MORROW, Ga. – The Clayton State Department of Athletics continues its feature series that highlights members of its Athletics Hall of Fame. This week's spotlight feature highlights Olaitan Yusuf, a member of the fourth class to be inducted into the Clayton State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017.
Perhaps the most decorated player in the history of Clayton State women's soccer, Olaitan Yusuf obliterated the Lakers offensive records in her four years, finishing with an incredible 83 goals, 19 assists and 185 points.
Currently 16th all-time in goals scored in NCAA Division II history, she averaged 1.22 goals (18th all-time) and 2.72 points per game (23rd all-time) over 68 contests.
Bursting onto the national scene in her first season of 2004, Yusuf led DII in both points per game (3.7) and goals per game (1.75) while drilling 35 goals and finishing with 74 points. Both of those totals would break teammate and Clayton State Athletics Hall of Famer Nkiru "NK" Okosieme's 2001 program records of 33 goals and 72 points, respectively. Both still stand to this day and her goal total also broke the Peach Belt Conference record.
As a sophomore in 2005, Yusuf produced 21 goals and a career-high eight assists for 50 points and finished No. 12 in the nation in points per game (2.5) and 14th in goals per game (1.05). After driving home eight game-winners as a freshman, she would add seven more in her second season.
Despite an early season injury that limited her to 13 games and 10 starts in 2006, Yusuf still managed to score seven goals along with five assists for 19 points. She would be back in form as a senior, however, scoring 20 goals to go with a pair of assists for 42 points, which ranked No. 2 in the nation in goals per game (1.333).
The numbers she put up over her four years were nearly beyond belief but what they helped accomplish are even more impressive. In 2004 she helped lead the Lakers to just their second Peach Belt Conference Tournament title game and first ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
The following year, she and Clayton State stepped it up a notch, sweeping the 2005 PBC Regular Season and Tournament Championships for the first titles in program history and reaching the NCAA's for the second consecutive season.
An incredible talent, Yusuf was recognized for her accomplishments on numerous occasions, but perhaps never so highly as when she was named an All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) in back-to-back years of 2004 and 2005. She was named to the Second-Team as a freshman and First-Team as a sophomore.
A three-time NCAA Division II All-Southeast Region selection (2004, 2005, 2007), she is also the only two-time PBC Player of the Year (2005, 2007) in team history. Along with that she was an All-PBC selection three times (2004, 2005, 2007) and PBC All-Tournament in 2004. In 2008, she was also recognized with the Laker Award, which represents the top female student-athlete at Clayton State
In addition to being the career leader in goals and points, Yusuf is third all-time with 19 assists and holds numerous single season records, including top marks of 35 goals and 74 points, both set in 2004. She is also second in points (50 in 2005), tied for second in assists (eight in 2005) and third in goals (21 in 2005). Yusuf also holds the single game goal (five) and point (10) records, having accomplished both against USC Aiken on October 9, 2004.
2021 Hall of Fame
On July 1, the Department of Athletics announced that the 2011 Clayton State National Championship Women's Basketball Team and coach Dennis Cox will be inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame. Tickets and information can be found
here. To view the announcement, please click
here.
About the Hall of Fame
Established in 2013, the Clayton State Athletics Hall of Fame was created to honor former Laker student-athletes, coaches, administrators, faculty/staff and community members who have, by their outstanding achievements, contributed to the ideals of the Clayton State Department of Athletics. Seven classes and 27 former student-athletes, coaches, administrators and special inductees have been enshrined.
Past Spotlights:
Warren Van Der Westhuizen
Leonard Moreland
Keith Herring
Candi Wyatt
Jackeline Nieto
Dr. Harry S. Downs
Robert Conley
Dr. Joseph S. Wilkes
Lisa Williams
Allison Kreutzer
Dr. Charlie Frazier Jr.
Nkiru Okosieme
Carlos Head
Alex Dowling
Mason Barfield
