U.S. Olympic Athletes

Jennifer Bonilla

  • Home:  Reseda, California
  • Birth Year:  1992

Position: Libero
Height: 5-8
Weight: 150
Hometown/Residence: Reseda, California/Reseda, California
Birth Date: Feb. 26, 1992
Club Team: Sports Shack 18-1 (Beverly Hills, Calif.)
High School/Grad Year: Marymount High School (Los Angeles, Calif.)/2010
College Status: Signed with University Illinois

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2010 – NORCECA Women’s Junior (U-20) Continental Championship (Gold). 2009 - FIVB Girls' Youth World Championship (12th). 2008 – NORCECA Girls’ Youth Continental Championship (Gold).

USA VOLLEYBALL HIGHLIGHTS: 2011 – Selected for the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team that will compete at the FIVB Women’s Junior World Championship…Member of the U.S. Women’s National A2 Program and captured the gold medal at the USA Volleyball Open National Championships in the Women’s Open Division. 2010 – Named to U.S. Women’s Junior National Team…Served as the libero for the squad that won the NORCECA Women’s Junior (U-20) Continental Championship…Averaged 3.33 digs per set at NORCECA event for second place among all players…Added 31 excellent receptions. 2009 – Selected to the U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team and was libero for the squad that played at the FIVB Girls’ Youth World Championship in Thailand. 2008 – Part of gold-medal winning team which won the gold medal at the NORCECA Girls’ Youth Continental Championship, which qualified the U.S. into the 2009 FIVB World Championship. Named Best Libero at NORCECA Girls’ Youth Continental Championship with a tournament-leading 61.76 passing/receiving success percentage, 4.33 digs per set (third highest in tournament) and 53.62 passing efficiency (third highest in tournament) on 69 attempts…Participated in travel opportunity to Europe to participate on U.S. Girls’ Youth Team between December 2008 and January 2009. 2007 – Helped USA Select A1 Red Team win the gold medal at the USA Volleyball High Performance Championship in the Junior International Division, while earning the Best Passer award in the event. 2006 – Selected to the USA Select A1 Camp and assisted her squad to the silver medal in the USA Volleyball High Performance Youth International Division. 2005 – Selected to attend the USA Volleyball High Performance Girls’ National A2 roster. 2004 – Named to the USA Volleyball High Performance Girls’ National A1 roster.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2010 - Named to the All-Big Ten Freshman team in her first season playing at the University of Illinois…Selected AVCA All-Mideast Honorable Mention…Ranked second in the Big Ten in digs with 4.83 per set and tallied 623 digs to break the school’s single season record.

CLUB/PREP HIGHLIGHTS: 2010 – Libero for Sports Shack, which won USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships 18 Open Division in Reno, Nev…Named to all-tournament team of 18 Open Division at USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships. 2009 – Named ESPN First-Team All-American…Tabbed to PrepVolleyall.com’s All-Decade Team 2000-2010…Chosen All-CIF Southern Section Second Team…Selected Sunshine League MVP while playing for Marymount High School…Selected to PrepVolleyball.com’s 100 Senior Aces…Tabbed to Durango Fall Classic All-Tournament Team. 2008 – Named All-CIF Division I Team…Selected to Volleyball Magazine’s 30 Underclassmen to Watch. 2007 – Was named Best Passer while competing in the Women’s Junior International Division of the USA Volleyball High Performance Championships… Named All-Tournament after assisting SCVC Elite to 15 Open Division gold medal at the USA Junior Olympic Girls’ Volleyball Championships. 2006 –Helped Marymount High School to CIF and California State titles…Named to PrepVolleyball.com’s Top 59 Freshman list. 2001 – Began playing club volleyball with En Fuego.

PERSONAL: Born Jennifer Alexandra Bonilla on Feb. 26, 1992, in Los Angeles, Calif… Mother is Antonia Bonilla and Godfather is Gustavo Beltran, Jr.… Godbrother is Isaiah Beltran (2001)…Hobbies include art, singing, music and shopping…Favorite food is sushi…Favorite book is A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections on and off the Court by John Wooden…Favorite musical categories are Hip-Hop, Rap and R&B…Favorite professional team is Los Angeles Lakers…Favorite athlete is Kobe Bryant…Favorite musicians are Jay-Z and Drake…Favorite movie is The Hangover…Favorite actress si Sandra Bullock…Most admired person is Jackie Robinson because “his story is so inspiring in certain ways I feel like I can relate to him. Hearing his story gives me strength.”…Happiest moment in life was committing to University of Illinois.

INTERESTING NOTE: “My mother is from El Salvador, and I was born and raised in the inner city of Los Angeles. Being named as one of the twelve on a USA roster is such an honor, and an honor that I share with my own community. People are always looking for something to believe in, something to give them hope. There are children in my community who don’t know what lies beyond the streets of Los Angeles, and feel as if there’s nothing for them out there in the world. I believe that being an example for children in my community gives them the hope that it is possible to attain the impossible; a strong mind and heart will get you there.”

Last updated: July 13, 2011