Nneka Enemkpali will begin her first year as an assistant coach for the Lady Rebels after being hired in April of 2020.
"I am so excited about the impact that Nneka Enemkpali can have on our Lady Rebel program," said UNLV head coach Lindy La Rocque. "Nneka is a young rising star in coaching. She is extremely motivated and energetic about continuing to learn and grow, and will be a fantastic mentor for our team."
Enemkpali comes to Las Vegas from UC Santa Barbara, where she spent two years as an assistant coach for the Gauchos. Her duties at UCSB included skill development of the post players, and she helped develop Ila Lane to the nation's No. 1 rebounder and Big West Freshman of the Year honors in 2019-20 for the Gauchos. She was named one of the 50 Impactful Assistants in D1 Women’s Basketball by Silver Waves Media following the season with the Gauchos before joining the UNLV staff.
"I am excited to be joining the Lady Rebel family!" said Enemkpali. "Coach La Rocque’s pedigree speaks for itself, she understands what it takes to excel and win at the highest level. I am excited for the opportunity to work alongside her and witness the growth of this program!"
Her first collegiate job was at Gonzaga, where she spent two seasons as video coordinator as the Bulldogs posted a 53-13 overall record and posted two West Coast Conference titles and made two NCAA appearances from 2016-18.
Enemkpali had a stellar playing career at the University of Texas where she was a three-time All-Big 12 selection. She averaged 10.0 points and 8.0 rebounds over her four years, and finished ranked 10th all-time in Longhorns history in total rebounds (899) and 30th in points (1,116). In addition to being an Academic All-Big 12 selection three times, she was also recognized as a Senior CLASS Award Second Team All-American for excellence in the community, classroom, character and competition.
Following Texas, she was drafted in the third round (26th overall) of the 2015 WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm, but missed the season due to a knee injury suffered her senior year at Texas. She received her degree from Texas in African American and African Diaspora Studies and was named to the Commissioner's Honor Roll multiple times.
