@fullname - Athletics - University of Minnesota Athletics

Photo by: Brad Rempel

Phoebe Awoleye

Class:
Graduate Student
Position:
Middle Blocker
Height:
6-2
High School:
Walton
Hometown:
Marietta, Ga.
Prev School:
LMU/Georgia
Major:
Master's in Sports Management

PRONUNCIATION

HONORS & AWARDS:
Academic All-Big Ten (2024)
All-WCC First Team (2022)
All-Big Ten Second Team (2024)
AVCA All-Northwest Region (2024)
Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge All-Tournament (2023)
Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge Best Blocker Award (2023)
Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 14, Dec. 2, 2024)
Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (2024-25)
Capital Credit Union Classic All-Tournament Team (2024)
CSC Academic All-District (2024)
Pacific South All-Region Honorable Mention (2022)
Ranks No. 3 among all active Division I players in career blocks (644)
Ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten during conference play with 1.64 blocks per set (2024)
Ranked No. 2 in the Big Ten in blocks per set (1.48) during all games (2024)
Ranked No. 6 all-time for a single season in Gophers history with 1.48 bps (2024)
Ranked No. 10 in the country in blocks per set (1.48) in 2024
SEC All-Freshman Team (2020-21)
SEC Academic Honor Roll (2020)
Tied the Minnesota school single match record with 14 blocks vs. Maryland on Oct. 12 (2024)

FEATURES
Get to Know Phoebe Awoleye

2024 • REDSHIRT SENIOR SEASON:
AVCA All-Northwest Region • All-Big Ten Second Team • Capital Credit Union Classic All-Tournament Team • started in all 32 matches, going for 1.48 blocks, 0.97 kills and 0.17 digs per set • recorded four 10+ block matches and tied the school record with 14 blocks Oct. 12 vs. Maryland • six kills and six blocks against No. 5 Stanford (Sept. 1) • seven blocks in an upset of No. 1 Texas (Sept. 2) • five kills and six blocks vs. TCU (Sept. 7) • five blocks vs. Auburn, passing 500 for her collegiate career (Sept. 13) • totaled seven kills on .667 hitting with four blocks (three solo) against Green Bay (Sept. 19) • five kills, five blocks vs. Wisconsin (Sept. 25) • six kills and seven blocks against Purdue (Sept. 28) • five kills and eight blocks at UCLA (Oct. 4) • Named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after combining for 24 blocks in just six sets against Indiana and Maryland (Oct. 11/12) • six kills and seven blocks vs. Rutgers (Oct. 18) • had nine blocks at Penn St. (Oct. 20) • six kills, seven blocks at OSU (Oct. 27) • four kills and four blocks at Michigan (Nov. 3) • four kills and eight blocks vs. Washington (Nov. 7) • five kills, three blocks at NU (Nov. 14), passing 600 career blocks • six kills, eight blocks vs. UM (Nov. 17) • five blocks at Wisconsin (Nov. 20) • five digs and 10 blocks at Illinois (Nov. 27) • six kills and 10 blocks vs. Ohio State (Nov. 29) • named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (Dec. 2) • had seven kills with three blocks in the NCAA Tournament vs. WKU (Dec. 5) • tallied two kills and six blocks at Kentucky in her final collegiate match (Dec. 6).

2023 • SENIOR SEASON:
Played in all 30 matches, averaging 0.81 kills and 1.34 blocks per set (team-high) • Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge All-Tournament and best blocker award • posted a team-high five blocks vs. TCU (Aug. 25) • had a career-high 10 blocks in a sweep over No. 15 Baylor • totaled five blocks vs. Texas (Aug. 29) • totaled a season-best six kills in a win over No. 6 Oregon (Sep. 8) • had a eight blocks, including a season-best three solo blocks, in a win over HPU (Sep. 14) • had five kills and six blocks vs. Creighton (Sep. 16) • totaled six kills at Iowa (Sep. 21) • went for five kills and four blocks vs. Penn State (Sep. 30) • had four blocks at Maryland (Oct. 6) • totaled four kills and seven blocks in a win over NU (Oct. 15) • totaled five blocks in a win over Michigan State (Oct. 22) • had two kills and seven blocks at OSU (Nov. 3) • had three blocks at NU (Nov. 5) • had five kills and eight blocks against Purdue (Nov. 10) • totaled a career-high 11 blocks vs. Ohio State (Nov. 18) • went for three kills and five blocks vs. No. 1 Nebraska (Nov. 25) • had six blocks against Utah State in an NCAA Tournament win (Dec. 1) • tallied six blocks in her final collegiate match vs. Creighton (Dec. 2).

PRIOR TO MINNESOTA:
Awoleye played her freshman and sophomore years (2020-21, 2021) at the University of Georgia and her junior year (2022) at Loyola Marymount • she played in 28 matches (104 sets) in 2022 at LMU, tallying 2.13 kills per set (.379 hitting) and 1.39 blocks per set on her way to First Team All-WCC honors • Awoleye helped LMU to an 18-10 (13-5 WCC) record last year as the team made the NCAA Tournament before falling to Oregon in the first round • she tallied 10 double digit kill matches and 19 games with five-or-more blocks in 2022 • in the fall of 2021, she was one of two Bulldogs to appear and start in all 29 matches in 2021, appearing 112 total sets • concluded the season with 171 kills (1.53/set), a season .309 hitting percentage, and 122 total blocks (11 solo, 111 assisted) for 1.09 blocks per set • concluded the regular season fifth in total blocks and 12th in blocks per set in the SEC • picked up 15 five-plus blocks matches and set a career-best with nine blocks against Florida State • in the spring of 2021, she was named a member of the 2020 SEC All-Freshman Team • played in 60 sets in 18 matches, making 16 starts • recorded 66 kills with a .219 hitting clip • led the team with 63 total blocks and concluded the season ranking fifth in the SEC with 1.05 blocks per set.

HIGH SCHOOL/CLUB:
She played for Walton High School in Marietta, Georgia and was named a Second Team Under Armour and Prep Volleyball All-American • guided Walton to a 152-18 record over four seasons and won four-straight state championships and a 2017 Prep Volleyball National Championship • payed club for A5 Volleyball • enrolled at UGA early and began classes in Spring 2020.

PERSONAL:
The daughter of Tobi and Ade Awoleye, Phoebe has an older sister, Naomi, and two younger brothers, Jonathan and David • born June 16, 2002, she intends to major in management information systems at Minnesota.

WHY MINNESOTA:
"I’m extremely excited and blessed for the opportunity to join the Gopher family. The moment I met everyone behind Minnesota volleyball, I knew that it was the place for me. I know that Minnesota will be an environment where I will be challenged to grow both on and off the court and I’m looking forward to this final chapter of my collegiate career."