Meet Volleyball's Aiko Jones
August 29, 2019 | Women's Volleyball
UofL's redshirt freshman followed Coach Busboom to Louisville
This week's spotlight is on University of Louisville redshirt-freshman Aiko Jones, who will be putting on her Louisville jersey for the first time this weekend when the No. 25-ranked Cardinals take on No. 10-ranked Florida on Friday, Aug. 30 at 7:00 in the L&N Federal Credit Union Arena.Â
Aiko, which rhymes with Geico like the insurance company, was born Avielle Jones in Kingston, Jamaica. The 6-2 right side hitter is a member of the Jamaica National Senior Team. She played as a starting setter/right side in the Caribbean Volleyball Championships in July of 2017 in Jamaica. She played as a starting right side hitter and setter in the third round of the World Championships Qualifier in the Dominican Republic. Her high school is the Wolmer's School, where she was coached by O'Neil Ebanks. Wolmer's has won 23 national titles in the last 27 years and she served as captain for the last three. She was the National MVP in 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018 as well as being named the National Best Server in 2017. Strong at the net, she was Jamaica's National Best Attacker in 2015 and 2016 and the National Best Blocker in 2014 and 2015. The biology major was the National Best Attacker in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 as well as being the National Best Blocker in 2014 and 2015. In addition she was named National Best Defender in 2018. She earned the 2016 Rising Star Award for the University of the West Indies Mona Volleyball Club with Coach O'Neil Ebanks and Ricardo Chong.
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Clilck on the arrow to watch Aiko Jones talk about her journey from Jamaica to the Ville.Â
More About Aiko
Post college ambition:Â To play professionally in Europe
Person with greatest influence on her athletic career:Â Her dad
Athlete:Â Omar McLeod
What impresses her most about Coach Dani Busboom Kelly:Â She gives time towards getting to know a little about everyone on the team as an individual.
Biggest obstacle:Â Self-doubt
Hobbies:Â Photography, snorkeling, scuba diving, dancing
Movies:Â Free Willy, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Black Panther
TV Show:Â NCIS
Musical group:Â The Jackson 5
Place to visit:Â Her grandmother's house
Food:Â Escoveith fish, jerk pork, salmon
Class:Â Lunch
Book:Â One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Movie quote: "Greater good? I am your wife! I am the greatest good you're ever going to get." – The Incredibles
Team: Manchester United Football Club
Person she'd most like to meet:Â Barack Obama
Words that describe her:Â Determined, hard-working
Best advice:Â "Let your light so shine before men, that he may see your good works and give glory to your Father, who is in heaven"Â -- Matthew 5:16
What people don't know about her:Â She is the "mom" of every group of friends she has
Why she UofL: chose "The atmosphere that surrounds the student athletes here is very inviting with support from all angles: coaches, trainers, nutritionists, academic advisors, professors, and marketing. The whole city is like a huge extended family."
 If she won the lottery, she would used the money for: Charity and buying her parents their dream house.
Three favorite warm-up songs are: "We Still a Win" by Popcaan, Strong Will Continue by Nas and Jr Gong and Lebeh, Lebeh by Ding Dong.
Aiko, which rhymes with Geico like the insurance company, was born Avielle Jones in Kingston, Jamaica. The 6-2 right side hitter is a member of the Jamaica National Senior Team. She played as a starting setter/right side in the Caribbean Volleyball Championships in July of 2017 in Jamaica. She played as a starting right side hitter and setter in the third round of the World Championships Qualifier in the Dominican Republic. Her high school is the Wolmer's School, where she was coached by O'Neil Ebanks. Wolmer's has won 23 national titles in the last 27 years and she served as captain for the last three. She was the National MVP in 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018 as well as being named the National Best Server in 2017. Strong at the net, she was Jamaica's National Best Attacker in 2015 and 2016 and the National Best Blocker in 2014 and 2015. The biology major was the National Best Attacker in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 as well as being the National Best Blocker in 2014 and 2015. In addition she was named National Best Defender in 2018. She earned the 2016 Rising Star Award for the University of the West Indies Mona Volleyball Club with Coach O'Neil Ebanks and Ricardo Chong.
Â
Clilck on the arrow to watch Aiko Jones talk about her journey from Jamaica to the Ville.Â
More About Aiko
Post college ambition:Â To play professionally in Europe
Person with greatest influence on her athletic career:Â Her dad
Athlete:Â Omar McLeod
What impresses her most about Coach Dani Busboom Kelly:Â She gives time towards getting to know a little about everyone on the team as an individual.
Biggest obstacle:Â Self-doubt
Hobbies:Â Photography, snorkeling, scuba diving, dancing
Movies:Â Free Willy, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Black Panther
TV Show:Â NCIS
Musical group:Â The Jackson 5
Place to visit:Â Her grandmother's house
Food:Â Escoveith fish, jerk pork, salmon
Class:Â Lunch
Book:Â One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Movie quote: "Greater good? I am your wife! I am the greatest good you're ever going to get." – The Incredibles
Team: Manchester United Football Club
Person she'd most like to meet:Â Barack Obama
Words that describe her:Â Determined, hard-working
Best advice:Â "Let your light so shine before men, that he may see your good works and give glory to your Father, who is in heaven"Â -- Matthew 5:16
What people don't know about her:Â She is the "mom" of every group of friends she has
Why she UofL: chose "The atmosphere that surrounds the student athletes here is very inviting with support from all angles: coaches, trainers, nutritionists, academic advisors, professors, and marketing. The whole city is like a huge extended family."
 If she won the lottery, she would used the money for: Charity and buying her parents their dream house.
Three favorite warm-up songs are: "We Still a Win" by Popcaan, Strong Will Continue by Nas and Jr Gong and Lebeh, Lebeh by Ding Dong.
Players Mentioned
OPP
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