Winifer Fernández

Winifer María Fernández Pérez (born 6 January 1995) is a Dominican female volleyball player. With her club Mirador she competed at the 2015 FIVB Club World Championship. She became well known after a video and later some photos of her playing and training, and personal photos of her--some of them fake--went viral in July 2016.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Fernández and the second or maternal family name is Pérez.
Winifer Fernández
Personal information
Full nameWinifer María Fernández Pérez
NationalityDominican
Born (1995-01-06) 6 January 1995
Santiago de los Caballeros, Santiago Province, Dominican Republic
HometownCienfuegos, Santiago de los Caballeros
Height1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight62 kg (137 lb)
Spike270 cm (106 in)
Block265 cm (104 in)
Volleyball information
PositionLibero
Career
YearsTeams
2008Santiago
2010–2011Cienfuegos
2012Santiago
2013–2014Telekom Baku
2014–2015Rabita Baku
2015-Mirador
2015–2017Cienfuegos
National team
2012 -Dominican Republic
Honours
Women’s Volleyball
Representing the  Dominican Republic
Pan-American Cup
Gold medal – first place 2016 Santo Domingo Team
Silver medal – second place 2015 Lima/Callao Team
NORCECA Championship
Silver medal – second place 2015 Michoacan Team
Junior Pan American Cup
Silver medal – second place 2013 Havana Team
Bolivarian Games
Gold medal – first place 2017 Santa Marta Team
Last updated: September 2017

In 2010 she won the NORCECA U18 continental championship Best Libero, Digger and Receiver awards, repeating this awards in the 2012 NORCECA U20 Championship, this time with the gold medal and the Most Valuable Player award. She also won the 2012 U23 Pan-American Cup gold medal just before debuting with the senior national team in the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix. Fernández won the World Grand Prix Group 2, 2016 Pan-American Cup and the 2017 Bolivarian Games gold medals with her senior team. She won the 2008 Dominican Republic League bronze medal and played with the Azerbaijani clubs Telekom Baku and Rabita Baku before playing, with Mirador, in the 2015 Club World Championship.

Personal and early life

Fernández is 169 cm (5 ft 7 in) tall, 62 kilograms (137 lb), was born on 6 January 1995 and hails from Cienfuegos in Santiago, Dominican Republic.[1] She started playing volleyball at the age of ten, under the guidance of coach Miguel Durán, and relocated in 2009 to Santo Domingo to join the junior national team. As of 2013 she was planning to pursue a degree in Business Administration.[1] She has been described as slick, fast and smart.[2]

Career

2008-2010

Fernández won the 2008 Dominican Republic Volleyball League bronze medal with the Dominican club Santiago.[3] Shew won the 2009 Santiago province championship and the Best Libero award with her club, Cienfuegos.[4] As a 15-year-old she won the Best Digger, Best Receiver and Best Libero awards in the 2010 NORCECA Youth Championship, finishing with her team in fourth place.[5]

2011-2014

Fernández played in the 2011 Girls' Youth Pan-American Cup, winning the bronze medal[6] and the Best Libero award.[7] She won the Best Digger, Best Receiver and Best Libero awards when she helped the Dominican club Cienfuegos win the 2011 provincial tournament gold medal.[8]

Fernández helped Santiago to the 2012 Northern Region Cup gold medal in her home country; she contributed by topping the spikers with 15 points.[9] Fernández shared with Ana Binet the libero position[10] in the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix, debuting with the senior national team, for which she received mixed reviews.[11] Her national team reached the 12th position.[12]

At the 2012 Junior NORCECA Championship she led her under-20 national team to win the gold medal, qualifying them for the 2013 Junior World Championship[13] winning also the Most Valuable Player, Best Digger, Best Receiver and Best Libero awards,[14] expressing how happy she was helping the Dominican Republic to win its first category gold medal.[15] She later helped her national team capture the gold medal in the 2012 U23 Pan-American Cup.[16]

