Jennifer Saleaumua Bridge Club Volleyball Coach

Coach's First Name: 

Jennifer

Coach's Last Name: 

Saleaumua

College: 

Nebraska

Profile: 

Honors and Awards • Two-Time AVCA All-American • Three-Time AVCA All-Central Region • Four-Time All-Big 12 • Two-Time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (2004-2005) • 2005 NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team • 2005 NCAA Omaha Regional All-Tournament Team • 2005 USA Volleyball A2 National Team member • 2005 InfoUSA/Arby’s Players Challenge All-Tournament Team • 2002 US Bank/Arby’s Classic All-Tournament Team • Big 12 Player of the Week (Oct. 25, 2004) Saleaumua enjoyed an impressive high school career at Bonita Vista High School for Coach Carolyn Taeatafa-Hudson • Named Volleyball Magazine’s National High School Player of the Year in 2000 after guiding Bonita Vista to a 43-0 record, the 2000 CIF state championships and a No. 1 national ranking • Set a CIF record for single-match kills with 57 in the state championship match • Selected as the San Diego Union-Tribune Co-Female Athlete of the Year, the California Interscholastic Federation Player of the Year, the California Gatorade Player of the Year, the Paul Mitchell All-American Player of the Year and the Metro League MVP as a senior • Competed for the Coast Volleyball club, winning the USVBA silver medal in the 17-and-under division in 1999 and the bronze medal in the 17 open division the following year • Also played three seasons of basketball at Bonita Vista After being highly recruited, Jennifer landed in Lincoln, Nebraska. One of the most versatile players in Nebraska school history, Jennifer Saleaumua helped redefine the outside hitter position at Nebraska. A two-time AVCA All-American, she finished her career with 1,247 kills and a school-record 1,568 digs and one of only two players in school history to total both 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in a career. Saleaumua finished ninth on NU’s career list with 1,247 kills and totaled 40 double-doubles in 131 career matches. As a senior, she averaged 2.33 kills and 3.76 digs per game, leading all Big 12 outside hitters in digs per game. Saleaumua closed out her career in fine fashion with 12 kills on .545 hitting and nine digs in the national championship match against Washington. A four-year starter, she earned All-Big 12 honors in each of her four seasons at NU, and was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in both 2004 and 2005. She helped Nebraska to the NCAA finals against the Washington Huskies, although they finished runner-up in 2005 Jennifer lead the nation and set a school record, as opponents hit just .105 against the Huskers. Shortly after the loss to the Huskies in the final, Jennifer made the decision to go play professionally in Puerto Rico. A tough decision as on of Jen’s goals was to become the first female in her family to graduate college, she took the risk of leaving college for another time and going to play in the international professional arena. Jennifer played for the Mayaguez Indians. After one season in Puerto Rico, she returned to Nebraska to finish school and earn her degree. Comes from impressive bloodlines, as her uncle is former Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Dan Saleaumua and her aunts are former volleyball stand-outs. Today, Jennifer works for Southwest Airlines and enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

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