The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
My Story: A Longhorn Portrait of Chiaka Ogbogu
08.31.2015 | Volleyball
The junior All-American was selected as the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year.
Chiaka Ogbogu
Junior, Middle Blocker
6-foot-2
Fun Fact: She owns the highest approach jump on the team at 10'-8.5." For reference, a basketball goal is 10 feet.
Because of the volleyball court, people know about Chiaka Ogbogu. It's the reason they recognize her name and why they'll remember it. But for Ogbogu herself, volleyball isn't the reason for anything. It actually started out as more of an excuse.
As an elementary student, Ogbogu was shy, but also personable, and made friends with ease. She only came to enjoy basketball, and later volleyball, because most of her class was on the team. But of course Ogbogu stood out – she was tall and carried herself with an athletic frame.
"My middle school coaches forced me to go to club volleyball tryouts. They told me they saw potential," Ogbogu says. "It's overwhelming … just playing on a team that's not familiar, having to build new relationships. I think that drives you to be competitive."
Even today, as Ogbogu steps into her junior year with the third-ranked Texas Volleyball team, chosen as the preseason Big 12 Player of the Year, the sport is just her building block for friendship. She and her teammates bond talking about food and wishing they had more time to sleep. And with her side-of-the-mouth wisecracks, Ogbogu keeps her teammates laughing too.
"She has a really big heart, and she really cares," says senior setter Nicole Dalton.
In a sport that moves at such a quick pace, highlighted by vertical leaps and power swings, points can turn in mere seconds. Communication is essential. What is the opponent's formation? Which way are we moving? Talking on the court with Ogbogu is just like a comfortable conversation with a friend.
"I can look at her and see what's inside," Dalton says. "And I know what she's thinking. That makes it easy."
Ogbogu finds motivation in being better than no one but herself. If she hits a bad ball, Ogbogu is quick to accept fault and say "set me again."
"If I'm not meeting the timelines or marks that I want in volleyball, it goes back to me," Ogbogu says.
This offseason, Ogbogu focused on adding power to her lower body. Standing 6-foot-2 with long, lanky limbs, Ogbogu now has the strength to complement an approach jump that is the highest on the team. Her vertical leap increased by two inches since last season to reach higher than a basketball goal.
"Being better than I was the day before is what fires me up," Ogbogu says.
Ogbogu grew up in a family that left "no room for slacking," according to her father, Henry. Both Henry and Ogbogu's mom, Victoria, moved to the United States from Nigeria seeking better opportunities. They were living in New York when Ogbogu was born and moved to Dallas just weeks later as Henry accepted a position as an emergency room doctor. Victoria works as an interior designer.
Henry says a college degree is all but demanded in a family full of lawyers, doctors and engineers. He remembers his young daughter reading and writing short stories and novels, but their family gene of high-achieving behavior was revealed on the volleyball court, much to his surprise.
"When she was younger, she was tall but a little clumsy," Henry said. "Her friends told her they were looking for club players, and that first year she earned the Most Improved Player award. Soon enough, everyone knew who she was.
"She gets more driven as she gets older."
Ogbogu arrived on campus as a freshman the season after the Longhorns won the national championship. Dalton said she was outstanding in big matches. For instance, Ogbogu's first appearance as a Longhorn was against No. 14 Illinois, and she totaled nine kills on 17 swings with six total blocks. A week later against No. 12 Nebraska, Ogbogu had seven kills on a .429 hitting percentage.
She only started six matches her freshman year, and Ogbogu started to fully thrive on the court when she consistently brought the flash of those big-time matches to the everyday grind of practice and training. Last year, as Texas advanced to its third-straight NCAA semifinals appearance, Ogbogu led the team in hitting percentage and was voted a first team All-American.
"I'm really thankful that my coaches saw something in me," Ogbogu says. "I learned a lot about humility and patience my first year for sure."
In the African culture, it's common that all names have special meanings. Chiaka translates to "God decides," and as she's grown older, Ogbogu has developed an appreciation for the sentimentality of her namesake.
"I like to be in control of my life," Ogbogu says. "My mom always says that God ultimately decides what's going to happen and how your path is going to go. … (My freshman year) helped me sit back and realize that the college level is a whole different experience. You have to work for what you get."
The one thing Ogbogu can control is how she relates to her teammates on and off the court. And for Ogbogu, that's the easy part -- making friends is only natural. That is, after all, why she plays.
"She has a good pulse on what our team is doing," Dalton says. "She definitely has our respect and trust."