She started 2013 by winning the "Most Valuable Player" and gold medal during the Baja California International Cup, held in Mexico.[17][18] Together with fellow libero player Brenda Castillo, she was awarded 2012 Volleyball Player of the Year by the Santo Domingo Guild of Sports Writers.[19] She later won the silver medal with her junior team in the 2013 Pan-American Cup held in La Havana, Cuba, where they lost 1-3 to Mexico, but winning the Best Digger and Best Libero awards.[20][21] Together with Brayelin Martínez and Larysmer Martínez, Fernández won the 7th Cabarete Beach Volleyball Tournament, with a RD$30,000 (approximately US$713 in April 2013) bonus.[22] She traveled in June to the FIVB U20 World Championship,[23] ranking eighth with her national junior team.[24]

She took part in the 2013 FIVB World Grand Prix,[25] finishing with her team in the 10th position.[26]

In early 2014 Fernández was selected by the Santiago Province Guild of Sports Writers as Volleyball Player of the Year.[27] She also played with the Azerbaijani professional club Telekom Baku as the second Libero, sharing playing time with compatriot Brenda Castillo.[28][29] She was selected in June to play the 2014 FIVB World Grand Prix,[30] but the team went 1-8 and ranked last[31] in the Group 1 of the FIVB World Grand Prix defeating only Turkey 3-2.[32]

2015

After being selected by the Santiago Province Guild of Sports Writers as Volleyball Player of the Year,[33] she played with the Dominican club Mirador,[34][35] Her club lost its two matches 1-3 to the Swiss Voléro Zürich[36] and 0-3 to the Brazilian Rexona Ades Rio[37] and finally ranking, tying for fifth with the Japanese Hisamitsu Springs.[38] Fernández played in the 2015 Montreux Volley Masters,[39] and her national team lost the fifth-place match 1-3 to Germany.[40] She later played the NORCECA Champions Cup, winning the gold medal and the qualification for the 2015 FIVB World Cup.[41] At the Pan-American Cup in Peru, she won the silver medal when her team lost 0-3 to the United States the gold medal match.[42] She then played the 2015 FIVB World Grand Prix, ranking with her national team 12th, after finishing 0-9 in the Group 1.[43] She played in Turkey the U23 World Championship having won the bronze medal when her team lost 2-3 to Brazil[44] but defeated Japan 3-2 to claim the bronze medal.[45] Fernández won the silver medal when her national team lost 1-3 the NORCECA Championship to the United States.[46] She then played with the local club Cienfuegos, winning the XLI version of the Intermunicipal Volleyball tournament in Santiago and winning the Best Libero award.[47]

2016

Fernández was invited to play with her national team[48] which won the gold in the World Grand Prix Group 2.[49] Again during the Pan-American Cup[50] played in home soil.[51] Her team was perfect with 5-0 in the pool play[52] defeating Cuba 3-0 in the semifinals[53] and Puerto Rico 3-2 to win the gold medal and a berth for the 2017 FIVB World Grand Prix.[54]

Selected playing scenes with Fernández as the protagonist of a YouTube video[55] became a viral phenomenon[56] in July 2016[57] erroneously posting that she was an Olympic player,[58] but her national team did not qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics after finishing in sixth place in the World Olympic qualification tournament.[59] After the video success,[60] some fake Instagram and Twitter accounts started posting fake photos of her, which were denounced by her National Federation.[61] She commented that she did not like the video with scenes taken from her participation in the 2015 U23 World Championship, and the unexpected fame resulting from that was difficult to handle.[62]

With her U23 national team, she won the U23 Pan-American Cup[63] and the 2017 FIVB U23 World Championship qualification,[64] being named the tournament's best digger.[65]

