Most Notable

• Bronze medalist at 2016 Olympic Games where she started all eight matches, registering 104 points for fifth overall and third in blocking with 0.56 blocks per set
• Named to 2016 Olympic Games Dream Team at middle blocker
• 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
• Converted 48.5 percent of attacks during five 2015 FIVB World Grand Prix starts while averaging 3.28 points per set
• Helped U.S. Women to 2012 Olympic Games silver medal after averaging 3.33 points per set (10th best overall), was second-best blocker in 2012 Olympics with 0.89 per set and converted 61.2 percent of attacks into points (.495 hitting efficiency)
• Named MVP and Best Blocker of 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix as she helped U.S. win its first of three consecutive titles of the premier annual women's international volleyball event
• Ranked third in Best Blocker and converted 59.0 percent of attacks at 2011 FIVB World Cup where the U.S. finished with the medal and qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION:
2018 - FIVB Volleyball Nations League (Gold) ... FIVB World Championship (5th Place)
2017 - USA Volleyball Cup vs. Brazil ... FIVB World Grand Champions Cup (Bronze)
2016 - NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament (Gold)...FIVB World Grand Prix (Silver)...Olympic Games (Bronze).
2015 - USA Volleyball Cup vs. China...FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)...FIVB World Cup (Bronze)...NORCECA Championship (Gold)
2014 - USA Volleyball Cup vs. Brazil...FIVB World Grand Prix (5th Preliminary Round)...FIVB World Championship (Gold)
2012 - FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round...Olympic Games (Silver).
2011 - Montreux Volley Masters (Fourth)...Pan American Cup (Bronze)...FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)...NORCECA Championship (Gold)...FIVB World Cup (Silver).
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).

Did You Know

• Holds tri-citizenship with Canada, Nigeria and the United States
• Made international debut in 2005 at Pan American Cup prior to the start of her freshman season at Stanford University
• Unlike most top volleyball players, did not play club volleyball as a youth
• Four-time AVCA All-American from 2005-2008 and three-time first-team selection; Earned AVCA Division I Player of the Year as a junior in 2007
• Finished collegiate career with the best career hitting efficiency (.446) of any NCAA Division I player
• Starting middle blocker on the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team that competed in the 2005 FIVB World Championships in Turkey after helping U.S. win gold in the 2004 NORCECA Continental Women’s Junior Championship.
• Has many nicknames, but teammates call her 'Luke'
• Graduated from Stanford University with a degree in human biology
• Parents are Avoola and Comfort Akinradewo
• Brothers are Foluso and Fiyinfolu Akinradewo
• Married Jonathan Gunderson in 2018; son Olukayode Ayodele was born in 2019

Most Admired Person: Her parents because "They sacrificed everything by leaving their family in Nigeria to provide a better life for their children in North America."

Path to the Podium

• Started playing volleyball in 2002
• Unlike most top volleyball players, did not play club volleyball as a youth
• Starting middle on the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team that competed in the 2005 FIVB Women’s U20 World Championship in Turkey after leading the team to gold in the 2004 NORCECA Women’s U20 Continental Championship
• Made U.S. senior national team debut in 2005 during Pan American Cup prior to her starting her four-year collegiate career at Stanford where she was a four-time AVCA All-American
• Named MVP and Best Blocker of 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix as she led U.S. to gold
• 2014 FIVB World Championship Gold Medalist
• 2016 Olympic Games Dream Team at middle blocker
• Two-Time Olympic Medalist (Silver in 2012, Bronze in 2016)

The Big Blurb
What makes volleyball your favorite sport? "Volleyball is one of the few team sports where every single person on the court has an impact on the outcome. The ball can come to you at any time, so complete focus is required. The sport represents "team" in every sense of the word. Also, I have so much fun playing and growing in this sport every day, that I always want to come back for more."

Related Links

• FloVolleyball.tv: Social Sushi with Foluke Akinradewo (Sept. 26, 2018)
• Pac-12 Network: Volleyball Sort of Fell into Akinradewo's Lap, and Now One of the Greatest Players (Aug. 12, 2016)
• SF Gate: Stanford's Akinradewo, Cal's Lloyd on Olympic Volleyball Team (July 13, 2016)
• Sun-Sentinel Article: Olympian Akinradewo Surprises St. Thomas Volleyball Team
• The McCarthy Project Podcast: Foluke Akinradewo on Life as a Student First, Athlete Second
• Fan Highlight Video of Foluke Akinradewo at 2011 FIVB World Cup