USA Olympian Erik Shoji came out and now he’s ‘single and ready to mingle.’
A year after coming out, Erik Shoji is captain of the USA in the Volleyball Nations League and preparing to play in Berlin.
Mark
Erik Shoji says the last 12 months have left him with a deep sense of freedom after going public about being a queer man in elite volleyball.
The U.S. national team captain came out in June 2025 via a video message on his social media channels. The two-time Olympic bronze medalist has a following of nearly 2 million across TikTok, Instagram and other platforms, and his story made a huge impact.
Shoji is a world-class libero with vast experience, having played in almost 500 international volleyball matches for his country. He will celebrate his 37th birthday next month and has his sets sight on competing at L.A. 2028, which would be his fourth career Games.
Importantly, the Stanford alum says his everyday life has become vastly simpler since coming out. Now he is also preparing to return to Berlin, a city that he loves, but this time completely on his own terms.
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This week, Shoji is again skippering the U.S. squad during the Volleyball Nations League (VNL). The American team, which also features another out athlete in Merrick McHenry, is back on home soil for the conclusion of the preliminary round.
The U.S. take on China, Brazil, Bulgaria, and Poland in Chicago, Illinois, attempting to remain on course for the final round in Ningbo, China, from July 29 to August 2. The Americans haven’t made it that far in the tournament since 2023, when they were runners-up.
Once Shoji’s duties with the national team wrap up, he has an exciting move on the horizon. In October, he will relocate to Germany to play once again for the record-holding champions, Berlin Recycling Volleys (BR Volleys).
In a personal blog for the newspaper Tagesspiegel, Shoji shared how much he is looking forward to living in the German capital. Shoji was with BR Volleys from 2014 to 2016, during which he won a “Triple Crown” of major trophies – domestic championship, domestic cup and the European Cup continental title.
He expressed that Berlin is “an open, diverse city” where he can “be one hundred percent who I really am — both on and off the field.”
Shoji also threw in a playful note about his personal life ahead of the big move. “I can’t wait to start my life as an openly queer volleyball player in Berlin, and I’ll put it this way: I’m single and ready to mingle.”
Erik Shoji’s teammates in Poland embraced him after coming out
Also in his blog, Shoji reflected on the steps he took towards coming out last summer.
He revealed that recording the video with the help of close friends took several attempts over a two-week period.
“It felt scary, but above all liberating,” Shoji recalled. “I just wanted to say it out loud and had hoped that nothing too crazy would happen afterwards.”
The response was overwhelmingly positive, and the 6ft Hawaiian says that since coming out, simple interactions have become much more comfortable.
“Since then, I have been able to talk openly with my teammates and coaches,” he wrote. “I can tell them when I meet someone or have a date. The fact that we can have these easy conversations is very nice.”
@thelibero This is us in a nutshell #volleyball #roommates ♬ original sound – TrishaPaytasHacmonLover
At the time, Shoji was playing his club volleyball in Poland, and it was announced the month after his video went live that he was switching teams from ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle — where he won six trophies, including two European Cups — to Asseco Resovia.
Poland has historically been less friendly to LGBTQ communities, but Shoji says he found support in the locker room.
“For many, I was the first openly queer man in their environment. Until then, they didn’t know anyone. It meant a lot to me to share my experiences with them. In Poland, the LGBTQ issue is not yet as far along as in Germany, but things are moving, albeit more slowly.
“I see it as an opportunity to be a role model in my role as a queer athlete and to be able to contribute to real change, especially for younger athletes who can’t be themselves.”
Berlin is a city where queer athletes can thrive, says Erik Shoji
Although Shoji is no stranger to Berlin, his return to the city feels almost like a new beginning because he’s now out.
“I played there 10 years ago and enjoyed it very much,” he added.
“I loved my everyday life: going to the movies, eating in the great Asian restaurants and going out on weekends — it sounds simple, but as a professional athlete, it is not a matter of course.”
It’s very different to places like Novosibirsk and Novy Urengoy in Russia, where he played after leaving BR Volleys a decade ago, and his recent clubs in southern Poland.
“I played in many smaller cities and towns, there was nothing like that. Berlin is so open, so diverse, that’s what I’ve missed in recent years.”
This week, it’s all about getting the job done in Chicago and then, should all go to plan, mounting a title challenge in the VNL Finals. After a break, Berlin beckons, and Erik Shoji is ready to live life to the fullest in the “City of Freedom.”
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