Foluke Akinradewo 2-Time Olympian And American Super Middle Blocker  

Foluke Akinradewo represented the US where she has grown up to become an American super middle blocker with two Olympic medals among her numerous achievements.

Foluke Akinradewo on how she likes to be on the court....

"....I want to be remembered as someone who just made other people happy. "

Foluke born on October 5, 1987 in Canada has tri-citizenship in Canada, Nigeria and America .

Foluke chose to represent the United States where she has grown up to become an American super middle blocker with two Olympic medals among her numerous achievements.

Foluke attended Saint Thomas Aquinas high school in Florida where she ran track, played basketball and volleyball before  becoming a scholarship athlete at Stanford University.

Foluke finished her collegiate career with the best career hitting efficiency (.446) of any NCAA Division I player

• 2005 – AVCA Pacific Region Freshman of the Year

• 2005 – Pac-10 Freshman of the Year

• 2006 – Honda Award nominee

• 2008 – Pac-10 Player of the Year

• 2007 – AVCA National Player of the Year

• 2007 – Pac-10 Player of the Year

• 2007 – Honda Award winner for volleyball

• 2007 – NCAA Stanford Regional MVP

• 2007 – Pac-10 Player of the Week (Oct. 1)

• Two-time NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team (2006, 2007)

• Four-time AVCA All-American (2005, second team; 2006–08, first team)

• Three-time Volleyball Magazine first team All-American (2006–08)

• Four-time All-Pac-10 team (2005–08)

• 2008 – Volleyball Magazine National co-Player of the Year

• 2008 – Honda Award nominee

Akinradewo has appeared in two Olympic tournaments wearing the American red white and blue jersey.

• 2016 Olympic Games (Bronze Medal)

• Named to 2016 Olympic Games Dream Team as one of the best middle blockers in the Olympic Games

• 2012 Olympic Games (Silver Medal)

• Second-best blocker in 2012 Olympics with 0.89 per set and converted 61.2 percent of attacks into points (.495 hitting efficiency)

• Ranked third Best Blocker at the 2011 FIVB World Cup

World Championship Experience

• Averaged 2.50 points with a .412 hitting efficiency during the 2014 FIVB World Championship helping USA to their first-ever gold in any of the three major tournaments.

• Named MVP and Best Blocker of 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix as she led U.S. to gold

• 2014 FIVB World Championship Gold Medalist

• Starting middle on the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team that competed in the 2005 FIVB Women’s U20 World Championship in Turkey

• 2010 - Pan American Cup (Bronze)...FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)...Tour of Brazil...FIVB World Championship (Fourth).

• 2009 - FIVB World Grand Prix (9th).

• 2008 - USA Tour of China...U.S. Olympic Team Exhibition for Volleyball versus Brazil…FIVB World Grand Prix (Fourth Place).

• 2007 - Pan American Games (Bronze Medal).

• 2005 - Pan American Cup (Fourth)

Akinradewo has and continues to compete for several of the most important professional volleyball club teams in the world including:

• Japan - TAB Queenseis  

• Russia - Dinamo Krasnodar  

• Azerbaijan - Rabita Baku                           
• Switzerland - Volero Zurich                     
• Japan - Hisamitsu Springs

MVP of 2016 Club World Championships

Did you know that Foluke....

1. Started playing volleyball in 2002.

2. Joined the women’s national team before starting her collegiate career

3. Her first international debut was at the 2005 Pan American Cup which occurred before she began her first year at Stanford University

4. Unlike most volleyball stars, she did not play club football as a youth

5. Has many nicknames but teammates call her "Luke"

6. Voted "Best Middle Blocker" in the 2016 Olympic Games and "Best Middle Blocker" in the 2016 Club FIVB World Championships

Foluke Akinradewo was asked during an interview about her first week of training…

“I was just awful, and I was sore in areas I didn’t know I could be sore. When I thought about volleyball I thought about picnics and barbecues, really chill, but it definitely wasn’t, so it was kind of a rude awakening, but I think the challenge of it kept me going.”

Foluke on representing the USA

"Anytime I get to represent the USA its such an honor because I'm doing it for the sacrifices they (her parents) made and I get to represent people who look like me, who think like me who have the same dreams as me and who have huge aspirations. Its huge responsibility but I take great pride in it. "

-Foluke Akinradewo

MVP of the 2016 FIVB Club World Championships interview

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