JACKSON READY TO "KILL" FOR TEAM

GREENVILLE, South Carolina -- Winning Southern Conference Volleyball Player of the Year as a sophomore is quite an accomplishment, but winning two in a row is even tougher. Winning two in a row with a new coach, a new position, and a new setter may be impossible, but Furman junior Brooke Jackson (Coral Springs, Fla./Cardinal Gibbons) is going to give it her best shot.

As a freshman, Jackson saw ample playing time, but it was classmate Kelly King (Johnson City, Tenn./Sullivan South) who earned league Freshman of the Year honors. As a sophomore, however, Jackson blossomed, and won Southern Conference Player of the Week three times and ranked third in the league in kills per game (2.58) and ninth in hitting percentage (.231) en route to earning Furman's second player of the year award in 15 years of Southern Conference competition.

"I don't really know what I did differently from my freshman to sophomore seasons," says Jackson. "But I do know I had a really great team and a super setter (Brigid Kennedy) who made my job easy; all I had to do was swing."

As she swings into the 1999 season as the reigning player of the year, it seems that Jackson may be one of the few "sure things" in the Furman program. First year head coach Keylor Chan moved the hard hitter from middle to outside, she is hitting off a new setter in sophomore Laura Hooks, Chan has introduced a new offense, and she knows that the rest of the league will be keying on her.

"Learning the new position has been a challenge, mainly on defense," says Jackson with a smile. "I have really worked hard on my passing because as a middle you aren't expected to pass very often. In addition, a middle hitter primarily takes quick sets and I have had to be a little more patient and work hard on my timing to not hit my mark too early. Laura (Hooks) also has a completely different setting style than Brigid (Kennedy), so that has been another adjustment. I am feeling good though, and I will still get a lot of swings in my new position.

Despite her role as one of the team's top returning players, Jackson doesn't really see herself as a major team leader. "Next year Kelly (King) and I will need to lead this team," says Jackson, "but right now we have great vocal leadership from Kristy (Wilson) and of course Laura, as the setter, is a definite leader. What the team needs from me right now is to put down kills when I get a set and that is what I am concentrating on. Hopefully I lead by example, but not so much in a vocal way."

With so many changes taking place in the Furman program the team is surprising grounded in its goals. And to Jackson the team goals, not her own, are key. "I try not to think about winning player of the year very much. It would be great, don't get me wrong, but what I really want is to win the Southern Conference Tournament and make the NCAA's. Likewise, I really prefer middle hitter to outside hitter, but Coach Chan says this is where I need to be, so I am ready to give it my best. As a team we are really tight, and I want us to move this program forward as a team. I know I can't do it alone."

Jackson and the rest of the Lady Paladin team swings into the 1999 season on Friday when they face Alabama in the UVA Jefferson Cup Tournament. Furman will face Ohio University and Virginia on Saturday.