Black History Month: Julian Jackson

Julian Jackson, a Minneapolis, Minn., native, was a four-year member of the UW-River Falls Men's Basketball team from 2016-20. He played in nearly 100 career games, starting in 50 with 954 career points and 434 rebounds. Jackson and the Falcons won the WIAC regular season and tournament championship in 2017.

A three-time WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll member, he averaged over 15 points per game during his final two seasons, and was an All-WIAC First Team forward his senior year in 2019-20 and an All-WIAC Honorable Mention the year prior.

Q: You were a member of the 2017 WIAC regular season and tournament championship team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament. What set that team apart?

Jackson: Being on that championship team was extremely fun and one of the best moments of my basketball life. I think the thing that set us apart that year was how hard we practiced. We were a very talented squad but as a team we went at each other in practice and brought it everyday. That really helped us during the season as there were many times we won close games or came back from being down and ending up winning.
 
Q: When you think about your time as a Falcon, what moment(s) stick out as the most memorable? What do you miss most?

Jackson: Some moments that stick out to me during my time as a falcon were the trips we were able to go on on the basketball team; California, Las Vegas, and Colorado Springs. We were able to go sight seeing on those trips and experience things I hadn't before. I miss the camaraderie of being on a college campus the most, whether that was studying with other students in my major or being a part of the basketball team.

Q: What was your basketball background? And what led you to UW-River Falls?

Jackson: I grew up in Minneapolis and attended Minneapolis public schools. My basketball background was very regular and nothing spectacular. I started playing organized basketball in elementary school, and played only for the school I went to, I never did AAU ball or anything like that. I had no desire or intentions of playing college basketball, until my senior year of high school. I was recruited by several schools in the MIAC and UWRF. I ended up deciding on UWRF because of the proximity to Minneapolis and the price of the education was so much better than other schools around me at the time. 

Q: What advice do you have for your former self or current UWRF student-athletes?

Jackson: Go in with confidence, but not foolish confidence. Come in understanding what you are capable of and what you have already accomplished, but do not let that get in the way of you working hard and accepting what comes with becoming a college athlete. Whether that be playing less than your accustomed to, having to do more intense workouts, dealing with a wider variety of people from a wider variety of backgrounds than you have in the past, etc. 

Q: Who inspired or encouraged you the most during your time at UWRF?

Jackson: During my time at UWRF there were many people that inspired and encouraged me. I would say that the group of people that were most encouraging to me were my family, immediate, extended, or otherwise. They would always tell me how proud of me they were and would often travel relatively far distances to catch games and watch me play. 

Q: How did your time as a student-athlete add to your overall experience?

Jackson: Being a part of the UWRF basketball team gave me an immediate community when entering my freshman year. I was able to join a group of individuals with at least one built in common interest. I was able to feel as though I belonged, which was huge for me as a freshman as the demographics of my community at home was entirely different from the River Falls demographic.