Temi Thomas-Ailara

Personal: Temi Thomas-Ailara graduated from Northwestern with a degree in biomedical engineering. She studied applied biotechnology at Wisconsin. Temi Thomas-Ailara is the daughter of Abiola Omologa and Joseph Thomas. Her brother, Tolulope, played football at Vanderbilt from 2020-22. Temi Thomas-Ailara has two cats named Minnie and Baka. She also played soccer, basketball, and volleyball as a child growing up, in addition to participating in track and field. Her hobbies include reading, cooking, baking, and spending time with friends. Temi Thomas-Ailara also likes to watch movies. Her proudest accomplishments are earning All-America honors in college and being able to play professional volleyball in the United States.

2024 Season: Temi Thomas-Ailara completed her first Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball season with 2,924 leaderboard points, claiming ninth place in league standings. She ranked seventh in the league with 1,264 stat points. Temi Thomas-Ailara tied with Willow Johnson for fifth place after accumulating 200 MVP points on five Match MVP selections. She was eighth in the league with 135 kills while contributing 84 digs. Temi Thomas-Ailara also put down 12 solo blocks. She registered three double-doubles and recorded 10 or more kills in six outings, including three outings with 15 or more kills. Temi Thomas-Ailara appeared in 40 sets across 15 matches. She garnered MVP 3 honors with six kills and a pair of digs against Team Abercrombie on October 11. Temi Thomas-Ailara tallied 14 kills with seven digs and a solo block to garner MVP 2 laurels and 293 leaderboard points during the Week Three finale against Team De La Cruz-Mejía on October 21. She earned her second straight MVP 2 citation in the Week Four opener against Team De La Cruz-Mejía on October 25. Temi Thomas-Ailara posted a season-high 18 kills and 12 digs for her first AU Pro Volleyball double-double. She collected 411 leaderboard points and MVP 2 plaudits with 17 kills and 12 digs against Team Member-Meneh on October 28. Temi Thomas-Ailara set a season high with 435 leaderboard points after putting down 18 kills and 12 digs in an MVP 1 performance against Team Drews to begin Week Five. She posted 100 or more leaderboard points in 12 matches, including each of the last nine outings.

Other Professional Experience: Temi Thomas-Ailara played for San Diego Mojo during the inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation campaign. She guided the team to a 13-12 record and a third-place regular season standing. Temi Thomas-Ailara ranked fifth in the league with 330 total kills and a 3.67 kill-per-set average. She also registered 12 service aces, 28 total blocks, and 248 digs. Temi Thomas-Ailara spent the 2025 season with LOVB’s Madison squad, where she tallied 54 kills and 41 digs.

At Wisconsin and Northwestern: Temi Thomas-Ailara saw action in 34 matches with 22 starts at Wisconsin in 2023 after playing four seasons at Northwestern. She appeared in 116 total sets during her lone season with the Badgers. Temi Thomas-Ailara tallied 277 kills and nine service aces while guiding Wisconsin to a berth in the NCAA semifinals. She added 87 digs and recorded 34 total blocks. Temi Thomas-Ailara reached double figures in kills in 14 matches, including a season-high 12 kills twice. She authored three total blocks in four matches. Temi Thomas-Ailara tied the Wisconsin program record with six service aces in a three-set match against Arizona. She appeared in 382 total sets across 101 matches at Northwestern from 2019-22. Temi Thomas-Ailara finished with 1,546 kills and a 4.05 kill-per-set average. She tallied 81 career service aces and registered 623 digs. Temi Thomas-Ailara recorded 198 total blocks with 1,757.5 points. She earned All-America laurels as a senior from AVCA and Volleyball Magazine. Temi Thomas-Ailara also claimed AVCA All-Region honors as a freshman and senior. She garnered First-Team All-Big Ten Conference selections in each of her last three seasons at Northwestern. Temi Thomas-Ailara was a member of the 2019 Big Ten All-Freshman Team. She earned four Academic All-Big Ten certificates. Temi Thomas-Ailara paced the Big Ten with 502 kills over 32 matches as a senior. She claimed Second Team AVCA All-America honors and First Team AVCA All-Region laurels. Temi Thomas-Ailara earned Big Ten Player of the Week accolades three times. She reached 10 or more kills in 28 matches, including 20-plus kills in seven contests. Temi Thomas-Ailara posted five double-doubles, including 22 kills, 17 digs, and five total blocks against Penn State. She finished her junior season with 492 kills in 31 matches to claim First-Team All-Big Ten status. Temi Thomas-Ailara tallied career bests of 38 service aces and 239 digs. She also matched her career best with 59 total blocks. Temi Thomas-Ailara registered double-digit kills in all 31 matches. She ranked fourth in the Big Ten with a 3.94 kill-per-set average. Temi Thomas-Ailara surpassed 20 kills in six matches while boasting eight double-doubles. She dropped in a career-high eight service aces against Colorado State. Temi Thomas-Ailara started all 10 matches during the COVID-19 shortened season. She paced the Wildcats with a 3.85 kill-per-set average after finishing with 154 kills in just 40 sets. Temi Thomas-Ailara also contributed 76 digs and 23 total blocks. She tallied 10 or more kills in nine matches, including two outings with over 20 kills. Temi Thomas-Ailara registered three double-doubles. She started 20 of 28 matches as a true freshman. Temi Thomas-Ailara ranked second in the Big Ten with a 3.95 kill-per-set average en route to earning Big Ten All-Freshman Team notice. She boasted 10 or more kills in 24 of 28 contests and reached 20 kills on three occasions. Temi Thomas-Ailara dropped in 30 service aces, including seven aces against Texas Tech. She recorded a career-high 32 kills against American. Temi Thomas-Ailara was named a 2024 All-Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.