Tania Jackson - Forward, Mizzou Basketball

 

Tania Jackson was raised in Lawrence, Kansas. Let that sink in. Someone from Lawrence, home of the Kansas Jayhawks, is currently suiting up to play for Mizzou. It’s one thing to be from Lawrence and then come to Columbia, but it’s something entirely different to play for Kansas for four years and then transfer to Missouri.

 

After winning the Class 6A state title at Lawrence High School, Tania was off to play for the Jayhawks. She redshirted her first year and then followed that up with three productive seasons before transferring to Mizzou. Tania joins a handful of athletes who can say that they have competed for both universities. 

 

Growing up in Lawrence, Tania was, of course, a Jayhawk fan and playing for Mizzou never crossed her mind.

 

“That’s not something that I ever thought about doing.”

 

Why would someone so ingrained in Jayhawk culture even consider a transfer to Mizzou?  It turns out that the Tigers may have actually had the inside track on bringing Tania to Columbia because of her ties to a current Mizzou player.

 

“It was a mixture of things.  My best friend plays here; Bri Kulas.  I’ve known her for about eight years, so that was a great influence.”

 

Tania says that there is a common reaction among people who find out that she used to play for Kansas, but is now sporting the black and gold.

 

“Oh!  You played for them?!  Are you a traitor?!,” Tania says with a healthy dose of sarcasm.

 

Tania also mentioned that after this barrage of cheesy jokes that the person she is talking to will put a positive spin on her transfer from KU.

 

“Then they’re like, ‘Well, I’m glad you got to the good side’.”

 

Tania added that watching Coach Pingeton in action helped in her decision, as well.

 

“Last year, I got the chance to come to a couple games and see how Coach P coaches.  She’s just amazing on and off the court, so that helped a lot.”

 

Since arriving in Columbia, Tania has relied on her team as her support system.

 

When asked who has made her feel most comfortable, Tania answered, “Lindsey [Cunningham]; I love that girl. She’s just so outgoing and she made it very, very easy; the whole team made it easy. They all took me in and showed me the ropes.”

 

Like Tania, Lindsey also grew up in a college town. Lindsey is from Columbia and attended Rock Bridge High School. Two people came from each side of one of the biggest rivalries in sports to become good friends.

 

There may even be hope for the fans to become friends as well. According to Tania, the two fan bases aren’t all that different from each other.

 

“They’re going to cheer for you, regardless [of where you come from].”

 

There will always be ways that Kansas and Mizzou differ from each other, but now there will always be one thing that they can share. Both schools will proudly be able to say, “Tania Jackson played for us.”