Name: Ebony Nwanebu (won-uh-boo) Position: Outside Hitter
Class: Freshman
Size: 6-foot-4
Age: 18
High School: Lovejoy HS (Fairview, TX)
(Photo by Ralf Cheung)
(Photo by Ralf Cheung)
Scouting Report: Nwanebu has a graceful approach at the net but brings a hammer of an arm when she swings. Her athleticism makes her a formidable defensive threat and she possesses solid passing abilities for a right-side hitter. Nwanebu's power and vertical reach overwhelms opponents when she is able to hit over and off the block.
Prep Career: As a senior, Nwanebu was voted the Mizuno/Volleyball Magazine High School Player of the Year and was named an Under Armour All-American after leading Lovejoy HS to three Texas 3A state championships. She was awarded the state tournament MVP in 2010 and 2012. The outside hitter finished her senior season with 701 kills, 356 digs, 103 blocks, and 35 service aces. In early 2013, she led her club volleyball team to the national title and won Most Valuable Player of the 2013 USAV Junior National Championships.
2013 Season Thus Far: Nwanebu is off to a fantastic start and has already been named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week twice this season. The freshman had 17 kills and a .419 hitting percentage in the Trojans' victory over UCLA. She has already accumulated 122 kills, 17 digs, and a .311 hitting percentage through the first 13 games of the year.
In her own words: "The goal for the team is to win the tournament. For myself, I want to keep on listening to everything that Mick [Haley] says and be helpful to my teammates," said Nwanebu.
Here is Nwanebu with our own Sarah Bergstrom...
