Kucera: Volleyball’s Jill Dorsey’s all good

By Shane Kucera, University Daily Kansan     Sep 2, 2004

Rarely do you hear of a standout Division-I student athlete who is a high school valedictorian, a model and a humble person, but that description is perfect for Kansas’ senior volleyball star Jill Dorsey.

Coming from the rural town of Wellsville, 30 miles southeast of Lawrence and populated by an astounding two thousand residents, Dorsey managed to earn a D-I scholarship after being named to the Kansas All-State squad four consecutive seasons in high school. And volleyball wasn’t the only sport she dominated. Dorsey holds her high school’s record for highest batting average, at .420.

College has been nothing but continued success for Dorsey. As a freshman, she started for the Jayhawks and has done so ever since. Besides being a force on the court at the libero position, Dorsey has also been named first-team Academic All-Big 12 in 2002 and 2003.

This week, Jill Dorsey shares her wisdom and experience:

– “I think of myself as a team leader; I’m the enthusiastic one on the court and I’ve kind of taken that role because I’m goofy and I like to have fun.”

– “I add some energy, killer defense and bring emotion.”

– “Of course we are going back to the tournament this year. Hopefully we’ll host first and second rounds and find our way to Long Beach for the Final Four.”

– “I live on a farm. Lawrence is a lot more diverse than Wellsville, Kan., and I like the change. I had a graduating class of 50, and coming from that to here is a lot different, but I love it.”

– “I love seeing people everyday that I don’t know and having the opportunity to meet them.”

– “I want to be successful in everything I do — give 100 percent and be a good friend, daughter and maybe a good wife one day.”

– “Off the court I think I’m most proud of maintaining a good GPA. In high school I was valedictorian with a 4.0.”

– “On the court I’m most proud of being a part of last year’s team that went through a lot of trials and reached our goals. I’m really proud of our team last year.”

– “Having my family close is really important to me.”

– “I’m a daddy’s girl and I wouldn’t trade it for the world, because my mom and my dad are really important to me. I also have two older brothers that I look up to more than anybody — they were my heroes growing up because they were big into athletics.”

– “I always go home on Sundays to have family dinner and go to church, if I get up early enough.”

– “I’m an aunt now, it’s crazy!”

– “I can lift some weights. I’m kinda strong — it comes with my position, squatting all game long.”

– “Two weeks ago was the first time I ever bench-pressed in my life; I can lift more than the bar.”

– “I’ve never been in a fight. I’m always the girl behind, like, “Yeah!” If my teammates ever got into a little tusk I’d back ’em up for sure, but I’m a lover, not a fighter.”

– “Nobody has ever asked me to be in the Women of KU calendar. I’ve never considered it because I’ve never had the question asked, but if I did my dad would probably not like that.”

– “I did modeling when I was a senior in high school. I was actually on the cover of a magazine. I don’t think I’m really model material by any means.”

– “This might get me in trouble — my favorite bar is anywhere my teammates go. I could be in Louise’s West or Abe and Jake’s, from the smallest bar to the biggest bar, wherever my friends are at.”

– “I usually go to Brother’s, but that’s so cliche for athletes.”

– “Our curfew is 11 p.m., so we can’t always go out.”

– “I’ve heard a lot of bad pickup lines, especially guys that use the volleyball thing, like, “Hey No. 1, you wear a different colored jersey.” Stupid things about volleyball get my attention because I think they’re fans, but really they’re fans for the wrong reasons. I hear a lot of lines like, “Are you tired because you’ve been walking through my mind all day?””

– “When a guy is really needy that’s a turnoff. Girls like challenges but not too much of a challenge. There is a really thin line.”

– “I can’t be rude; I really can’t.”

– “I don’t know how I can be intimidating. I’ve always got a big smile on my face.”

– “You learn a lot about yourself dating in college and a lot about what you really want, especially because you change a lot as a person, because you have to.”

– “Dating in college has been interesting for me for sure, but it’s important and it’s fun.”

– “Currently, right now I’m just kinda laying low.”

– “The athletic department is just like our own fraternity or sorority.”

– “I’ve never been to a frat party. I wonder what they’re like — how do you do that?”

– “In five to 10 years I hope to be successful in a job that I love to go to every morning when I wake up — possibly married, kids maybe. I love kids. That would be awesome, and playing any kind of sports that my body will allow me.”

– “My ideal job would be anything involving sports, especially working with a professional team doing community and play relations.”

– “One of my best friends from high school had to go to Iraq for a year and a half. I’ve heard that it’s tough for all the soldiers that went there and I sympathize with them. A soldier from Wellsville was actually the first Kansan to lose his life in battle. Knowing him and his family gives me a different viewpoint of our government.”

– “I trust the government and I trust the president so I have to stand behind that, but, on the other hand, I know the stories of the soldiers and their families.”

– “My motto is “Carpe diem.” I have it up in my room. And also “Live, love and laugh.””

– “College has changed me for the better, for sure. I’ve grown as a person in many aspects of life, and I have another crazy year ahead of me for sure — a scary year, to have to find a job in May.”

– “I’m a Catholic, born and raised a Catholic. I’ve always loved Notre Dame and if would have had the opportunity to go there I would have. I’ll be Catholic all my life and I’ll raise my kids that way.”

– “Every religion has its positives and negatives. If you are a follower of God I’m not going to hold anything against you.”

Dorsey and her teammates will be in action this weekend as part of the Oral Roberts Tournament in Tulsa, Okla.

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