WVU Sports Hall of Fame

Inducted: 2020

Written by Bryan Messerly

Collegiate: Oklayinka Sanni spent four seasons as a Mountaineer from 2005-08. The four-year letterwinner appeared in 129 games and started 111. Sanni finished with 1,602 career points (12.4 ppg), 773 rebounds (6.0 rpg), 170 steals (1.3 spg), 77 assists (0.6) apg and finished with a career 55.7 field goal shooting percentage. Overall, Sanni ranks in WVU’s top-10 in multiple categories including: 2nd in field goal percentage (55.7), 3rd in offensive rebounds (364), 4th in field goals made (663), eighth in 10-point games (84), eighth in 20-point games (24), eighth in games started (111), ninth in total points (1,602) and ninth in games played (129). During Sanni’s tenure at WVU, the Mountaineers knocked off nine ranked Associated Press Top 25 poll opponents, including a 63-54 win over No. 4 Rutgers on Jan. 29, 2008. She was also part of the program’s first ranked team in 15 seasons. Additionally, she was a member of the 2005 WNIT Runner-Up team and two NCAA Tournament berths in 2007 and 2008. Sanni is a member of the WVU Women’s Basketball 2001-14 All-Time Team.

2004-05: Sanni played in 33 games for the Mountaineers as a freshman and finished with 236 points (7.2 ppg), 162 rebounds (4.9 rpg), 29 steals (0.9 spg) and 20 blocks (0.6 bpg). She scored a season-high 18 points in the win over Providence (Feb. 22) and helped the Mountaineers to the WNIT Championship game after WVU toppled Maine, St. John’s, Wake Forest and Kentucky to face Southwest Missouri State in the title game.

2005-06: As a sophomore, Sanni collected 384 points (12.4 ppg), 164 rebounds (5.3 rpg), 36 steals (1.2 spg) and shot 58.3 percent (162-of-278) from the field in 31 games. She made a school-record 13-of-13 from the field against Kennesaw State, finishing with 28 points in the win over Kennesaw State. She scored double-figures in 20 games, including nine consecutive from Nov. 19 to Jan. 1. Sanni helped the 12th-seeded Mountaineers reach the 2006 Big East Championship game with wins over Louisville, St. John’s and Rutgers before falling to Connecticut. Sanni’s 58.3 field goal percentage set the record for a Mountaineer sophomore.

2006-07: Sanni garnered her first conference accolades during her junior campaign. She finished with 449 points (14.0 ppg), 214 rebounds (6.7 rpg) and shot 55.3 percent from the field (178-of-322). Sanni was tabbed an All-Big East First Team selection and was named the Big East Player of the Week after scoring 26 points in a win over DePaul on Jan. 13. Sanni finished 25 games in double-figure scoring and helped the Mountaineers to a NCAA Tournament berth. She scored 20 points in WVU’s first round victory over Xavier.

2007-08: In her final season, Sanni picked up All-America Honorable Mention from the Associated Press and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. Additionally, she was named to the WBCA All-Region 1 Team and All-Big East First Team. Sanni was named the Big East Player of the Week after scoring 22 points in a win over St. John’s on Jan. 19. She capped her career with numerous top-5 marks for a Mountaineer senior: first in offensive rebounds (115), second in field goal percentage (58.8%), third in field goals made (227), fourth in points (583), seventh in points per game (16.2) and ninth in rebounding average (7.1 rpg).

Sports Awards/Honors:

2008: AP All-America Honorable Mention, State Farm Coaches’ All-America Honorable Mention, WBCA All-Region 1 Team, All-Big East First Team, Big East Player of the Week (Jan. 21, 2008), FAU Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team, URI Invitational All-Tournament Team.

2007: All-Big East First Team, Big East Player of the Week (Jan. 15, 2007), LMU/Ayers Thanksgiving All-Tournament Team

Professional: Sanni became the third Mountaineer drafted, as a second round, No. 18 overall pick by the Detroit Shock in 2008. In her rookie season, she helped the Shock to a WNBA Championship. After two seasons in Detroit, she spent the 2011 campaign with the Phoenix Mercury. Most recently, she spent time with the First Bank team in Nigeria and also has competed internationally with the Nigerian National Team.