2017

In September she was ranked by the Salvadoran newspaper El Mundo #7 among the 10 most beautiful and coveted athletes in the world.[66] She replied that it was an honor and a compliment for Dominican women, but that she would like to be remembered for her playing skills.[62] She was invited to participate in the 2017 FIVB U23 World Championship, warming up with the team in Italy against Savino Del Bene Scandicci.[67] Fernández played the 2017 FIVB U23 World Championship in Ljubljana, Slovenia, losing by a score of 2-4 the bronze medal to Bulgaria.[68] She played with Cienfuegos in the XLIII Intermunicipal volleyball tournament in her home province of Santiago,[69] winning the championship and Best Libero award.[70] She won the U23 tournament gold medal in the 2017 Bolivarian Games.[71]

Clubs

Awards

Individuals

Clubs

References
  1. Cáceres, José (6 February 2013). "Winnifer: "Admira a Brenda y quiere llegar al equipo nacional"" [Winnifer: "Admires Brenda and wants to get to the national team"]. Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  2. Breton, Raul (20 July 2016). "Winifer enamora al mundo con su juego y su físico" [Winifer dazzles the world with her game and her physique]. 7 Dias (in Spanish). Santo Domingo. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  3. "Distrito revalida títulos en voleibol" [District revalidate titles in volleyball]. El Nacional (in Spanish). 22 December 2008. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  4. "Cienfuegos campeón femenino intermunicipal de voleibol" [Cienfuegos intermunicipal female volleyball champion]. Diario Libre. Santiago. 30 November 2009. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  5. "Dominicana Winifer Fernández ganò triple corona en Voleibol NORCECA" [Dominican Winifer Fernandez won triple crown in NORCECA Volleyball]. El Nuevo Diario (in Spanish). Guatemala City, Guatemala. 4 May 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  6. "Dominican Republic wins bronze in five-setter over Peru". Tijuana, Mexico: NORCECA. 8 July 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  7. NORCECA (8 July 2011). "Argentinean Bossio, MVP at U-18 Cup". Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  8. "Cienfuegos, ¡campeón! voleibol femenino intermunicipal provincia de Santiago" [Cienfuegos, Champion! women's intermunicipal volleyball province of Santiago]. El Nuevo Diario. 20 December 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  9. "SFM y Santiago logran corona voleibol Cibao" [SFM and Santiago achieved Cibao volleyball crown]. El Nacional (in Spanish). Bonao. 27 March 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  10. Briceño, Pedro G. (30 May 2012). "Voleibol dominicano exhibirá su mejor gala con Gran Prix" [Dominican Volleyball will show its best gala with Grand Prix]. Listin Diario. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  11. "Галопом по Европам" [Gallop on Europe] (in Russian). Dinamo Moscow. 16 June 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  12. "Final Standing". FIVB. 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  13. Mora Zeledón, Nectalí (2012-08-26). "Dominicana capturó oro" [Dominican Republic captured gold]. La Prensa. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  14. "Dominican Winifer Fernandez wins MVP Honors at NORCECA U-20". Managua, Nicaragua: NORCECA. 26 August 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  15. "Winifer Fernández electa la Más Valiosa en Norceca" [Winifer Fernandez elected the Most Valuable Norceca]. Listin Diario. Santo Domingo. 2012-08-29. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  16. "Dominican Republic claim gold at U-23". Lima: NORCECA. 26 August 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  17. "Winifer Fernandez, MVP of the Baja California International Cup". FIVB. 10 March 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  18. "RD se corona campeón torneo voleibol México" [DR is crowned champion volleyball tournament in Mexico]. Listin Diario. Tijuana, Mexico. 12 March 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  19. Chaljub, Jorge (22 March 2013). "ACD reconocera al equipo dominicano del Clásico de Béisbol" [ACD to Recognize the Dominican Classic Baseball Team]. Acento. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  20. "Dominicana se queda con la plata en la Copa Panamericana Voleibol Femenino Sub-20" (in Spanish). Havana, Cuba: 7 Dias. 24 March 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  21. "México, campeón panamericano del voleibol femenil de sala Sub-20" [México, U-20 Pan-American indoor female volleyball champion]. La Jornada (in Spanish). NOTIMEX. 