Conspicuous on the court, senior libero Nadia Koanui showcases why she stands out — and for far more than her contrasting jersey. 

Koanui has proven to be a reliable asset for the Northeastern women’s volleyball team this season. On Sept. 1, Koanui was named the CAA’s Defensive Player of the Week, an award she has laudably earned twice before. 

While Koanui takes pride in these accomplishments, her focus is placed elsewhere. 

“I tend to block [the awards] out,” she said, adding that she has learned to grow and reinvigorate her passion for volleyball outside of her achievements. “The older I got, the more I realized … I need to stop looking at this in such a tunnel vision outlook and look at the bigger picture, which is, I’m getting the opportunity to play.” 

Liberos are often the unsung heroes of volleyball. While they may not receive plaudits from the crowd or get to hit the game-winning kill, their role as a dependable backbone is crucial for team success, and a selfless player like Koanui fits the role perfectly. 

“She gets an outstanding dig, and she is the first one to congratulate the hitter,” said graduate student outside hitter Svenja Rodenbüsch. 

Having joined the Huskies in 2024, Koanui has already made her mark both on and off the court. Last season, she ranked second in the CAA with 459 digs — an average of 4.83 digs per set. Impressively, she tallied double-digit digs in 24 matches, including six games with over 20 digs each. Off the court, her leadership is something her teammates can rely on. 

Prior to becoming a Husky, Koanui ranked eighth in digs in the Big West conference during her freshman debut at California State University, Fullerton. The libero began playing for Northeastern as a junior. 

Koanui attributes part of her success to her coaches in Hawaii, where she grew up. There, she learned the importance of ball control, aggressiveness and leadership. 

Koanui also found inspiration within the Northeastern women’s volleyball coaching staff. 

“The coaches have a lot of faith in me,” Koanui said. “They are very confident with me, and overall, we have a really good relationship, so that inspires me to be a good player because I want to do well for them and for my teammates.” 

Koanui’s versatility separates her from other players. It is one thing to save the ball from hitting the ground, but she can play more than just defense. She holds a 60% dig percentage and has accumulated 38 assists as a mainly defensive player. 

While Koanui mainly attributes her improvements to her coaches, her personal dedication off the court is one that has especially left an impression on her teammates. 

“I’ve never seen a player that has been more disciplined in [physical prehab and rehab],” Rodenbüsch said.

The coaching staff has also taken notice. Brendan McGourn, the team’s head coach, has already seen her strategic commitment to the game within his first season with the Huskies. 

“She’s the one who has studied up, knows the servers, their routines and where they like to serve,” he said. 

The team opened its season with a 3-1 win against the Saint Peter’s Peacocks, a game in which Koanui had 17 digs. 

“Every team needs a player like her, but not everyone gets it,” Rodenbüsch said, “I’m grateful to have her by my side.” 

One of Koanui’s personal highlights this season was the game against the University of New Haven. The Huskies led the first two sets but fell behind in the third and fourth, entering the fifth set facing an opposing team with high momentum. She recalled stepping into a leadership role in that moment and motivating her team to confidently win the tie-breaking set to give the Huskies the victory. 

“Nadia is our competitive captain … She leads by example. She goes hard in every drill. She will hold people accountable in the best way,” McGourn said. 

While the Northeastern women’s volleyball record of 5-6 is slightly outweighed in losses, this does not accurately reflect players’ improvements. McGourn said he’s seen significant changes in the way the team works together, and it played well against big teams like Fairfield University and the University of Connecticut despite losing 3-1 and 3-0, respectively. 

As one of the older players, Koanui is seen as a leader by many of her teammates.

“One thing my teammates like to rely on me for is emotional stability,” she said. “In our positions [as older players], we tend to be more confident in high pressure situations.”

“You’re calm next to her because you know you can trust her,” Rodenbüsch said, referring to Koanui’s leadership.

Koanui describes her final season playing volleyball as bittersweet.

“I am so excited for this season,” she said, adding that she is “ready for the next chapter.”

Koanui is looking forward to helping lead the team against Towson University Sept. 26 for the Huskies’ first home game of the season.