This TCU women's basketball player is the team's 'backbone.' No, it's not Hailey Van Lith

USA Today

31-03-2025

This TCU women's basketball player is the team's 'backbone.' No, it's not Hailey Van Lith
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Mark Campbell embraces 'Miss March' nickname for Hailey Van Lith
Hailey Van Lith has taken three different teams to the elite eight after leading TCU over Notre Dame in the Sweet 16.
Agnes Emma-Nnopu is a senior guard for TCU women's basketball, helping lead the team to its first Elite Eight appearance.
Born in Nigeria, Emma-Nnopu grew up in Australia and played basketball at the Australian Institute of Sport.
After graduating from Stanford with a biology degree, she transferred to TCU as a graduate student.
Known for her hustle and defensive prowess, Emma-Nnopu is a key contributor to the Horned Frogs' success.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.— She was born in Nigeria. Grew up in Australia. Graduated from Stanford and found her way to TCU. Now, she's in Birmingham for women's March Madness.
Just like the timeless lyrics of Johnny Cash, senior guard Agnes Emma-Nnopu has been everywhere.
She's seemingly been everywhere on the court as she's helped power TCU to its first Elite Eight appearance.
'We call her our backbone on the team,' graduate forward Deasia Merrill said. 'She's just our hustle player. It probably doesn't come up in the stat line, but she's always hustling, always getting our rebounds, getting our dirty plays.'
Emma-Nnopu sure showed up on the stat line in TCU's Sweet 16 win over Notre Dame. She scrapped her way to seven points, seven rebounds, three blocks and two steals in a come-from-behind victory.
Who is Agnes Emma-Nnopu, TCU senior guard?
Emma-Nnopu moved to the beachside Australian town of Ocean Grove at 3. As her basketball talent bloomed, she moved a nearly eight-hour drive from home to play at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra at the age of 16.
She faced off against Australia's best at an institution that produced the likes of first-overall WNBA draft pick Lauren Jackson.
Emma-Nnopu got her defensive motor from the culture at Basketball Australia and from watching Australia's top players.
'The Australian way of play is definitely about work ethic,' Emma-Nnopu said. 'A lot of the girls I watched growing up were just competitors. I think for me it resonated in terms of maybe we're not scoring as much, maybe they're not the team's leading scorer, but they can impact the game in a lot of different ways.'
After some time with the Victoria state team while based out of the AIS, Emma-Nnopu had a new assignment. The powers that be for Basketball Australia called her up to the national team, much to her surprise.
'Honestly, I was really shocked,' said Emma-Nnopu, who was in high school at the time.
Agnes Emma-Nnopu's stats, college career
From there, she committed to Stanford, arriving during COVID and completing her entire first semester online. She graduated in three years with a bachelor's degree in biology, taking eight classes her final quarter so that she could transfer to TCU as a graduate student.
She won a national title as a Stanford freshman, playing for legendary coach Tara VanDerveer, and returned to the Final Four a year later.
Now she's anchoring the Horned Frogs' defense as TCU tries to make it to its first Final Four.
As a 5-11 guard, she was fifth in offensive rebounds last year and sixth in the conference in blocks, with 36. She continued that strong form into this season and the NCAA Tournament, posting a career-high 23 points, four rebounds and a block in the second round against Louisville.
Her teammates are far from surprised about her most recent outings.
'She doesn't get a lot of media attention for everything that she does, but we wouldn't be here without her,' graduate guard Maddie Scherr said. 'The way that she rebounds and plays defense and tips the basketball, just everything that she does is so important.
'Off the court, she is such a humble leader and warrior.'
Emma-Nnopu embodies the Australian spirit of lightheartedness. She is often quick to a joke and her friendships involve a lot of ribbing, according to her teammates.
'We call her the grandma of the team, because that's how she acts,' Merrill said.
Jokes range from her accent to her Stanford background, and she often turns them right around onto her teammates.
'I do get on her nerves a little bit,' Merrill said of her relationship with Emma-Nnopou. 'I just joke around with her, like with her accent. She's just really funny.'
Emma-Nnopu's goal is to 'be one of those people who can say they've traveled to almost every country in the world.'
For now, she'll focus on getting back to the Final Four. Everywhere else can wait.
Cooper Burke is a student in the University of Georgia's Sports Media Certificate program.