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Photo courtesy of Duke University
Toni Payne during her playing days at Duke University. Photo courtesy of Duke University
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Photo courtesy of Jenny Chuang/USC Athletics
Nicole Payne during her days as a player at the University of Southern California. Photo courtesy of Jenny Chuang/USC Athletics.
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Photo courtesy of Jay Biggerstaff - USA Today Sports
Toni Payne competing with the Nigeria national team. Photo courtesy of Jay Biggerstaff - USA Today Sports.
The Nigerian Women’s Soccer Team will feature two local athletes during the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Sisters and products of Oak Mountain High School Antionette "Toni" and Nicole Payne have been called up to represent the African nation for the Games in Paris, France. The daughters of Nigerian parents, the Paynes will make their Olympic debut when the Nigeria Super Falcons open group play against Brazil on July 24 at Stade de Bordeaux in Bordeaux, France.
Oyeleke Payne, the father of Toni and Nicole and a native of Nigeria, said he is overjoyed to see both of his daughters playing in the Olympics for his home country. He came to the United States to play soccer at Alabama A&M University and is a highly-regarded soccer coach and trainer.
"It is a great joy and no words can really describe what I feel for these girls; it's all about them because of the hard work that they put in day in and day out,” he said. "I'm glad that I witnessed it because I coached them. I'm so grateful to God that this opportunity came true. It is really a great honor.”
Nigeria is in Group C, along with Brazil, Japan and Spain, one of the toughest groups in the tournament. Despite the tough competition, Payne believes the team has a good chance of going deep in the tournament.
"That draw that they put them in is a powerhouse. When the girls get on the field it is 11 [against] 11. It's the will that is going to dictate who is going to move forward,” Payne said. “So, for me, I already believe that until they get on the soccer field, anything anybody says doesn't really matter."
Toni Payne graduated from Oak Mountain High School in 2013 and led the Eagles to their first state championship as a junior in 2012, recording 37 goals and 23 assists. She was also named Gatorade Alabama Player of the Year.
She went on to play at Duke University, where she recorded 23 goals and 21 assists during her four years with the Blue Devils. Born with dual U.S./Nigerian citizenship, Toni spent time with the U-15, U-17, and U-23 U.S. National Women’s Teams, helping the U-17 team win the CONCACAF Under-17 Women's Championship in 2012, among other accomplishments.
Since 2016, Toni has played soccer professionally, with AFC Ajax in Amsterdam, Netherlands from 2016-2018. In 2019, she joined the Spanish Liga F club Sevilla.
Nicole graduated from Oak Mountain in 2019, leading the Eagles to the Class 7A state title as a senior while also earning time with the U-18, U-17, U-15 and U-14 National Teams. She was also a standout on the Eagles' cross-country and track and field programs, earning 2018-19 Gatorade Alabama Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year honors.
She played collegiately for the University of West Virginia from 2019-21 before transferring to the University of Southern California (USC) for the 2022 season.
In 2023, Nicole turned professional playing for Paris St. Germain in the French women’s league Division 1 Féminine. In February 2024, Nicole returned to the U.S. to play for the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League.
Toni and Nicole's brother, Stephen, is also a professional soccer player, spending several years with professional teams in Portugal before returning to the U.S. to play for the United Soccer League’s Richmond Kickers in 2022 and Forward Madison FC in Madison, Wisconsin, in 2023. Their mother Mojemilat, was also a collegiate-level athlete, competing on the track and field team at Alabama A&M.
Oyeleke, who has coached and trained soccer players for close to 20 years, said he hopes his daughters’ story will encourage young athletes throughout greater Birmingham.
"That's the thing that I'm going to use to encourage the kids in my program, that if you dream it, it can happen, all you have to do is just work at it," Payne said.
