Kristy Jaeckel knows there’s no time for wasted chances.
As a senior who has lost in the NCAA Regional Semifinal to end the first three seasons of her college volleyball career, she can summarize the new feeling within her in one word.
“Maybe there’s more urgency to get things done,” she said.
That urgency was a large part of this past summer, which saw all of Florida’s volleyball team stay in Gainesville and work on what it felt was the biggest reason for last year’s disappointing finish.
“We were really focused on our defense as a unit,” Jaeckel said. “We were trying to clean things up and design and designate who’s taking what.”
Although no one will confuse the 6-foot-2 outside hitter for a defensive specialist, teammates insist Jaeckel has put a new emphasis on defense this season. They hope that continues when the No. 7 Gators face their stiffest competition of the young season at 11 p.m. against No. 10 Texas in the Nike Big Four Classic in Palo Alto, Calif.
“She’s been working really hard on defense,” fellow senior Kelly Murphy said. “She’s in the back making defensive plays and increasing her range and touching a lot of balls.”
Through seven games, Jaeckel trails only Murphy and redshirt freshman libero Taylor Unroe in digs with 41. But defense is not the primary reason why Jaeckel is a two-time All-Southeastern Conference selection and a designated leader on a team that lost its biggest vocal presence to graduation.
The senior leads her team in kills with 63 and is the only Gator ranked in the top 10 of the SEC.
“She’s been really good at stepping up and making big kills when we need them,” Murphy said.
While the clutch nature Murphy describes fell through when Jaeckel committed the second-to-last error in a loss Monday to Iowa State — one that ended in consecutive miscues for the Gators — it does go along with the mentality the senior from Littleton, Colo., is bringing to her last year in Gainesville.
“Whether you believe it or not, your senior year you do have a little bit of a different mindset,” Jaeckel said.
“It’s your last year. You know that going into every match.”
While they do have a five-deep leadership core, the Gators have started underclassmen at least once this year, and three freshmen have seen playing time in every game.
That kind of youth puts extra pressure on Jaeckel and others to work hard in order to lead by example.
“Really, trying to make plays instead of just talking about it,” she said. “It’s easier for them to take on their roles when they see the culture that way.”
Gators senior outside hitter Kristy Jaeckel said she tries to lead with her play, rather than her words.
