Foluke Gunderson facts for kids

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Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson

Akinradewo in 2012 with Rabita Baku

Personal information

Full name

Foluke Atinuke Gunderson

Nationality

Canadian/American/Nigerian

Born

Foluke Atinuke Akinradewo
October 5, 1987 (age 37)
London, Ontario, Canada

Hometown

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.

Height

6 ft 3 in (191 cm)

Spike

130 in (330 cm)

Block

118 in (300 cm)

College(s)

Stanford University

Volleyball information

Position

Middle blocker

Number

Career

Years	Teams
2010–2011 2011–2012 2012–2015 2015–2017 2017–2019	TAB Queenseis Dinamo Krasnodar Rabita Baku Volero Zurich Hisamitsu Springs

National team

2005–2021

United States

Honours

Women's volleyball

Representing United States
Olympic Games
Gold	2020 Tokyo	Team
Silver	2012 London	Team
Bronze	2016 Rio de Janeiro	Team
World Championship
Gold	2014 Italy	Team
World Cup
Silver	2011 Japan	Team
Bronze	2015 Japan	Team
World Grand Champions Cup
Bronze	2017 Japan	Team
World Grand Prix
Gold	2010 Ningbo	Team
Gold	2011 Macau	Team
Gold	2015 Omaha	Team
Silver	2016 Bangkok	Team
FIVB Nations League
Gold	2018 Nanjing	Team
Gold	2021 Rimini	Team
Pan American Games
Bronze	2007 Rio de Janeiro	Team
Pan American Cup
Bronze	2010 Rosarito & Tijuana	Team
Bronze	2011 Ciudad Juárez	Team
NORCECA Championship
Gold	2011 Caguas

Foluke Atinuke Gunderson (born October 5, 1987) is a famous indoor volleyball player. She is known for her strong play as a middle blocker. Foluke plays for the Japanese club Hisamitsu Springs. Even though she was born in Canada, she plays for the United States in international games.

Foluke has won many big awards with the U.S. national team. She earned a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. This win was special because it meant she had won an Olympic bronze, silver, and gold medal in her career! She also won gold at the 2014 World Championship and the Rimini Volleyball Nations League. She also has a silver medal from the 2012 London Summer Olympics and a bronze from the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Early Life and High School Sports
- High School Achievements
College Volleyball Career at Stanford
Playing for Clubs Around the World
International Career with Team USA
Awards and Honors
Clubs Foluke Played For

Early Life and High School Sports

Foluke Gunderson was born in London, Ontario, Canada. Her parents are Ayoola and Comfort Akinradewo. She has two siblings, Folu and Foluso. Foluke has three citizenships: Canadian, Nigerian, and American. When she was younger, she even tried out for commercials!

Foluke went to St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. There, she was a star athlete in many sports. She played volleyball for three years and was also on the basketball and track & field teams.

High School Achievements

In volleyball, she was named an All-American in 2003 and 2004.
She was also an all-state player in 2002, 2003, and 2004.
In 2005, she was named the Florida Dairy Farmers Volleyball Player of the Year.
She was also an all-state player in basketball.
In track, she won four Florida State Championships.

Foluke started playing for the U.S. international team even before college. She helped the U.S. win the 2004 NORCECA Continental Women's Junior Championship. Then, she was a starting player for the U.S. Women's Junior National Team at the 2005 FIVB World Championships.

College Volleyball Career at Stanford

Foluke Gunderson studied human biology at Stanford University. She was an amazing player for the Stanford volleyball team.

Freshman Year (2005)

She was named the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year.
She was also the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Pacific Region Freshman of the Year.
Foluke was named an AVCA Second Team All-American.
She led her team in hitting percentage, which was one of the best in the country.

Sophomore Year (2006)

She was named to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team.
She helped Stanford reach the NCAA Division I championship game.
For the year, she was named a First Team All-American by the AVCA.

Junior Year (2007)

Foluke was named the AVCA National Player of the Year.
She also won the Honda Sports Award for volleyball.
She set new records for hitting percentage in the Pac-10 and at Stanford.
She helped Stanford reach the national championship game for the second year in a row.

