Chioma Nnamani – Footballer
| Stage Name: | Chioma Nnamani |
| Real Name: | Ogonna Nneka Nnamani |
| Occupation: | Footballer |
| Date Of Birth/Age: | 29th July, 1983 (42 years old) |
| State of Origin: | Enugu |
| Gender: | Female |
| Nationality: | Nigerian |
| Marital Status: | Married (Mike Silva – Husband) |
| Education: | Nil |
| Known for: | Football |
Early Life and Education
Born on July 29, 1983, in Bloomington, Illinois, Ogonna Nneka Nnamani is a retired American indoor volleyball player, esteemed physician, and former member of the United States National and Olympic teams. She was awarded the Honda-Broderick Cup in 2004 as the nation’s top female athlete across all NCAA sports and is regarded as one of the best players in Stanford University’s history with a career record of 2,450 kills, for which she entered the Stanford Hall of Fame in 2015.
High School Years
Nnamani attended University High School in Normal, Illinois, where she also played basketball. During her time at University High School, she won back-to-back state championships in 1999 and 2000. Born to Uzo and Chika Nnamani, Ogonna has a younger sister, Nji, who played volleyball alongside her at Stanford University and married professional track athlete Russell Wolf Brown. Additionally, she has two younger brothers, Nnaemeka and Ikechi Nnamani. Nnaemeka ran track and field at Illinois State University, competing in the long and triple jump, while Ikechi was the 2009 Illinois High School Association champion in the high jump and former state record holder. He competed at Rice University and the University of Pennsylvania. Her parents emigrated from Nigeria to the United States in pursuit of better educational opportunities, both being alumni of Illinois State University. Her father, Chika Nnamani, is an adjunct professor in Politics and Government, and her mother, Uzo, is an artist and a teacher. Her last name translates to “one who knows the land” in the Igbo language.
Stanford University (2001 – 2004)
Freshman Year: 2001
In 2001, as a freshman at Stanford, Ogonna Nnamani won an NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship. Her outstanding performance in the championship match against previously undefeated Long Beach State, where she recorded 19 kills, earned her a spot on the NCAA Final Four all-tournament team. She was named the Pac-10, Volleyball Magazine, and AVCA Pacific Region Freshman of the Year.
Sophomore Year: 2002
As a sophomore, she continued to shine, being named an AVCA second-team All-American. She helped lead Stanford to an NCAA runner-up finish, averaging 4.10 kills, 1.14 digs, 0.67 blocks, and 4.59 points per game.
Junior Year: 2003
In 2003, Nnamani was named a First Team All-American, setting a Stanford single-season kills record with an impressive 627. She was also named a Honda Sports Award nominee for volleyball. Notably, she had 27 kills while hitting .415 in the NCAA Second Round win over Pacific, and she was named the tournament MVP at the University Park Holiday Inn Classic.
Senior Year: 2004
Nnamani’s senior year was nothing short of extraordinary. She won another NCAA championship, was named the AVCA National co-Player of the Year, and received the Honda-Broderick Cup, Academic All-American of the Year, and an NCAA Top Eight Award as part of the Class of 2005. Nnamani led Stanford to an unexpected NCAA championship, setting an NCAA tournament record for kills en route to a win over the number 4 seed Minnesota in the final at Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, California.
International and Olympic Career
Following her stellar collegiate career, Nnamani transitioned to the international stage, representing the United States.
Olympic Success
Nnamani, standing tall at 6′ 1″ (186 cm), joined the U.S. national team in 2002. She participated in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, being the youngest player on the 2004 Olympic Team and the second youngest player on the 2008 Olympic Team. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, Nnamani played in both outside positions (outside hitter and opposite). Her play included a 17-point performance in a win that eliminated Poland on August 17, 2008. The United States finished with a silver medal after losing to World No. 1 Brazil, the first time it had made the gold medal match since 1984.
Professional Leagues
After college, Nnamani ventured into the professional leagues. She made her international professional debut under the Puerto Rican LVSF league for the Pinkin club of Corozal. Under Nnamani’s leadership, the Pinkin team reached the finals of the national league for the first time since 1996, finishing second to the Carolina Gigantes.
She later joined Voléro Zürich of Switzerland for 2007, helping the team win the Swiss Cup Final, the Championship League, and placing fourth in the Indesit European Championship. After contesting the World Cup in Japan, Nnamani returned to Italy and joined Asystel Novara.
For the 2008–09 professional season, Nnamani played with Galatasaray, a Turkish volleyball club known for its FC (football club) that has been successful in the UEFA tournaments. Nnamani, the top scorer of her team, led Galatasaray to one of the biggest upsets in league history when the eighth-seeded Galatasaray upset first seed VakıfBank Güneş Sigorta Istanbul in the quarterfinals.
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Collegiate Awards and Recognitions
Nnamani’s illustrious collegiate career earned her numerous awards and recognitions:
- Four-time AVCA All-American (2001, 2002: 2nd team; 2003, 2004: 1st team)
- Four-time First Team All-Pac-10 (2001–04)
- Four-time NCAA Pacific Region Team (2001–04)
- Three-time NCAA Final Four all-tournament team (2001, 2002, 2004)
- 2004 – Honda-Broderick Cup winner
- 2004 – Honda Sports Award volleyball winner
- 2004 – NCAA Top Eight Award
- 2004 – NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship Most Outstanding Player
- 2004 – AVCA National co-Player of the Year
- 2003 – Third-team CoSIDA Academic All-American
- 2003 – Honda Sports Award volleyball nominee
- 2003 – Second-team Pac-10 All-Academic
- 2003 – CoSIDA First-team District VIII All-Academic selection
- 2003 – Pac-10 Player of the Week (11/10)
- 2003 – University Park Holiday Inn Classic MVP
- 2002 – Third-team Verizon Academic All-American honors
- 2002 – NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team
- 2001 – NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team
- 2001 – ASICS/Volleyball Magazine National Freshman of the Year
- 2001 – Pac-10 Freshman of the Year
- 2001 – AVCA Pacific Region Freshman of the Year
- 2001 – Pac-10 First team All-Freshman
Personal Life
On August 25, 2012, she married former Stanford football player, Mike Silva. Silva graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Economics. Silva also completed a master’s degree in Engineering at Stanford and a master’s in business administration from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is currently a venture capitalist.
Chioma Nnamani – Volleyball Player Net Worth
Chioma Nnamani is a Nigerian-American volleyball player who has made a name for herself in the sports world.She developed a passion for volleyball at a young age. Nnamani’s impressive career has seen her play for top teams like the US National Team, Stanford University, and several professional clubs. Her achievements include winning the NCAA Championship and being named the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player. With an estimated net worth of $1.5 million, Chioma Nnamani is an inspiration to many young athletes, showcasing her dedication, hard work, and success in the world of volleyball.
