Sooner Profile: Jenna Plumley

Jenna Plumley \| Sophomore \| Guard \| 5-4
	Birthdate: December 17, 1987 Parents: Carol and Ron Plumley Siblings: Brothers R.J., Albert and Chris Hometown: Red Rock, Okla. High School: Frontier Head Coach: Clay Stephens Multimedia View Interview \| Photo Gallery \| Bio

NORMAN, Okla. -- On a roster filled with recognizable names, Jenna Plumley has reached celebrity status for the Sooner women's basketball team despite being perhaps its most unlikely star.

A native of Red Rock, Okla. (population 293), Plumley is a fan favorite partly because of her local ties, partly because of her small stature, partly because of her willingness to pull the trigger from anywhere on the court, and partly because of her Native American heritage.

One of only three players on the team from Oklahoma and a full-blooded Native American, Plumley's story of success is hard not to appreciate. She followed an unusual path to the Division I level, the smallest player on a tiny Class A team, with Native Americans representing less than half of a percent of D-I women's basketball players. Plumley beat the odds, however, by earning her way to the University of Oklahoma.

She has continued to overcome obstacles since her arrival. Playing alongside a pair of seniors in the backcourt as a freshman last season, Plumley emerged to start 10 of the final 11 games of the year and picked up All-Big 12 Championship Team honors along the way. Moved to the wing this year with the addition of Danielle Robinson, she has excelled with the opportunity to take more shots.

Plumley has a solid contingent of hometown supporters who come to every game, and her appeal seems to broaden every time she steps on the floor. After all, for everything she has accomplished with the circumstances she's been dealt, what's not to like?

On how being Native American has impacted her life:
"It's been extraordinary, especially with all the attention I've gotten. Coming to a huge college, it helped me out knowing that I have people behind me supporting me every step of the way. I don't always have to turn to my family. I always have outsiders I can turn in addition to my relatives. It's great to be able to come to a game and notice that people are following me. It's made a huge impact in my life."

On the significance within her family and community that she is playing Division I basketball:
"It's a huge deal, especially since I come from a pretty small school. I went to a Class A school and we did extraordinary things and won state championships. Everyone expected me to move on toward bigger things. I ended up at a Division I college and I couldn't have picked a better school. I love it here, I love the people, I love my coaches and my teammates and everybody around me who supports me. It's had a huge impact on my family, besides basketball,

"They make every game

and that's a huge thing

for me. It's a great

feeling to look up and

know people who are in

the crowd."

just being able to come and get my college education and proceed after college."

On her popularity back in her hometown:
"I usually try to hide out when I go back home. I only go around to my close friends who I went to high school with. I go visit their families and people who are season ticket holders who were able to get on the ticket list and come to my games. They make every game and that's a huge thing for me. I know where they're sitting and it's something that really picks me up. It's a great feeling to look up and know people who are in the crowd, so when I go home that's who I go visit."

On being part of a team with people from so many different backgrounds:
"Since I come from a small school, its'a good deal learning that Courtney and Ashley (Paris), Danielle (Robinson) and Amanda (Thompson) all come from huge schools. They had to have a huge impact, whereas in a small school like where Rose (Hammond) and I went, we were the stars. Not saying that Amanda and Courtney and them weren't the stars, but it's a little bigger job coming from a bigger school. I think it's fantastic that they're from California. They get to travel home, though not nearly as much as we do only having to travel 1.5-2 hours. I love the fact that they came to this program and have faith in Oklahoma, and we're here to do big things."

Considering all the different backgrounds, on how the team comes together on the court:
"It's just a mindset. We spend so much time together so we just get the feel for each other. We have to learn how everyone interacts with one another. That's how things work on the basketball court -- you have to learn to trust one another. Everything happens off the court just as much as it does on the court. Once you develop that relationship with somebody and develop that trust, it just makes everything happen."

On what she tries to bring to the team in terms of leadership to make sure everyone is on the same page:
"I was the point guard but moved to the two-guard, which I love because I have been a huge three-point shooter ever since I played in high school. Playing point guard is a very tough job and Danielle is doing extraordinary coming in as a freshman. She still needs help and I'm there to make sure everybody still knows their roles. We all have to confront one another and get to know each other better, especially the starting five. Not only do we have to have it within ourselves, we have to have the other seven players on the bench right there with us and that's a huge factor on our team. As a point guard, it's a huge job to have that leadership role. Everything is always your fault, but I love that you carry that load and you just have to make things happen yourself."

Being one of the smaller players, on how she commands the attention of her teammates:
"Myself, I get things going by making defensive touches, getting a steal or something, and just bringing energy. Especially when I knock down a big shot, that brings everyone else's confidence up within our team. But my favorite thing is on defense to get a steal or make a play happen by diving on the floor and stuff like that. Doing the little things is what makes our team go."

On the progression of her freshman season and how she emerged at the end of the year:
"Coach Coale is definitely the type of coach who makes you earn your way in practice. I had opportunities to go other places where I could have been the star but that's not what I wanted. I've always had to work for everything and I wanted to prove myself. Coming to Oklahoma just made me that much more hungry. When I came here there were two senior guards ahead of me who made me work hard every day on every possession. As I progressed, things started to show up in practice and the little things I was doing turned into bigger things. Coach found her confidence within me and that's when I emerged. I'll never forget the day, it was our "Pink-Out" on February 12, when I got my first start. It's a good day and a bad day in a sense, but I'll never forget that day."

On how much confidence the stretch run of last season gave her coming in this year:
"It gave me a great deal of confidence knowing I was coming back and would be playing with Amanda Thompson, Courtney Paris and Ashley Paris. Nyeshia Stevenson has also emerged this year, not only being the athlete that people saw but she's been an extraordinary teammate in terms of passing the ball, working on her three pointers and being able to get to the rim with her quickness. It was a huge factor coming in that I had my confidence, and that built everyone else's confidence up as well. We came into this year knowing we were young but we were hungry and ready to go."

On the most special aspect of playing basketball at the University of Oklahoma:
"I think it's definitely the people around me, especially Coach Coale, who gave me the opportunity to come be a part of something special. That's something that's just within ourselves, the 12 players and our four coaches, and together we make things happen."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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