Senior Year (2008)

Foluke was named the Pac-10 Player of the Year again.
She was nominated for the Honda Award for the third time.
She was a First Team All-American again.
She led Stanford to their third straight NCAA championship match.
She finished her college career with the best hitting efficiency of any NCAA Division I player ever.

Playing for Clubs Around the World

After college, Foluke played for many professional volleyball clubs in different countries.

In October 2010, she joined Toyota Auto Body Queenseis in Japan.
She won the Spike award in the 2010–11 V.Premier League.
In 2012, she won a silver medal at the FIVB Club World Championship with the Azerbaijani club Rabita Baku.
In 2013, her club, Rabita Baku, won the Azerbaijan Super League Championship. This was their sixth title in a row! Foluke also won the league's Best Spiker award.

International Career with Team USA

Foluke has been a key player for the U.S. National Team for many years.

2012 London Olympics

Foluke competed for Team USA at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She helped her team win a silver medal.

2014 World Championship Gold

Foluke was part of the U.S. team that won the gold medal at the 2014 World Championship. They beat China 3–1 in the final match. This was the first time the U.S. had ever won gold in one of the three biggest volleyball tournaments!

2016 Rio Olympics Bronze

Foluke was part of the U.S. team that won a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics. She played in all eight games and was named one of the best middle blockers in the 2016 Olympic Games Dream Team.

2021 Olympic Gold

In May 2021, Foluke was chosen for the U.S. team for the FIVB Volleyball Nations League tournament in Italy. This was an important competition before the Tokyo Olympics.

On June 7, 2021, the U.S. National Team coach, Karch Kiraly, announced that Foluke would be on the 12-player Olympic team for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. At these Olympics, Foluke and her team won the gold medal, making her an Olympic champion!

Awards and Honors

Foluke Gunderson has received many awards throughout her career.

Individual Awards

2010 FIVB World Grand Prix "Most Valuable Player"
2010 FIVB World Grand Prix "Best Blocker"
2010–2011 Japanese V.League "Spike Award"
2012-13 Azerbaijan Super League "Best Spiker"
2016 Olympic Games "Best Middle Blocker"
2016 FIVB Club World Championship "Best Middle Blocker"
2017-2018 Japanese V.League Division 1 "Spike Award"
2018-2019 Japanese V.League "Best Middle Blocker"
2018-2019 Japanese V.League "Most Valuable Player"

College Awards

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

National Team Medals

2010 Pan-American Volleyball Cup (Bronze)
2010 FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)
2011 Pan-American Volleyball Cup (Bronze)
2011 Women's NORCECA Volleyball Continental Championship (Gold)
2011 FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)
2011 FIVB Women's World Cup (Silver)
2012 FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)
2012 Summer Olympics (Silver)
2013 FIVB World Grand Champions Cup (Silver)
2013 Women's NORCECA Volleyball Continental Championship (Gold)
2014 FIVB World Championship (Gold)
2015 FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)
2015 FIVB Women's World Cup (Bronze)
2015 Women's NORCECA Volleyball Continental Championship (Gold)
2016 Women's NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament (Gold)
2016 FIVB World Grand Prix (Silver)
2016 Summer Olympics (Bronze)
2017 FIVB World Grand Champions Cup (Bronze)
2018 FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League (Gold)
2019 FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League (Gold)
2019 FIVB Women's Volleyball Intercontinental Olympic Qualifications Tournament (IOQT) (Gold - Qualified)
2019 FIVB Women's World Cup (Silver)
2019 Women's NORCECA Volleyball Continental Championship (Silver)
2021 FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League (Gold)
2020 2020 Summer Olympics (Gold)

Clubs Foluke Played For

Toyota Auto Body Queenseis (2010–2011)
Dinamo Krasnodar (2011–2012)
Rabita Baku (2012–2015)
Voléro Zürich (2015–2017)
Hisamitsu Springs (2017–2019)
Hisamitsu Springs (2020–2021)

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