2022 Women's Volleyball Roster
Mbonu, Nena
Jersey Number 3
Nena Mbonu
- Position:
- Outside Hitter
- Height:
- 6-0
- Class:
- Redshirt Junior
- Hometown:
- Spring, Texas
- High School:
- Klein
Bio
Nena Mbonu
2022: Nena played in 77 sets after stepping in for injured teammate, obtaining 148 kills (.205), 26 digs and 25 blocks to earn 162.5 points for the Cardinals. Her season-high 14 kills came in the five-set match at Pittsburgh. Nena recorded a season-high 3 blocks in the reverse-sweep of Georgia Tech. She played in nine set during the Cardinal’s NCAA Tournament run, notching 8 kills and two blocks.
2021: (pronounced NEN-UH em-BON-oo) Nena played in 31 sets, recorded 44 ills, 10 digs and nine blocks. She had a season-high 9 kills versus Northern Kentucky. She hit .750 (6-0-8) versus Boston College She tied a career-high with three digs versus Purdue and recorded two blocks versus TAMU-CC, Missouri, and Notre Dame. She was named to the ACC All-Academic squad.
2020: Nena was a part-time starter and offensive spark off the bench. She had 78 kills, hits .256 with 10 blocks. She had her best match at Duke and at Miami where she tied her career-high with 14 kills, adding three blocks against the ‘Canes. In the NCAA matches, against San Diego, she had one kill in three sets and had two kills against Washington in the Sweet Sixteen Match. An outstanding student, Nena was named to the 2020 ACC Honor Roll, the Dean's List (Spring 2020) and was a Red and Black Scholar (Fall 2019, Fall 2020).
2019: Nena played in 14 matches, providing both a defensive and offensive spark off the bench. She had a season high 11 kills against Clemson. She hit .316 (8-2-19) at Cincinnati, the team that knocked off No. 2 Pitt in the NCAAs in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. She had a season-high 3 digs at Kentucky and versus Clemson. She had a four blocks against Georgia Tech. She was named to the ACC Honor Roll.
Prep: Nena Mbonu, a 6-0 outside/rightside hitter from Spring, Texas, signed after playing her high school ball at Klein High School where she was the 2016 District Newcomer of the Year and the 2017 District MVP. Mbonu amassed 1,014 kills, hit .328 with 412 aces and 172 blocks during her prep career. She played club for TAV Houston, where she made the nationals all-tournament team and was ranked No. 55 in the Class of 2019 by PrepVolleyball. She was a Vype Magazine Fab 50 Player in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Personal: Daughter of Diane Mbonu. Born March 16, 2001. Major is business.
Favorites
Athlete: James Harden
Hobbies: Knitting
Movies: All things Marvel
TV Show: Criminal Minds
Musical group: Destiny's Child
Food: Wings
Class: Math
Hype song: Bohemian Rhapsody
Book: Divergent
Favorite movie quote: "Avengers assemble"
Words that describe her: Crazy, fun, weird
Best advice: "Don't focus on negatives."
Why she chose UofL: My favorite option by far
Best part of being an athlete: Meeting new people, competing
Favorite place to visit: Mountains
What impresses her about Dani Busboom Kelly: She is very committed to her team.
Biggest thrill in sport: Intense games
Post-college ambition: Working in sports marketing
Hidden talents: Knitting, Rubiks Cubes, tumbling
Career Highs:
Kills: 14 vs. Duke 3/14/21; 14 vs. Miami 4/1/21
Attacks: 30 vs. Miami 4/1/21
Assists: 1 vs. Clemson 10/6/19
Digs: 3 vs. Wake Forest 3/6/21
Blocks: 4 vs. Miami 4/1/21; 4 vs. Georgia Tech 10/4/19
2022: Nena played in 77 sets after stepping in for injured teammate, obtaining 148 kills (.205), 26 digs and 25 blocks to earn 162.5 points for the Cardinals. Her season-high 14 kills came in the five-set match at Pittsburgh. Nena recorded a season-high 3 blocks in the reverse-sweep of Georgia Tech. She played in nine set during the Cardinal’s NCAA Tournament run, notching 8 kills and two blocks.
2021: (pronounced NEN-UH em-BON-oo) Nena played in 31 sets, recorded 44 ills, 10 digs and nine blocks. She had a season-high 9 kills versus Northern Kentucky. She hit .750 (6-0-8) versus Boston College She tied a career-high with three digs versus Purdue and recorded two blocks versus TAMU-CC, Missouri, and Notre Dame. She was named to the ACC All-Academic squad.
2020: Nena was a part-time starter and offensive spark off the bench. She had 78 kills, hits .256 with 10 blocks. She had her best match at Duke and at Miami where she tied her career-high with 14 kills, adding three blocks against the ‘Canes. In the NCAA matches, against San Diego, she had one kill in three sets and had two kills against Washington in the Sweet Sixteen Match. An outstanding student, Nena was named to the 2020 ACC Honor Roll, the Dean's List (Spring 2020) and was a Red and Black Scholar (Fall 2019, Fall 2020).
2019: Nena played in 14 matches, providing both a defensive and offensive spark off the bench. She had a season high 11 kills against Clemson. She hit .316 (8-2-19) at Cincinnati, the team that knocked off No. 2 Pitt in the NCAAs in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. She had a season-high 3 digs at Kentucky and versus Clemson. She had a four blocks against Georgia Tech. She was named to the ACC Honor Roll.
Prep: Nena Mbonu, a 6-0 outside/rightside hitter from Spring, Texas, signed after playing her high school ball at Klein High School where she was the 2016 District Newcomer of the Year and the 2017 District MVP. Mbonu amassed 1,014 kills, hit .328 with 412 aces and 172 blocks during her prep career. She played club for TAV Houston, where she made the nationals all-tournament team and was ranked No. 55 in the Class of 2019 by PrepVolleyball. She was a Vype Magazine Fab 50 Player in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Personal: Daughter of Diane Mbonu. Born March 16, 2001. Major is business.
Favorites
Athlete: James Harden
Hobbies: Knitting
Movies: All things Marvel
TV Show: Criminal Minds
Musical group: Destiny's Child
Food: Wings
Class: Math
Hype song: Bohemian Rhapsody
Book: Divergent
Favorite movie quote: "Avengers assemble"
Words that describe her: Crazy, fun, weird
Best advice: "Don't focus on negatives."
Why she chose UofL: My favorite option by far
Best part of being an athlete: Meeting new people, competing
Favorite place to visit: Mountains
What impresses her about Dani Busboom Kelly: She is very committed to her team.
Biggest thrill in sport: Intense games
Post-college ambition: Working in sports marketing
Hidden talents: Knitting, Rubiks Cubes, tumbling
Career Highs:
Kills: 14 vs. Duke 3/14/21; 14 vs. Miami 4/1/21
Attacks: 30 vs. Miami 4/1/21
Assists: 1 vs. Clemson 10/6/19
Digs: 3 vs. Wake Forest 3/6/21
Blocks: 4 vs. Miami 4/1/21; 4 vs. Georgia Tech 10/4/19
VB: Highlights vs. St. John's
Monday, September 01
VB: Highlights vs. Morehead State
Sunday, August 31
Highlights: No. 4 Louisville Volleyball vs. Auburn
Saturday, August 30
Head Coach Dan Meske Introductory Press Conference 2/3/2025
Friday, May 16
