University of Colorado Athletics
Volleyball Signs Four to NLI
November 20, 2002
Nov. 21, 2002
BOULDER - Four players signed National Letters of Intent to study and play volleyball at the University of Colorado, head coach Pi'i Aiu announced Thursday. Lara Bossow, twin sisters Amber and Ashley Nu'u, and Austin Zimmerman will join the CU volleyball squad as the class of 2003.
"I am so pleased with our incoming recruiting class," Aiu said. "We have built up a history of having very talented recruiting classes, and the 2003 group is no exception. They will address a lot of our needs. Lara is a big, physical player, Amber has great ball control, Ashley is one of the best setters in the country, and Austin is an opposite with some size and good ball control skills. I believe that all four will have the potential to impact our program very early in their careers."
Bossow, a 6-0 outside hitter from Vail Mountain School in Vail, Colo., and Avalanche Volleyball Club, plans to play with the Front Range Volleyball Club in Denver, Colo., this upcoming season. She will bring three All-Conference awards and a 2002 VMS Player-of-the-Year award when she comes to Boulder next fall. She helped her high school team to a 62-27 record in the last four years as she garnered All-Colorado recognition and VMS qualified for the state tournament in 2001. Bossow chose Colorado over Texas, Wisconsin, Colorado State, Missouri, California, and San Diego.
The Nu'u sisters helped lead Front Range Volleyball Club to the 18 and under National Championship in July of 2002 and they won back-to-back Colorado State Championships with Smoky Hill High School in 2001 and 2002. Smoky Hill accumulated an 81-5 overall record with the help of the Nu'u sisters in the last three seasons.
Amber Nu'u, a 5-11 outside hitter, brought home second team All-Centennial League honors in 1999 and 2000, first team All-Centennial League honors in 2001, and was selected the Most Valuable Player of the State Tournament in 2001. Amber was an All-Colorado first team selection as selected by the Denver Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Post in 2001 and she was a member of the High Performance Training Team in 1999. Amber chose CU over Baylor, Pacific, Colorado State, California, and Florida State.
Ashley Nu'u, a 5-10 setter, comes to Boulder as one of the most intensely recruited preps in her class.
"Not only have we been very fortunate to bring in excellent recruits overall, but we have been exceptionally fortunate to sign some of the top setters in the country," Aiu said. "Kelly Campbell, Elizabeth Gower, and Allison Barnes were all very intensely pursued from schools around the nation, and Ashley Nu'u definitely belongs in that same category. She will probably be the No. 2 player in the entire 2003 recruiting class, so we're obviously very excited to have her here."
Ashley was voted the Colorado Player of the Year by both the Denver Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Post in 2001 and 2002. She received first team Centennial League honors following all four of her prep seasons as she was voted to the All-Tournament Team at the State Tournament in 2001 and 2002. Ashley captained USA Volleyball's Junior National Team in 2002 and also played on the team in 2001. Ashley was also recruited by the Southern California, Colorado State, Michigan State, Arizona and Arizona State.
"I selected Colorado because of the great coaching staff and everything the program has to offer," Ashley Nu'u said. "Playing with my twin sister and being close to home were also major and critical parts of my decision. I can't wait to be a Buff and I look forward to being a part of this awesome program."
Zimmerman, a 6-0 opposite player from Lewis and Clarke High School in Spokane, Wash., and Spokane Splash Volleyball Club, helped lead Lewis and Clarke to an undefeated regular season in 2002 as they went 13-0 (37-4 overall), bringing home district and regional championship titles and a third place state finish. Zimmerman was voted Best Hitter in 2000 and MVP of the Spokane Splash in 2002, as the club team took fifth at nationals in the open division. Zimmerman chose the Buffs over Northwestern, Ohio State, North Carolina, Arizona, and Washington State.
The Buffs are currently 13-14 overall and 7-10 in the Big 12 Conference as they prepare for their final three regularly scheduled matches of the season. They will face Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23 before returning home to play their final home contest on Wed., Nov. 27, against Baylor at the Coors Events/Conference Center in Boulder. First serve is slated for 7 p.m.