25 March 2013. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  22. Rae, Luis Tomas (2 April 2013). "Santana Auto y Ricardo Arias ganan Voleibol Playero Cabarete" [Santana Auto and Ricardo Arias win Carabete beach volleyball]. Ultimo Diario (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  23. "Dominican Republic Team Composition". FIVB. 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  24. "2013 FIVB Women's U20 World Championship Final Ranking". FIVB. 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  25. Guerrero, Mario E. (3 August 2013). "Selección de Voleibol" [Volleyball national team]. Listin Diario. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  26. "World Grand Prix Preliminary Round: More exciting than ever". FIVB. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  27. "Atletas élite acaparan premios" [Elite athletes monopolize awards]. El Nacional (in Spanish). Santiago. 11 April 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  28. "Представляем соперника: «Рабита» (Баку)" [Introducing the opponent: "Rabita" (Baku)] (in Russian). Пресс-служба Динамо-Казань. 25 November 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  29. "Winifer Fernández es orgullo de Santiago que brilla en Azerbaiyán" [Winifer Fernandez is Santiago pride shining in Azerbaijan] (in Spanish). Santiago: La Informacion. 26 February 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  30. "La selección nacional de voleibol femenino viaja este domingo a Italia para Grand Prix" [The women's volleyball national team travels this sunday to Italy to Grand Prix] (in Spanish). Santo Domingo: 7 Dias. 26 July 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  31. "USA outclass gallant Dominicans in thrilling four sets". Bangkok, Thailand: FIVB. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  32. "Dominican Republic achieves epic comeback against Turkey". Ankara, Turkey: FIVB. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  33. "ACDS elige atletas que premiará en su Gala" [ACDS athletes choose their reward in Gala]. El Nuevo Diario (in Spanish). Santiago. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  34. "Team Roster – Mirador Santo Domingo". FIVB. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  35. "Mirador jugará el Mundial de Clubes En Suiza" [Mirador will play the Club World Championship in Switzerland]. 7 dias (in Spanish). Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. 5 May 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  36. "Thompson takes heart from opening win". Zurich, Switzerland: FIVB. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  37. "Rexona-AdeS demolish Mirador on way to semifinals". Zurich, Switzerland: FIVB. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  38. "Eczacibasi reach summit of club volleyball at Zurich 2015". Zurich, Switzerland: FIVB. 10 May 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  39. "Best volleyball teams come to humongous 30th birthday party". Montreux, Switzerland: FIVB. 25 May 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  40. "Germany overpower Dominican Republic in four-set clash". Montreux, Switzerland: Montreux Volley Masters. 30 May 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  41. "Dominican Republic and Cuba to FIVB World Cup". Havana, Cuba: NORCECA. 7 June 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  42. "USA wins third crown in four years". Lima, Peru: NORCECA. 21 June 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  43. "WGP Group 1 Ranking". FIVB. 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  44. "Brazil overpower Dominican Republic to claim first final ticket". Ankara, Turkey: FIVB. 2015-08-18. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  45. "Brazil claim gold at Women's U23 world champs, Turkey and Dominicans complete podium". Ankara, Turkey: FIVB. 19 August 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  46. "USA win third consecutive NORCECA title". Morelia, Mexico: FIVB. 2 October 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  47. "Cienfuegos y SAJOMA conquistan Voleibol Intermunicipal de Santiago" [Cienfuegos and SAJOMA conquer Inter-municipal Volleyball of Santiago]. La Informacion (in Spanish). Santiago. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  48. "Voleibol RD debuta este viernes contra Bulgaria en Grand Prix de Argentina" [RD volleyball debuts this Friday against Bulgaria in Grand Prix of Argentina]. El Nuevo Diario (in Spanish). Santo Domingo. EFE. