Amber Nu'u

TCU

Nov 13 (Thu)

7 PM

Position:
Outside Hitter
Height:
5-11
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Aurora, Colo.
High School:
Smoky Hill

Amber Nu’u will return to the Buffaloes’ line-up after taking a medical redshirt in 2005. In 2004, she had several big performances during CU’s run to the NCAA Tournament in 2004 that has helped her prepare for a key role on the team.

As a Junior in 2005

Nu’u was a redshirt in 2005.

As a Sophomore in 2004

Nu’u stepped into a starting spot for the final nine matches of the season after a shoulder injury sidelined Maragda Santillana. During that nine-match span she hit .235 and averaged 2.8 kills and a pair of digs per game. She recorded career highs with 17 kills, a .556 hitting percentage (17k-2e-27att) and three blocks in CU’s home win over Oklahoma (11/13) that avenged an early season loss in Norman. Three days earlier against No. 16 Kansas State (11/10), she registered 16 kills and had eight digs. Nu’u had double digits in kills four times as a sophomore, all in the last six matches of the season. She also had a pair of double digit dig performances, including a season-high 12 against Texas Tech in her first start of the final stretch.

As a Freshman in 2003

Nu’u served as the team’s libero in nine matches as a freshman, including the final seven of the season. She played outside hitter in the other 15 matches she appeared in, recording seven starts. Nu’u had a memorable first match at the Coors Events Center, registering seven kills on eight attacks with no errors for an .875 hitting percentage against Oregon (9/12). Established career-highs with 19 kills on 36 attacks and 19 digs at Texas A&M (9/24). Had double-digit digs seven times in 2003 with five of them coming in the final 10 matches. She made her collegiate debut against Southeast Missouri State (8/29) at the Maine Sea-Sun Invitational ending with two kills.

High School

As a middle at Overland High School her freshman year, she received her first of three straight second-team all-state honors after pacing the Trailblazers to a 15-11 record. She transferred to Smoky Hill and switched to the outside for the remainder of her prep career where she added second team All-Centennial League honors in 1999 and 2000, first team recognition in 2001, Class-5A Best-of-the-Best recognition as an outside her sophomore season and was the 2001 Colorado 5A State Tournament MVP and all-tournament as a junior. Both Denver daily’s named her first-team All-Colorado in 2001. The transfer paid off as the Buffaloes were back-to-back Class 5A state champions in 2001 and 2002, with a combined record of 60-3 those two seasons. She sat out what would have been her senior season with a bulging disk in her back. Nu’u played for a Front Range Club team that won the 18 Open National Championship in Salt Lake City in 2002 and the Far Western Qualifier in Reno as well as taking the Rocky Mountain Regional Championship.

Personal

Born Jan. 23, 1985, in Bakersfield, Calif., Amber Lee Nu’u is the oldest of Joe and Lisa Nu’u’s three children. She is three minutes older than twin sister Ashley, a senior setter for the Buffs, as the two are just the second set of twins to play at CU following Sylvie and Josee Roberge (1997-01). Her 14-year-old brother will be in the ninth grade. Her hobbies including reading (her favorite author is Francine Rivers) and going to the movies.

Academics

Nu’u is a sociology major at Colorado and is interested in pursuing a career as a neo-natal nurse.