« Women’s Basketball 2010-11

Ify Ibekwe

School
Arizona
Position
Forward
Major
Psychology
PPG
13.8
RPG
9.8
APG
2.0

Classroom

Ibekwe is on pace to graduate in May 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

Character

Ibekwe is the epitome of the team player. In addition to making herself a better player, she is constantly pushing her teammates to become better. She is motivating, dedicated and conscientious. Ibekwe is a leader on and off the court, leading by example and with her voice. She provides a model example for her teammates on how to balance academics and athletics and being successful in both.

Community

Ibekwe’s community service work includes weekly trips to the Tucson Boys & Girls Club, autograph sessions at athletics events, visiting Tucson’s University Medical Center and attending events for the Southern Arizona Network for Down Syndrome. Additionally, this season Ibekwe and the Arizona women’s basketball team have “adopted” a small girl, Makayla, who is battling brain cancer. Ibekwe and the team invite Makayla to events and games and have given her team gear and a locker in their locker room.

Competition

Ibekwe is a two-time All-Pac-10 and Pac-10 all-defensive team member while also being chosen as the 2009-10 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year by the league’s media members. During the 2009-10 season, she became the program’s single-season record holder for rebounds with 352. Her career rebounding average of 10.5 is also the tops in Arizona history. In 2009-10, Ibekwe led the Pac-10 in rebounding with 11.4 rebounds per game, good for ninth in the NCAA. She also tallied 18 double-doubles on the season, which was 15th in the nation. She set single-game career bests for points, rebounds, assists and steals during the season.