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  49. Breton, Raul (19 June 2016). "Reinas del Caribe, campeonas del Grand Prix al derrotar a Polonia" [Reinas Caribbean Grand Prix champions by defeating Poland]. 7 Dias (in Spanish). Santo Domingo. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  50. "Reinas del Caribe concluyen entrenamientos de Copa Panamericana". 7 Días (in Spanish). Santo Domingo. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  51. "Reinas del Caribe mostrarán talento ante afición dominicana" [Caribbean queens talent show to Dominican fans]. 7 Días (in Spanish). Santo Domingo. 2016-07-01. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  52. Mota Nina, Alipio (8 July 2016). "RD dejará el 'pellejo' tras oro en Copa Panam de Voleibol". El Día (in Spanish). Santo Domingo. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  53. Comarazamy, Roosevelt (10 July 2016). "Duelo por el Oro entre Dominicana y Puerto Rico en Copa Panamericana de Voleibol" [Gold duel between Dominican and Puerto Rico in Pan American Cup]. El Nacional (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  54. Gómez, Juan Julio (11 July 2016). "Copa Panamericana de Voleibol ganada por las Reinas del Caribe es la cuarta para RD" [Pan American Cup won by the Caribbean Queens is the fourth for RD]. Acento (in Spanish). Santo Domingo. EFE. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  55. "Winifer Fernandez - Beautiful Indoor Volleyball Girl". YouTube. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  56. Magio, Michele (1 August 2016). "Winifer Fernandez, e siamo tutti fan della pallavolo" [Winifer Fernandez, and we're all fans of volleyball]. Playboy Italy (in Italian). Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  57. Reichard, Raquel (20 July 2016). "Meet Winifer Fernández, the Volleyball Player the Internet Reduced to a Sex Object". Latina. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  58. Brunati, Bryan (20 July 2016). "Volleyball Player Winifer Fernandez Broke The Internet With Her Hot Highlights Video". Crave. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  59. "One last thriller as Olympic qualifier in Japan closes". Tokyo, Japan: FIVB. 22 May 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  60. "Instagram: Winifer Fernández, la sexy voleibolista que despierta suspiros en redes sociales" [Instagram: Winifer Fernández, the sexy volleyball player who awakes sighs in social networks]. La Republica (in Spanish). 23 July 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  61. Cabral, Ariel (22 July 2016). "Denuncian cuenta falsa en Twitter e Instagram de jugadora de voleibol Winifer Fernández" [False account reported on Twitter and Instagram about volleyball player Winifer Fernández]. Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  62. Tapia, Freddy (6 September 2017). "Es un honor estar entre las más bellas" [It is an honor to be among the most beautiful]. Listin Diario (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 September 2017.
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  65. "Dominican Brayelin Martinez elected the MVP of the Women's U-23 Pan-Am Cup". San Vicente del Cañete, Peru: NORCECA. 25 September 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  66. "Las 10 deportistas más bellas y codiciadas del mundo" [The 10 most beautiful and coveted athletes in the world]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 4 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  67. "RD barre a Savino del Bene de Italia previo al mundial sub-23" [DR sweeps Italy's Savino del Bene ahead of U23 Worlds]. Listin Diario (in Spanish). 8 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  68. "Dominicana no pudo con Bulgaria en Mundial Sub-23; bulgaras ganan el bronce" [Dominicana could not defeat Bulgaria in World Sub-23; Bulgarians win bronze]. Diario Libre (in Spanish). 17 September 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  69. "Definida la final de los Juegos Intermunicipales de voleibol superior de Santiago 2017 para este viernes 10 noviembre Plaza Valerio" [Finals of the superior Intermunicipal volleyball Games of Santiago 2017 for this Friday, November 10, Plaza Valerio] (in Spanish). FEDOVOLI. 8 November 2017. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  70. "Cienfuegos y San José de las Matas campeones Intermunicipales de Voleibol" [Cienfuegos and San José de las Matas Intermunicipal Volleyball champions] (in Spanish). La Informacion. 15 November 2017. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  71. "RD oro en voleibol" (in Spanish). Santa Marta, Colombia: Listin Diario. 2017-11-17. Retrieved 2017-11-24.
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