Bookend Bears: Ursuline Duo Has Sights Set on First State Title

Thornburg, Nnaji will each take formidable hitting proficiency to Notre Dame next year

Sophia Thornburg had already given her verbal commitment to play college volleyball at Notre Dame, following her family’s deep roots at the school.

Her Ursuline teammate, Chichi Nnaji, was more skeptical. She was being recruited by the Fighting Irish, too, but initially preferred other schools. Notre Dame coaches were persistent, but perhaps more importantly, so was Thornburg.

“That was my dream school. I had my eyes on them throughout the recruiting process,” Thornburg said. “Once I met the coaches, I knew I needed to go there.”

When the 6-foot-3 outside hitter attended a camp in South Bend, Indiana, the coaches asked her about her 6-foot-5, right-side hitting classmate. They watched Nnaji again at a national tournament for the pair’s club team, Skyline Dallas.

“I was taking a lot of calls, and it was getting kind of overwhelming,” Nnaji said. “I started talking to them again after nationals. Ultimately, I knew Notre Dame was for me.”

Before joining forces in college, however, Thornburg and Nnaji hope to lead the Bears to a first-ever TAPPS state title this fall after falling in a five-set heartbreaker in the 6A semifinals a year ago.

“Our goal is to win state,” Thornburg said. “Having a team full of seniors, everybody is really driven.”

Both of Ursuline’s hard-hitting pins are four-year varsity players, and their freshman year coincided with the arrival of head coach Caitlin Wernentin.

“They complement each other well on the court. We have a lot of aggression on both ends (of the net),” Wernentin said. “It’s been really cool to watch them grow.”

Nnaji said continuity and chemistry help to fuel the Bears. It starts on the outside, where Thornburg and Nnaji give their setters plenty of options and have each thrived since starting as middle blockers in their earlier years.

“Sophia helps me a lot and I do the same for her,” Nnaji said. “We all want to win and do what’s best for the team.”

As their skills have improved and their leadership responsibilities have expanded, their friendship has deepened, as well.

“We didn’t know each other on a personal level, but once we started playing together, we became close,” Thornburg said. “We definitely push each other to get better.”