After a career spanning 22 years, three continents and eight clubs, legendary middle blocker and League One Volleyball Founding Athlete Fabiana Marcelino Claudino is retiring from professional volleyball. As Fabi moves off the playing court, she remains firmly engaged with the sport as LOVB’s first international ambassador.
"I would like to start by thanking you from the bottom of my heart for all the welcome and affection I received from LOVB from the first conversations,” Fabiana – Fabi – said about LOVB. “I felt recognized for my work and trajectory and for everything I achieved throughout my career, in addition to being constantly reminded of how important I am for the project. At the end of my career, having this support makes me feel special and valued.
“The United States is a country that breathes sport, that has a strong sporting culture, and when they set out to do something, they do! I feel that this new league, very soon, will become one of the biggest in the world and I'm happy and proud to be part of it! LOVB is already a success! Thank you once again for the opportunity and partnership and I'm looking forward to starting work! Thank you very much LOVB team and let's move towards success!"
A longtime captain of the Brazilian National Team, Fabi powered the squad to the country’s first Olympic titles in 2008 and 2012. At London 2012, she led the tournament with 30 blocks – seven alone in the gold medal match over the U.S. – and earned Best Blocker honors. A four-time Olympian, she also earned spots on Brazil’s 2004 and 2016 Olympic rosters, finishing in fourth and a tie for fifth, respectively.
"I had the pleasure of seeing Fabi’s growth into not only one of the sports’ fiercest competitors, but also a legend in Brazil and beloved around the world,” said five-time Olympian and current LOVB Pro Talent Acquisition Head Danielle Scott. “Fabi’s a beautiful human inside and out.”
In addition to Olympic success, Fabi won seven World Grand Prix titles, six South American Championships and gold at the 2011 Pan American Games, among countless other medals, while representing Brazil. In all, she earned 10 MVP, Best Blocker or Best Spiker awards during international play.
“I battled against Fabi while coaching on the U.S. National Team for several quadrennials while she played for Brazil,” Tom Hogan, LOVB’s Director of Sport, remembered. “So much of our scouting and match preparation was dedicated to how we could contain Fabi – we knew we couldn’t stop her. She was truly dominant.”
She was dominant for her pro clubs, too, collecting 23 total club titles. A Belo Horizonte, Brazil, native, Fabi played in the Brazilian Superliga for 20 years, winning six league titles and one Brazilian Cup, and she helped Sesi-SP win the South American Club Championship in 2014. She also won the European Champions League in 2012 with Fenerbahçe and played a season with Japan’s Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Springs in 2019.
In December, 2023, Fabi signed with LOVB as one of LOVB Atlanta Volleyball’s Founding Athletes. While she won’t take the court as a LOVB athlete, she is joining LOVB as our first international ambassador, focusing on working with LOVB to grow the sport of volleyball.
“More than an amazing volleyball player, she’s a model, influencer, wife, mom, and friend,” Scott said. “While she’ll be missed on the court, I am thrilled about Fabi’s partnership with LOVB!"
Fabi and husband Vinicius have one son, Asaff, born in 2021.
“On behalf of everyone at LOVB, we are thrilled to celebrate Fabi and her incredible accomplishments through her volleyball career, both on and off the court, and we can’t wait to work with her in this next phase of her life,” said Rosie Spaulding, President of LOVB Pro. “We are excited to work together to bring more awareness to the international volleyball community, starting in Brazil"
