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Speed. Hard work. Agility. These are just a few of the strengths sophomore Olivia Ogwumike contributes to the Pepperdine women鈥檚 basketball team. This season, she brings another asset: her younger sister, Erica.

鈥淚n high school, we both had this intuition with each other,鈥� says the elder Ogwumike of playing basketball with her younger sibling, a freshman. 鈥淚 am very excited to rekindle that and grow it to a higher level at Pepperdine.鈥�

Each of the sisters, who hail from Cypress, Texas, is an excellent basketball player in her own right. Last year, Olivia, a forward, started 19 games out of 24, averaged 5.0 PPG and 3.3 RPG, and made the WCC鈥檚 All-Freshman team.

鈥淚 came in like every other freshman, not expecting to play that much,鈥� Olivia recalls of the action-packed season. 鈥淏y the grace of God, I picked up things quickly. I knew as a post player, I could rebound and play defense. At the end of the day, I knew if I did that, I was helping my team out. I was fortunate to end the year the way I did.鈥�

Women鈥檚 basketball head coach Ryan Weisenberg told ESPN he knew when Olivia signed with Pepperdine that he was getting a high-IQ player. 鈥淏ut I didn鈥檛 know she was as good as she is,鈥� he said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 gotten better each game, because she started competing with herself. She鈥檚 becoming the presence we鈥檝e lacked in the past.鈥�

Erica shares her sister鈥檚 knowledge of the game, but plays a different position: guard. Last year, she averaged 18.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. She won the state championship with her high school team, was named MVP, and chose Pepperdine over Stanford, Texas, and Rice. 鈥淓rica is one of best players in the country,鈥� enthuses Coach Weisenberg. 鈥淪he has a presence on and off the court.鈥�

Remarkably, Erica and Olivia are not the only basketball stars in their family. College basketball fans know the name Ogwumike from their older sisters Nneka and Chiney, who played together at Stanford. Both Nneka and Chiney shattered school records for points and rebounds, were number one picks in the WNBA draft, and currently play in the WNBA. Nneka plays for the Los Angeles Sparks and Chiney plays for the Connecticut Sun.

In a way, Nneka and Chiney introduced Olivia and Erica to the game. 鈥淲e were always hanging out in the gym because our older sisters played basketball,鈥� says Erica, who started playing at age 8. 鈥淲e played kid leagues and then played in middle school. Then it started getting serious in high school.鈥�

With their older sisters as their 鈥渂iggest supporters,鈥� Erica and Olivia are getting ready for their best season yet. Over the last two years, the Waves have increased their win total and look forward to moving up in the WCC.

This year鈥檚 team includes three of five starters from last season in addition to seven talented freshmen.

As one of the freshmen, Erica brings new energy and versatility to the team. 鈥淪he is explosive and very simple with her game,鈥� explains Olivia. 鈥淚 love her ability to play almost every position and her tenacity is infectious.鈥�

Perhaps tenacity runs in the family. 鈥淥livia is an excellent teammate,鈥� says Erica of her hardworking sister.

鈥淪he is willing to do whatever, whenever, in order to help our team be successful. She takes each game to heart and leaves all her emotions on the court.鈥�

While balancing an arduous training schedule and 6 AM practices, the Ogwumike sisters have scheduled rigorous course loads, as well. Olivia is majoring in psychology and is pre-med. Erica, who recently graduated valedictorian of her high school class, is majoring in pre-business administration and is also pre-med.

With a bright future ahead, Olivia talks strategy for this season. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been a defensive-minded person. Defense wins championships. If we鈥檙e a relentless, defensive-minded team I think that鈥檚 a good goal.鈥�

Erica adds, 鈥淚鈥檓 excited about seeing our progress. We鈥檙e a very cohesive team, and we鈥檙e all going to play for each other. We鈥檙e willing to sacrifice what we need in order to get the job done. Those are the mechanisms you need for an exciting season. That鈥檚 exactly what we鈥檙e going to have this year.鈥