NDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, Oct. 25 — When a story of any woman of endurance and substance is written, it would never be complete if it doesn’t include the name of Ngozi Anosike, a woman who has raised eight incredibly high-achieving children all by herself. Married before she had finished her high school in Nigeria, when she found herself abandoned in Staten Island, New York, after having 8 children, she made up her mind that she was going to grab success from the mouth of defeat. She got her high school equivalency, entered into the school of nursing, graduated as a registered nurse, began working two or three shifts, and then set out to ensure that her children didn’t suffer too much.
Out of the eight, one is a registered nurse and midwife, another a medical doctor, one just finished at Rutgers and doing her masters in nursing, another graduated from Boston University and another just signed to attend Siena College and play basketball in New York State, having turned down such schools like Fordham, Rutgers, Temple, Hofstra, Penn State, etc. He is 6’8”. But it is not Ngozi Anosike’s story we are telling today, it is Nkolika “Nicky” Anosike we are telling today.
Nkolika “Nicky” Anosike, a former basketball student-athlete at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, was awarded the 2008 NCAA Woman of the Year.
The award — one of the most prestigious the NCAA bestows — was accepted by her former coach at Tennessee, Pat Summit, and her mother, Ngozi Anosike. Nicky Anosike could not attend the event because she is playing professional basketball in Israel during the WNBA off-season.
The two women accepted the award at the 18th annual NCAA Woman of the Year dinner on Sunday, October 19, at the Murat Centre Egyptian Room. The award honors female student-athletes who have completed their eligibility, demonstrated academic and athletics excellence and engaged in community service and leadership opportunities.
A committee comprised of representatives from NCAA schools and conferences selected the top 30 out of 134 conference and independent nominees, 10 from each division. From the 30 honorees, nine finalists were selected, three from each division. The Committee on Women’s Athletics selected Anosike from the nine finalists.
Anosike, a native of Staten Island, N.Y., is the third NCAA Woman of the Year from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the second basketball student-athlete to be named NCAA Woman of the Year. She represents the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
A triple major in political science, legal studies and sociology, Anoskie was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll four consecutive years. Her academic prowess earned her honors as ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American, second team and the SEC Boyd McWhorter Postgraduate Scholarship for Tennessee. She was regularly on the Lady Vol Honor Roll and was on the DeanÕs List, ESPN The Magazine All-District IV, first team and third team and the Thornton Center Honor Roll at Tennessee.
In addition to excelling in the classroom, Anosike was – and continues to be – an exceptional performer on the court. She played center/forward for the Lady Vols, who won the NCAA National Championship in 2007 and 2008. She was a member of one SEC regular-season and three SEC tournament championship teams and twice led the Lady Vols in blocked shots. She was a member of two USA under 19 Women’s Basketball World Championship teams and the 2007 Pan-American team. She was drafted into the WNBA by the Minnesota Lynx, where she started in all 34 games during the 2008 season and averaged 9.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. She is currently playing basketball in Israel during the WNBA off-season.
Outside of the classroom and the court, Anosike participated in many service and leadership roles. She served as team captain in 2007-08 and was a member of the campus Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). She volunteered for the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, Second Harvest, April Play Day for the local Boys and Girls Clubs, an elementary school career day and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and Lady Vol Fund Run.
“Leadership through example makes a difference,” Anosike said in her personal statement on her nomination form."I have had opportunities to learn this lesson, most recently as I helped lead the Lady Vols basketball team to its eighth national championship. I was not the superstar; I did the unglamorous work that wins games and brings success in life. “Some of our most effective leaders are not in the spotlight, but lead by example through hard work and dedication. This assertion reflects who I am and what I hope to become.”
Last year’s NCAA Woman of the Year was Whitney Myers, former swimmer at the University of Arizona. Myers graduated with a degree in science education with an emphasis in biology/pre-pharmacy. She was the second NCAA Woman of the Year from the University of Arizona and the fifth swimming student-athlete to be named NCAA Woman of the Year.
Nicky attributes all her success to her mom, Ngozi Anosike, above, who received the NCAA Woman of the Year, 2008 Award,” on her behalf.
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