Californian Kimberley Oden made a mark in volleyball, beginning at her time at Stanford. While earning her degree in Public Policy, she was voted All-American three times in addition to being named National Player of the Year in 1984 and 1985. Upon graduating in 1986 she went on to play on the U.S. National Team. She was Olympic team captain for the 1988 Olympics in Seoul as well as the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.

At the ’88 Games she was voted “Best Hitter” because she had the highest hitting percentage of any player from any team during the competition. In Barcelona she helped lead the U.S. to a bronze medal. After leaving the U.S. National Team she played professional indoor volleyball in Italy, China, Brazil and Turkey before coming back stateside to assist in coaching college volleyball.

She is now assistant coach at her alma mater Stanford and in 1990 was voted Player of the Decade by the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Decade Team for the 1980s.

Photo courtesy of Hard Road to Glory, Tim Davis Photography