Akin Akinwumi is a senior men's volleyball player from Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. Through the last three seasons at Pepperdine he has played in 17 matches and 38 sets. Coming into his fourth year, he is hoping to bring his senior leadership to help the Waves into title contention for this upcoming season.

Q: What did you do this past summer to improve your skills?
 
A: I had been playing a lot of beach volleyball which helps with my platform. I also have my friends come into the gym and I have them serve balls at me so I can perfect this platform for the season.

Q: How did your practice over the summer improve your game?
 
A: The biggest aspect that improved was my mindset and resilience when things are going wrong. Passing is one of the more challenging aspects of volleyball for me. By getting reps, it allowed me to stay engaged and compete when my performance is not the best.

Q: What is different about your game than other players in your position?
 
A: For any position I play, what sets me apart from other volleyball players is my versatility and being able to pick up new skills on the go. The biggest thing, attacking wise, is the range of my swings from bouncing it line to deep cross-court.

Q: What are you most excited for about the upcoming season?
 
A: I hope this will be my first year starting and getting playing time. I am excited to compete, because I have always wanted to do it, but haven't yet had the opportunity to do so. I also look forward to enjoying the season because in the past I have been too focused on my performance, but this year I am going to enjoy playing this sport with my teammates.

Q: What is your favorite memory of Pepperdine during your time here?
 
A: My favorite memory was the practice that came after a loss to UC Santa Barbara last season. It was a very intense practice, close to the point where people were throwing up. I noticed that everyone leaned into the difficulty of the practice and lifted each other up. This helped me reach a new level of my mentality of how hard I can push himself and how well I can help my teammates. Another one of my favorite memories came from the same season where we won the MPSF Tournament. The atmosphere was great and it was the first time I celebrated a big victory while at Pepperdine.

Q: What are your plans after this season?
 
A: I plan on returning to Pepperdine for a fifth year at the moment. I want to continue my education here and allow myself to be ready for what comes after Pepperdine.

Q: How has your role changed on the team over the past couple of seasons?
 
A: My role on the team has changed significantly from last season to this season. Even as a junior last year there were still 10 guys on the team older than me playing a fifth and sixth year. I always had them to lean on for the leadership aspect of volleyball. I am stepping into a bigger leadership role on the team, being one of the only seniors on the roster.

Q: How do you think the coaching change will affect the culture on the volleyball team?
 
A: The coaching changes will lead us to take more responsibility. It is a new coach and we all know that we need to make adjustments. That gives us the emphasis to bring it every day and work through the changes together. I feel like everyone has approached the new season with an open mindset with a new coach. We need to carry this mindset into future years because we won't have a new coach every year, but it will be big for our culture.