Foluke Gunderson

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Foluke Gunderson
Foluke Akinradewo (cropped).jpg
Akinradewo in 2012 with Rabita Baku
Personal information
Full nameFoluke Atinuke Gunderson
NationalityCanadian/American/Nigerian
BornFoluke Atinuke Akinradewo
(1987-10-05) October 5, 1987 (age 34)
London, Ontario, Canada
HometownFort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
Height6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight174 lb (79 kg)
Spike130 in (330 cm)
Block118 in (300 cm)
College(s)Stanford University
Volleyball information
PositionMiddle blocker
Current clubJapan Hisamitsu Springs
Career
YearsTeams
2010–2011
2011–2012
2012–2015
2015–2017
2017–2019		Japan TAB Queenseis
Russia Dinamo Krasnodar
Azerbaijan Rabita Baku
Switzerland Volero Zurich
Japan Hisamitsu Springs
National team
2003–United States United States
Honours
Women's volleyball
Representing  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo Team
Silver medal – second place 2012 London Team
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team
World Championship
Gold medal – first place 2014 Italy Team
World Cup
Silver medal – second place 2011 Japan Team
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Japan Team
World Grand Champions Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Japan Team
World Grand Prix
Gold medal – first place 2010 Ningbo Team
Gold medal – first place 2011 Macau Team
Gold medal – first place 2015 Omaha Team
Silver medal – second place 2016 Bangkok Team
FIVB Nations League
Gold medal – first place 2018 Nanjing Team
Gold medal – first place 2021 Rimini Team
Pan American Games
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Rio de Janeiro Team
Pan American Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Rosarito & Tijuana Team
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Ciudad Juárez Team
NORCECA Championship
Gold medal – first place 2011 Caguas

Foluke Atinuke Gunderson (née Akinradewo; born October 5, 1987) is an indoor volleyball player who plays as a middle blocker for Japanese club Hisamitsu Springs. Born in Canada, she represents the United States internationally. She is a participant of the Olympic Games (2012, 2016), bronze medalist of the 2016 Olympic Games, 2015 World Cup, silver medalist of the 2012 Olympic Games, and a gold medalist of the 2014 World Championship and 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix.[1] She played college women's volleyball at Stanford University. She was named Pac-10 Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008. In 2021, she became a gold medalist at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[2] in Tokyo. Her 2020 Olympics win allowed her to complete the trifecta of winning an Olympic bronze, silver, and gold medal.[3]

High school and personal life[]

Gunderson was born in London, Ontario, to Ayoola and Comfort Akinradewo. Her siblings are Folu and Foluso Akinradewo. She holds a tri-citizenship with Canada, Nigeria and the United States, and used to audition for commercials when she was little.[4]

Gunderson attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she was a three-year letter winner in volleyball and was also on the basketball and track & field teams. She was an All-American selection in 2003 and 2004 and an all-state selection in 2002, 2003 and 2004. She was named the Florida Dairy Farmers Volleyball Player of the Year in 2005. In addition to volleyball, she was an all-state selection in basketball and was a four-time Florida State Champion in track. She made her US international debut before the start of her freshman year at Stanford.[5] She helped the US win the 2004 NORCECA Continental Women's Junior Championship, and then was the starting middle blocker on the U.S. Women's Junior National Team at the 2005 FIVB World Championships.[5]

Stanford[]

Gunderson majored in human biology at Stanford University.[6]

As a freshman in 2005, she was named the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Pacific Region Freshman of the Year.[7] She was named an AVCA Second Team All-American and led the squad in hitting percentage (.397), a mark which ranked third in the Pac-10, 13th in the nation and third for a single-season in school history. In 2006, she was named to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team as she led Stanford to an NCAA Division I runner-up finish to Nebraska. For the year, she was named a First Team All-American by the AVCA and Volleyball Magazine.[8]

In 2007, Gunderson was named the AVCA National Player of the Year[9] and was the Honda Sports Award winner for volleyball.[10][11][12] She broke the Pac-10 and Stanford single season hitting percentage record by more than 50 points, as she averaged .499 percentage, a mark that was first in the nation and second since rally-scoring was introduced in 2001. She was named to the Final Four All-Tournament Team as she led Stanford to their second consecutive Division I national runner-up finish to Penn State. As a senior in 2008, Gunderson repeated as the Pac-10 Player of the Year and got her third consecutive Honda Award nomination. She repeated as a First Team All-American and led Stanford to their third consecutive NCAA title match. She finished her collegiate career with the best career hitting efficiency (.446) of any NCAA Division I player.[5]

Club volleyball[]

Gunderson joined Toyota Auto Body Queenseis in October 2010.[13][14] In the 2010–11 V.Premier League, Gunderson was named the winner of the Spike award.[15] Gunderson won the silver medal in the 2012 FIVB Club World Championship, playing with the Azerbaijani club Rabita Baku.[16]

In 2013 Gunderson's club, Rabita Baku, won the Azerbaijan Super League Championship[17] winning their sixth title in a row.[18][19] She won the league's Best Spiker award.[20]

International career[]

2012[]

Gunderson competed for Team USA in the 2012 Summer Olympics.[21] She earned a silver medal for her efforts.[22]

2014[]

Gunderson was part of the USA national team that won the 2014 World Championship gold medal when the team defeated China 3–1 in the final match.[23][24] It was the USA's first-ever gold in any of the three major volleyball tournaments.[5]

2016[]

Gunderson was part of the US bronze medal-winning team at the 2016 Olympics.[5] She started all eight games. She was named in the 2016 Olympic Games Dream Team at middle blocker.[5]

2021[]

In May 2021, she was named to the 18-player roster for the FIVB Volleyball Nations League tournament.[25] that will be played May 25-June 24 in Rimini, Italy. It is the only major international competition before the Tokyo Olympics in July.

On June 7, 2021, US National Team head coach Karch Kiraly announced she would be part of the 12-player Olympic roster for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.[26]

Awards[]

Individual[]

College[]

  • 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)
  • Two-time NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team (2006, 2007)
  • 2008 – Volleyball Magazine National co-Player of the Year
  • 2008 – 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)
  • 2006 – Honda Award nominee
  • 2005 – AVCA Pacific Region Freshman of the Year
  • 2005 – Pac-10 Freshman of the Year

Clubs[]

References[]

  1. ^ FIVB. "USA claim third FIVB World Grand Prix title with perfect record". Retrieved August 29, 2010.
  2. ^ "Volleyball AKINRADEWO Foluke - Tokyo 2020 Olympics". .. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  3. ^ USA Volleyball [@usavolleyball] (August 8, 2021). "Saving the best for last. @JordanLarson10 & @fakinradewo now have a complete set of Olympic medals: