyball - or the aspect of many women's sports. I think they are just more drawn to men's athletics. I have learned to not really hear the crowd. Either way, I'm going out to compete for Ole Miss whether one person is there cheering or 1,000 people are there.

Q: What's the funniest moment you've had here at Ole Miss with volleyball?

WC: Allegra Wells lost part of her weave at volleyball camp. We were doing a demonstration and she went up to hit the ball and a piece of her weave just came out. It was like a black snake on the floor. Coach was standing right there and he was so freaked out when it hit the floor. He didn't know what to do. She just went up to swing and her hair just fell out. I don't think he knew what to do or what was happening at first.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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