Maree Jackson

Maree Jackson
Personal information
Born (1954-10-11) 11 October 1954[1]
Tallangatta, Victoria
Medal record
Women's Basketball
Competitor for  Australia

Maree Jackson (née Bennie) (born 11 October 1954) is a former Australian women's basketball player.

Biography

Jackson played for the Australia women's national basketball team during the 1970s and competed for Australia at the 1975 World Championship held in Colombia and the 1979 World Championship held in South Korea.[2][3]

Following a 1976 tour of the United States with the New South Wales state basketball team, Jackson accepted a physical education scholarship to play basketball with Louisiana State University.[4][5] As a sophomore in 1978, Jackson scored 1,021 points (25.5 ppg) and grabbed 539 rebounds (13.5 rpg). The 1,021 points and 539 rebounds are the most in both Southeastern Conference (SEC) and LSU history for one season.[6] In just two seasons with the Lady Tigers, Jackson scored 1,852 points which places her third on the all-time scoring list. She also finished her career as the second leading rebounder in LSU history with 1,032 rebounds.[6] For her career, Jackson averaged 26.4 points a game, which still stands as the SEC record.[6]

Jackson and Julie Gross were the first Australian females to win All-American honours while playing college basketball in the United States.[7] That year, Jackson also won a place in the US national side.[4] Jackson turned down several lucrative offers to turn professional so she could return to Australia to play for the Opals at 1980 Moscow Olympics.[4][8] However, following the pre-Olympic Qualification Tournament, the Opals failed in their bid to qualify for the games.[9]

Following a women's national tournament in Sydney in 1972, Jackson met fellow Australian basketballer and future husband, Gary Jackson.[10] Their first-born, Lauren Jackson, would become the number 1 pick in the 2001 WNBA Draft and would go on to become Australia's most successful and decorated basketball player.[11][12]

In 2006, Maree Jackson was inducted into Australia's Basketball Hall of Fame.[13] The National Junior Championship trophy for under 18 women is also named in her honour.[13]

References

  1. ↑ FIBA Archive. 1979 World Championship for Women. Maree Jackson. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  2. ↑ FIBA Archive. 1975 World Championship for Women. Australia. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  3. ↑ FIBA Archive. 1979 World Championship for Women. Australia. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  4. 1 2 3 Dexter, Nancy (July 26, 1979). Top basketballer is tangled in red tape The Age. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  5. ↑ Gilbert, Bil (April 4, 1977). The Smaller Stood Taller. SI Vault. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  6. 1 2 3 Louisiana State University. 2005-2006 Women's Basketball (page 9). Media Guide. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  7. ↑ Australian Basketball History. Better Basketball. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  8. ↑ FIBA Archive. 1980 World Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women. Australia. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  9. ↑ Basketball Australia. Opals History. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  10. ↑ Voepel, Mechelle (September 20, 2010). Bird and Jackson a winning combination. ESPN. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  11. ↑ All-Time WNBA Draft List (2001). Women's National Basketball Association. Retrieved 2012-12-15
  12. ↑ Lauren Jackson. Official Site of the 2012 Australian Olympic Team. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  13. 1 2 Maree Jackson. Basketball Australia. Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
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