The 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics win secured a complete trifecta of bronze, silver, and gold medals for volleyball player Foluke Akinradewo. Born in London, Ontario, in 1987, she later emerged as a dominant force in international indoor volleyball. Her career reflects significant transitions between collegiate success at Stanford University and top-tier professional leagues across Japan, Azerbaijan, and Russia.
Formative Years and Collegiate Dominance
Akinradewo attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she lettered in volleyball, basketball, and track. By 2005, she transitioned to Stanford University, majoring in human biology. As a freshman, she earned Pac-10 Freshman of the Year honors and led the team in hitting percentage. Throughout her time at Stanford, she achieved multiple First Team All-American designations. She notably broke Pac-10 and school single-season hitting percentage records in 2007, averaging .499, and concluded her college tenure with the highest career hitting efficiency of any NCAA Division I player at .446.
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Her international club career commenced in October 2010 when she joined the Japanese team Toyota Auto Body Queenseis, where she secured the league's Spike Award. In 2012, she moved to Azerbaijan to play for Rabita Baku, earning a silver medal at the FIVB Club World Championship. While with Rabita Baku, she helped the club secure the 2013 Azerbaijan Super League Championship and was named the league's Best Spiker. Her professional journey also included stints with Dinamo Krasnodar in Russia and Voléro Zürich, before her return to Japan to represent Hisamitsu Springs.
International Competition and Olympic Success
Akinradewo maintained a long-standing tenure with the United States national team, making her international debut before her freshman year at Stanford. She played a key role in the 2014 World Championship victory, marking the first major tournament gold for the American side. Her Olympic record spans three games: earning silver in 2012, bronze in 2016, and gold in 2020. During the 2016 Rio games, she was recognized as a member of the Olympic Games Dream Team at the middle blocker position.
Fast facts
- Born: 1987, London, Ontario
- College: Stanford University
- Major: Human Biology
- Olympic Medals: Gold (2020), Silver (2012), Bronze (2016)
- 2008 Honda Sports Award: Volleyball Nominee
- 2007 AVCA National Player of the Year
- Citizenship: Canada, Nigeria, United States
- Key Club: Hisamitsu Springs
Questions readers ask
What is Foluke Akinradewo's hitting efficiency record at Stanford?
She finished her collegiate career at Stanford with a .446 hitting efficiency, the best in NCAA Division I history at that time.
Which international clubs did she play for?
Her club career included Toyota Auto Body Queenseis, Dinamo Krasnodar, Rabita Baku, Voléro Zürich, and Hisamitsu Springs.
Achievements
- Represented Hisamitsu Springs, United States women's national volleyball team and VC Dinamo Krasnodar
- Competed at volleyball at the 2012 Summer Olympics – women's tournament, volleyball at the 2016 Summer Olympics – women's tournament and volleyball at the 2020 Summer Olympics – women's tournament
- Discipline: volleyball
