By Madison Tinder

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The opportunity to wear a U.S. jersey and be a three-time SEC Defensive Player Of The Week winner doesn’t come easy. Senior libero Jackie Napper has proved to the Big Blue Nation that she has what it takes to lead her team to be the best in the nation.

Napper, a 5-foot-7 Louisville, Ky., native sits second in all-time digs in the 25-point rally scoring era, and fourth overall in the history of the program.

“I just like to see my team succeed.” Napper said. “Being a libero, I have to be a leader on and off the court and I need to lead by example, not just by talk.”

This past summer Napper was one of 36 players selected to compete in Minneapolis for USA volleyball.

“It was a really cool experience and it was against some of the top athletes in the country.” Napper said. “I also compared them to my teammates and I know my teammates are just as good. My coach told me I needed to take control, and I think I brought that to the team this year especially in serve receive.”

In high school, she was a three-year letter winner for Assumption High School and an Under Armor All-American selection in her senior campaign. She was two-time first team All-State, captured a state title with her high school team and claimed seven national championships with the Kentucky-Indiana Volleyball Association (KIVA) club squads.

Napper’s family are Louisville fans, but the libero would rather represent Big Blue Nation.

“I am from Louisville but I have always been a Kentucky fan,” Napper said. “I just love the coaches and the players here, the program, and what (head coach) Craig (Skinner) has done are great.”

The Louisville native has posted records in her senior season thus far including a career best 26 digs against rival Louisville. Napper has totaled 10 or more digs in every match this season and has strung together 15 or more digs in five-straight matches.

With a national championship  eluding the senior, this year is her last chance to win wearing the blue and white. But that hasn’t dissuaded the libero who remains driven to adding to her legacy.

“I am very driven to win a national championship, that’s the ultimate goal.” Napper said. “We just have take it game by game.”

The libero’s four years  at UK have flown by, but when you break records and get to represent our nation on your chest, you might potentially break records for a future USA team.

“I would love to play professionally after college.” Napper said. “It’s really up in the air and I haven’t thought that far, but that would be awesome.”