Rookie Rallies: USC Volleyball Q&A with Favor Anyanwu

Welcome to the inaugural edition of "Rookie Rallies," where we spotlight USC's newest women's volleyball stars. We're giving you an exclusive look at the talented athletes preparing to make their mark on the court. Learn about their ambitions, hobbies, motivations, and more.

Meet middle blocker Favor Anyanwu, who comes from Rowlett, Texas.

Q: I would love to know why you chose USC.
FA: Definitely the environment and the space. I felt so welcomed and like they looked at me as a person, not just a player. That was something I looked forward to experiencing out of college. When it's college, it can be suffocating — how much volleyball you do — and just to know a coach cares about you as a person is great.

Q: Do you have a volleyball mantra? Or any advice that you received during high school or club that's stuck with you?
FA: I don't really have a personal mantra, but just knowing that I had the opportunity to play club volleyball. That was something that stuck with me; I was blessed to be given the opportunity to keep going and get stronger and better.

Q: Today was your first official practice. In one word, how would you describe the team's culture so far?
FA: Super positive. Super warm. It's always going to be serious, but it's not too serious where you can't joke around when you're not on the court.

Q: Yeah, you're having fun! What do you love the most about volleyball, and when did you realize you wanted to play at a higher level?
FA: Definitely my first club year, which was 13. I realized I wanted to play a lot more when we were at our third qualifier, where we qualified for Nationals. That was my best tournament yet, and I was so eager to get better. Seeing how I grew from not playing volleyball at all to the end of the season was amazing. I just wanted to keep getting better.

Q: Have you been watching the Olympics?
FA: I have, but I've been watching the scores and highlights. Not full matches, but definitely gymnastics.

Q: Aside from volleyball, which sport would you like to try in the Olympics?
FA: See, growing up, I always wanted to be a gymnast, but I also do track, so it would have to be between track and gymnastics.

Q: Did you do both when you were growing up?
FA: Yeah, when I was younger, I did gymnastics, and then towards high school and middle school, I did shot-put. I plan on doing it here, actually.

Q: What would success look like to you this year?
FA: I would just say putting our impact on people wherever we go. I think we bring a different style of play to the Big 10. I want to show people how we play our type of volleyball and how we can execute it against other teams.

Q: Do you have any pre-game rituals?
FA: Pray. Positive self-talk. Listen to music. I listen to rap. Young Nudy, for sure.

Q: Was it your dream to come to a big city? What about Southern California are you excited about?
FA: The opportunities it has in itself. Being surrounded by so many people who will help you grow. That's definitely something I'm looking forward to.

Q: You're doing biochemistry, right? Between that and volleyball, how are you feeling about this year?
FA: Yeah, it's definitely going to be rough trying to balance a biochem major and volleyball. Knowing I'll have a good academic advisor has taken some stress off of me. I'm trusting in my capabilities to be able to balance it.

Q: You mentioned that you love to cook and watch T.V. What is the best dinner-show or dinner-movie combination?
FA: Okay, so dinner-show . . . I'm watching Supacell right now on Netflix, so that's good. I watch that when I cook. There's this anime show called Food Wars, which is cool. What do I like to eat? I like any Nigerian dish. I also love pasta.

Q: Are you planning to cook a lot? Or explore L.A.?
FA: I'll definitely explore L.A.'s food. They feed us good in the dining hall, so I'm not complaining about that!

Q: Who is the most famous person you've met?
FA: Off the top of my head, I'm thinking Jordan Larson.

Q: Good person to meet. Last question – in a zombie apocalypse, which three teammates would you want on your team?
FA: Mia, she's really smart. Tyra is really fast. I have to get someone small so they can squeeze into small spaces, so probably Paisley.

Players Mentioned

Favor Anyanwu

Rookie Rallies: USC Volleyball Q&A with Favor Anyanwu

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University Southern California Trojans

Players Mentioned

Favor Anyanwu

Rookie Rallies: USC Volleyball Q&A with Favor Anyanwu

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