Rocky Top calls, Anosike answers
Former Lady Vol leader returning to Knoxville as graduate assistant coach.
IMAGE CREDIT: Saul Young/The Knoxville News Sentinel
The last time Nicky Anosike wore a jersey emblazoned with “Tennessee” across the front, she had just played a monumental role in the Lady Vols’ second-straight national championship run in 2008.
Ten years later, Anosike returns to Rocky Top. Tennessee announced Wednesday the former post player will act as a graduate assistant coach.
In her time as a Lady Vol, Anosike netted 1099 points and shot 65 percent from the charity stripe.
Following her career at UT, the Minnesota Lynx selected Anosike in the second round of the 2008 WNBA Draft. In 2011, Anosike was traded to the Washington Mystics before going to the Los Angeles Sparks in 2012. Anosike’s former teammate and All-American Candace Parker currently plays for the Sparks.
Before the hire by Tennessee, Anosike taught at-risk children in Florida according to an article published in 2016.
Anosike’s resurgence as a part of Lady Vol basketball comes at a much-needed time, as Tennessee has not performed at its most steady (or successful) under head coach Holly Warlick despite a more solid season last year.
The Lady Vols’ last season featured three dominant freshmen in Anastasia Hayes, Rennia Davis and Evina Westbrook.
Anosike’s past as a player and prior work with Warlick should provide solid support for the upcoming sophomore trio and the rest of the team as they work to attain an elite level once again.
The Lady Vols’ 2018-19 season starts Monday, Nov., 5 when Tennessee hosts Carson-Newman at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Sports editor Jake Nichols has been part of the TNJN staff in two different capacities. His freshman and sophomore years, Jake worked as a staff writer before moving on to write for Rocky Top Insider, and he also worked with VFL Films and the SEC Network for a semester his junior year. When asked the summer before his senior year to return to TNJN as the sports editor, Jake jumped at the chance to end his time in Knoxville working with the organization he first began with as a freshman. Jake is excited to help lead younger writers, much like former editors Cody McClure and Jordan Dajani aided him. Jake also does freelance sports coverage and photography for The Mountain Press in Sevierville, Tenn., and in his spare time, he can be found with family, his girlfriend or driving his Jeep, most likely with his Canon in tow. Be sure and follow Jake on Twitter and Instagram at @jnichols_2121, and keep up with TNJN Sports on Twitter as well!
