Nikki Koval

Class:
Sophomore
Position:
Defensive Specialist
High School:
Mercy
Hometown:
Louisville, KY
Prev School:
USF

2016: In her sophomore campaign, Nikki appeared in 13 matches and 41 sets in her first season at Louisville. She tallied 39 digs, three aces, a .893 receiving percentage, and an .879 serving percentage. She logged seven digs twice. Nikki was named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll.

2015 (At USF): Nikki appeared in 30 matches and 100 sets and totaled 213 digs, third on the team, and 33 assists. She registered 10+ digs in 11 matches including five consecutive double digit dig performances (10/18 – 11/1). She made her collegiate debut with five digs in three-set win over Alabama A&M and set her career-high with 16 digs in 3-0 sweep at East Carolina. Tallying 11 digs in the four set Senior Day victory over Memphis, she also logged 10 digs in the four set, road upset of the AAC Champions, SMU.

High School: Koval attended Mercy Academy where she played volleyball under head coach Todd Garvey and was a 2014 Prep Volleyball National Champion. She earned All-State Second Team honors as the starting libero and was named All-Catholic First Team and All-District during the National Championship run. She recorded 859 digs and 49 aces as a senior and was named as an All-District and All-Catholic Second Team honoree as a junior with 805 digs and 46 aces in 2013. She compiled 117 digs and 14 aces as a sophomore at Mercy Academy and played for MAVA 18.

Personal: Born April 11, 1997. Daughter of Joe and Holly Koval. Major is nursing.

Favorites:
Person with greatest influence on athletic career: My parents
Biggest thrill in sports: Beating a team that everyone thought you were going to lose to.
Athlete you most admire: Steph Curry
What has been your biggest obstacle to overcome: Being told I was too short to play college volleyball
Pre-competition superstitions: wearing a certain belly button ring and listening to certain songs.
Favorite movies: Think Like a Man and Coyote Ugly
Favorite TV shows: criminal minds, modern family
Favorite musical group: Flume, Jhene Aiko, Frank Ocean
Favorite foods: Cheeseburgers, Sushi, Queso
Favorite class: Math
Favorite book: Perks of Being a Wallflower
Favorite funny movie quote: "Honey, where is my super suit" -The Incredibles
Favorite professional team: Detroit Redwings
Favorite sportswriter or announcer: Samantha Ponder
A “Stupid Human Trick” I can do: Make a three leaf clover with my tongue
Words that describe me best: Talkative, Giggly
Best Advice I have gotten about sports: Don't dwell on mistakes
What people should know about me but probably don’t: I laugh when I'm nervous or scared.
If you could have dinner with three people (current, historical, fictional) who would it be? Donald Trump, Rosa Parks, and Stefan Salvator.
Best part about being an athlete: Is all the gear and having a second family as your team.
The moment I realized I was really good at my sport: When my high school team won state.
If I won the lottery, I would use the money for: shopping and a new car.
The strangest thing that ever happened to me while I was competing in my sport: my team played a whole play with 7 people on the court without the ref knowing.
What is your favorite place you have ever visited: Lake Como, Italy.

Career Highs
Digs: 16 vs. Memphis, Sept. 22, 2015
Assists: 3 vs. three opponents
Service Aces: 2 vs. Wake Forest, Sept. 30, 2016