Athletic Director Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes and Nancy Sikobe, women’s volleyball head coach, presents senior defensive specialist Demetria Horton with an award for producing 1,000-plus career digs and receptions. Horton received the award on Sept. 22 at halftime during a game against Xavier University.
Photo by Darren Scioneaux Jr./Courtbouillon
NEW ORLEANS (Oct. 6, 2016) – Retired Kenyan national volleyball player Nancy Sikobe has arrived to coach volleyball at Dillard, along with 13 new players (including her niece), for the 2016-2017 season, to enhance the struggling program that has not won a conference since 2010.
As of now, the 2016-2017 women’s volleyball team, which started its season Aug. 20, is 3-2 in conference and 7-13 overall as of press time Oct. 5. The next game is 6 p.m. today, against SUNO.
Sikobe, who is coaching her eighth season, came from Central Methodist University and was at Wiley College prior to that to take over the team formerly led by Yolanda Brown. Sikobe’s coaching recording is 65-26 in conference games and 122-90 as an overall average.
The DU team has a record of 15 wins and 30 losses since its conference win in 2010.
Sikobe said, “I don’t live in history. I live for the future. The biggest change I plan to make is to get the players more involved in the game. Getting them to understand the reason why they are playing.
“Our purpose is to play as a team, have fun and win. My vision is to be able to build a team that will have good chemistry because I believe when the chemistry is there, then everything is possible, even winning conference.”
Only four team members have returned, all from Texas: Shelby Stewart and Maya Lealaimutafao, both from Houston, along with Demetria Howard of Dallas and Cailyn Ware of Pearland.
“Together with the veterans, her and the talented new players, we can conquer all,” said Stewart, who now is recovering from a break to her left arm.
Of the 13 new players, nine are freshman, two sophomores and two juniors. One of the sophomores is Sikobe’s niece, Unice Kamui of Mombasa, Kenya.
Seven of the nine freshmen are from Texas; Alexis Barnett of Austin, Ma-Kayla Johnson of San Antonio, Corneisja Harrison of Cypress, Precious Butler of Houston, Kristin Pierce of Frisco, Tristan Cojoe of Cedar Hill and Cristela Jimenez of Duncanville. They joined Trinity Harris of Lafayette and Amara Edwards of Alexandria, Va.
Rounding up the list are sophomore Bria Burras of New Orleans, and juniors Felicia of Bay City, Texas, and Sarah Boykin of Spring, Texas.
Dr. Kiki Barnes, athletic director, called Sikobe “passionate” about the sport.
“Her philosophy of student-athlete development is very similar to mine,” said Barnes of the coach. “She believes that she can use the sport of volleyball to help develop well-rounded young ladies who will be successful in their careers.
“I have no doubt that she will have our volleyball program competitive nationally within the next couple of years,” said Barnes.
(Joycelyn Daggs contributed to this report.)
VOLLEYBALL CORRECTION
NEW ORLEANS (Nov. 10, 2016) – The story above has been correct. The Oct. 6, 2016, sports story by Joycelyn Daggs, “Volley coach brings in 13 players, including daughter,” was inaccurate. The story said volleyball player Unice Kamui of Mombasa, Kenya, was the daughter of coach Nancy Sikobe. Actually, Kamui is Sikobe’s niece. Sikobe’s daughter, Tracey Mwenesi of Bungoma, Kenya, plays women’s basketball. The Courtbouillon regrets the error.
