Black History Month: URI Women’s Volleyball reflects on childhood, becoming program’s first Black head coach

"Black history to me means prosperity. It means overcoming struggle overcoming battles but seeing the other side," Agu said in a sit-down with ABC6 News reporter Dominique Turner. "In a colloquial term, it means making it happen."

February 9, 2022 11:33 am

Dominique Turner,

KINGSTON, R.I. (WLNE)- Angel Agu, head coach of Women’s Volleyball at the University of Rhode Island, is no stranger to firsts. As the first female head coach, first Black head coach in program history, and first generation U.S. citizen.

“Black history to me means prosperity. It means overcoming struggle overcoming battles but seeing the other side,” Agu said in a sit-down with ABC6 News reporter Dominique Turner. “In a colloquial term, it means making it happen.”

Agu grew up in a Nigerian household filled with culture and tradition. But away from home, she felt she always looked different from her classmates and teammates.

Athletically, Agu soared in a five-year career at Atlantic 10 powerhouse, the University of Dayton, ending her career as a two-year team captain and four time A10 champion.

Agu found herself on one of the biggest stages in volleyball four times, the NCAA Tournament.

https://twitter.com/rhodyvball/status/1486831072034050048?s=20&t=P-Qe3jORF_k2I-eJB3yJWQ

Accomplishments aside, Agu still found herself dealing with microaggressions on and off the court.

“Different things like you’re pretty for a black girl or whatever that may be, or being you know, being put on a team just because they assume you’re just athletic and that’s it,” she told Turner. “In college, I had someone tell me you are the whitest black girl I know. To be able to articulate that at that time and that age what does that mean? Can you explain that to me?”

As a young athlete, seeing Black coaches and players piqued Agu’s interest, and made her picture herself in their shoes one day.

“Historically now, in 1966 Doctor Martin Luther king Junior spoke here in Keaney Gym. Ironically, this is your home court. How can you even wrap your head around something like that?” Turner asked Agu.

“I literally have goosebumps every single time, every single time,” Agu responded. “This is our home, this is where we call our home, and to be a Black female leading this program in a space where he opened the doors for me…words can’t even describe how that feels.”