Beverly Oden
Encyclopedia
Beverly Oden (born March 19, 1971 in Millington, Tennessee
) is a volleyball
player from the United States
. She played middle blocker for the U.S
women's volleyball
team in the 1996 Summer Olympics
in Atlanta
, Georgia
.
Oden played volleyball for Stanford University
and was named the 1990 AVCA Player of the Year. Oden's sister, Kim was also the AVCA Player of the Year (1985) playing for Stanford. Middle sister Elaina
played for University of the Pacific. All three were Olympians.
Beverly Oden made the news in May 2007 when she was held in custody by Orange County sheriff deputies near her hometown of Irvine, California
in relation to a reported incident. The Olympic volleyball player was released after being questioned and spending an hour inside a police car
. Oden was found to have no connection with the incident in question and her ordeal prompted local community leaders to form the Oden Commission to hold discussions on racial profiling
between residents and law enforcement
.
Beverly Oden is currently working as the Volleyball Guide for the popular website About.com. She is the author of numerous articles on volleyball and also releases a weekly e-mail newsletter.
Millington, Tennessee
Millington is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 10,176. Millington was the home of the recently closed Memphis Motorsports Park. It was granted the title "Flag City Tennessee" by the Tennessee State Legislature. The Naval Support Activity Mid-South is...
) is a volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
player from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. She played middle blocker for the U.S
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
women's volleyball
Volleyball at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Volleyball at the 1996 Summer Olympics featured beach volleyball for the first time as the official Olympic sport.-Medal table:-Medal summary:-External links:*...
team in the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
.
Oden played volleyball for Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
and was named the 1990 AVCA Player of the Year. Oden's sister, Kim was also the AVCA Player of the Year (1985) playing for Stanford. Middle sister Elaina
Elaina Oden
Elaina Oden is a former volleyball player from the United States, who won the bronze medal with the United States women's national volleyball team at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain....
played for University of the Pacific. All three were Olympians.
Beverly Oden made the news in May 2007 when she was held in custody by Orange County sheriff deputies near her hometown of Irvine, California
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
in relation to a reported incident. The Olympic volleyball player was released after being questioned and spending an hour inside a police car
Police car
A police car is a ground vehicle used by police, to assist with their duties in patrolling and responding to incidents. Typical uses of a police car include transportation for officers to reach the scene of an incident quickly, to transport criminal suspects, or to patrol an area, while providing a...
. Oden was found to have no connection with the incident in question and her ordeal prompted local community leaders to form the Oden Commission to hold discussions on racial profiling
Racial profiling
Racial profiling refers to the use of an individual’s race or ethnicity by law enforcement personnel as a key factor in deciding whether to engage in enforcement...
between residents and law enforcement
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
.
Beverly Oden is currently working as the Volleyball Guide for the popular website About.com. She is the author of numerous articles on volleyball and also releases a weekly e-mail newsletter.