It’s all about the journey.
And for Fitchburg State University junior running back Oriowokite “Orio” Fatoke, his voyage is one of belief, determination, overcoming obstacles and seizing opportunities.
Born in Ibadan, Nigeria, Fatoke and his family made their way to the United States in 2017 when he was a wide-eyed, 12-year-old boy.
“Coming to the United States, America is the land of opportunity, so I was definitely excited because I knew being here would definitely provide a lot more opportunities for me than being back at home,” Fatoke said.
The family’s journey eventually brought them to the United States by way of Queens, N.Y. – where Fatoke’s uncle lives – for only a few days before they settled for good in Worcester.
“Worcester is where my aunt lives, so she paved the way for my parents to find an apartment and start our lives here,” Fatoke said.
But through all the bumpy roads on his journey, Fatoke’s relentless pursuit of a better life allowed him to constantly grow and morph into a talented athlete on the football field and a high-achieving academic student with aspirations of becoming a nurse after graduating from Fitchburg State next year.
“My family have been really strong people, giving up properties and the good life they had back in Nigeria just to bring me and my siblings here to have a better life and better opportunities that if we were still in Nigeria we wouldn’t get,” said Fatoke, a 6-foot, 240-pound punishing back. “I want to say thank you to my parents for always believing in me and my siblings and for giving us the best life and experiences ever. I know in the future I’ll be able to give them the best life experiences ever.”
Fatoke’s first indoctrination into football started when he was introduced to the game by one of his friends as a freshman at Worcester Technical High School.
“I never knew anything about football,” Fatoke said. “I remember that there was one night that I had to go onto YouTube and search up ‘how does football work?’ I was learning the game through YouTube.”
Fatoke, 20, said that as a sophomore he “still wasn’t good at football” and by junior year he “started to catch on” and started learning the playbook.
“By senior year I pretty much understood football,” he said.
There was a heavy learning curve in every aspect of Fatoke’s life, however, starting way back as a 7th-grader at Sullivan Middle School, then 8th grade in Forest Grove Middle School, and high school at Worcester Tech.
“Everything took me a while to adjust,” Fatoke said. “When I first came here I had a very strong accent – I still do but it’s not as strong as when I first came here. It was a little difficult to interact with people because obviously I had an accent and I didn’t really know how the dynamics of America really worked.There were a lot of kids that I used to get bullied by, and it was really hard making friends. But as the years went by, playing sports had a real impact on me by making friends, finding a home and a family and people that I could bond with. Football definitely played a big part in me staying here.”
Fatoke certainly stayed the course and found his next family within the Fitchburg State football program, while continuing his education and pursuing his passion in the nursing field.
He once had the dream of becoming a doctor. But he’ll leave that distinction to one of his sisters, Funbi, who was the Worcester Tech Class of 2025 valedictorian.
“I didn’t know how life was going to be when I came here, but I always wanted to become a doctor,” Fatoke said. “I had a 4.2 GPA out of high school. The doctor part, I left that for my sister. She’s the smartest one at home. I know for sure that she can become a doctor.”
His youngest sister, Eniola is a junior at Worcester Tech. She’s in the veterinary technician program, but wants to go to college to also pursue nursing.
Coming to the United States, America is the land of opportunity, so I was definitely excited because I knew being here would definitely provide a lot more opportunities for me than being back at home.
Nursing is Fatoke’s passion, and when he found out that Fitchburg State University offered it as a major and he could also play football, he knew this was where he wanted to continue his education.
“I remember telling my mom that I didn’t think that I would be able to play football when I came to college because I have to do nursing,” Fatoke said. “It’s already a tough program, but I remember my mom saying ‘just because everybody is not doing it doesn’t mean you can’t do it.’ That really stuck with me.
“I’m glad I came here and I have never regretted it,” he said.
Fitchburg State second-year head coach Izzy Abraham is ecstatic that Fatoke decided to play football.
“(Fatoke) means everything because he’s an example of what we try to accomplish every single day, and that’s stacking days and being the best version of you,” Abraham said. “He’s like that in the classroom, the way he brings others along in every way possible. He’s the best version of himself every single day. He’s the model of what we try to preach every single day. He’s a pleasure to have.”
The Falcons kick off the 2025 season with a home game against Dean College, 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, at Elliot Field. The Falcons are eagerly-anticipating an electrifying crowd of fans for the true home-field advantage.
“Everyone should expect a bunch of improvements from the year before,” Fatoke said. “All the coaches did a good job of recruiting good players, either freshmen or transfers. We have a lot more talent all around. I’m excited for what we can do. Expect a bunch of physicality, expect a bunch of energy and expect a very entertaining game.”
The Fitchburg State coaching staff expects Fatoke to be a key contributor on offense this season.
Fatoke, who made the Dean’s list last spring, rushed for 349 yards on 90 carries last year, including scoring a 1-yard touchdown run in a 26-6 win over Vermont State Castleton. As a freshman, he carried 121 times for 333 yards and a score.
“We definitely don’t have a player like him,” said Fitchburg State offensive coordinator Garrett DelleChiaie, a former star signal-caller with the Falcons. “He brings the hammer every time. He’s by far the strongest player on the field, and he works super hard in the weight room. The jump he’s made from this year to last year, physically and on the field, it’s been amazing.
“He brings another dynamic to our offense.”
DelleChiaie is also in awe of his study habits in the classroom and in football.
“He’s a monster. He’s a nursing major and football player, that’s unheard of,” DelleChiaie said. “I was never the best student in the world, but I understand how hard college is in general. When you add the nursing major, there’s three times as much work. He has to keep a certain grade point average, he has clinical and so much more responsibility than the average student. But he’s on top of it. He does great in school and he shows up on time to everything.”
Fatoke admits that nursing “is a very hard major” and it’s important to keep the lines of communication open with his coaches if academics might get in the way of athletic obligations.
“Thank God for a coach like coach Izzy,” Fatoke said. “He’s by far the most reasonable coach I’ve played under because he’s always understanding. We are student-athletes, and student comes before being an athlete. Obviously we all want to play football, but we all come to college to get a degree.”
The goal is to get a degree and get a bunch of wins on the field.
“I am ready to ball out this season and dominate my junior year, both in my academics and in my sports,” Fatoke said.
Said like a dedicated student-athlete.