From early morning practices and late-night games to demanding schedules and balancing academics, student athletes have to make a range of sacrifices. Sometimes, they miss out on aspects of the traditional college student experience due to their obligations to their sport.
As students at Howard who have remained committed to their teams through the triumph and adversity of their respective seasons, the following seniors have grown as athletes and individuals. Now, as they prepare to continue their lives apart beyond the university that built their professional foundations, these seniors reflected on their experiences and looked ahead.
Kobe Hutson – Men’s Track & Field – Distance
“To me, being a Howard athlete means being different. I hear my American friends say a lot of people who do sports, they make it to high school and then they stop. So I think just the mere fact that someone is able to make it to college athletics, and furthermore last all four years, it means you’re a standout. The pressures and demands put on you are much greater, but we rise to the occasion.”
Maryn Jordan – Women’s Softball – Outfielder
“[Being a Howard athlete] means everything. I’m about to graduate, and I couldn’t be more proud to be a Bison. Wearing Howard across my chest represents the minority Black girls [who] don’t get taken as seriously as the white girls in the sport. Our softball team did a really good job representing them, beating a Big 10 school for the first time in program history. It means everything to prove to others that we’re not just a joke. We should be taken [seriously].”
Zuilda Nwaeze – Women’s Swimming & Diving – Free/Fly
“Being here has been such a rewarding experience. It helped me feel closer to myself. I figured out who I am and feel smarter, more confident and more beautiful. My time at Howard was about trying and failing and getting back up. It was the best place for me to explore myself and my motivations, and to step into who I am, to love myself and to feel joy and peace from who I am and who I will be.”
Ose Okojie – Men’s Basketball – Guard
“Being able to inspire and move people who have never even met me, or never looked at Howard or seen the Howard brand, that’s a blessing. To be a representation of one of the greatest schools in the country and in the world, that’s a blessing. It’s really the highest esteemed honor to be seen as a Howard athlete in my eyes, not just for what you do on the court, but what you do off the court and how you impact others’ lives in so many positive ways.”
Rachel Suttle – Women’s Soccer – Defense
“Some of the closest people I’ve met on this campus [who] I would consider sisters are from my team. When you find a group of people that are like-minded and have similar aspirations, you guys are working towards the common goal. You build a special bond with them that carries beyond your sport. Howard to me has been transformative. I’ve learned so much about myself in a really positive way and I’ve been exposed to people and things I don’t believe I would have been exposed to had I not come here.”
Ty Triche – Men’s Swimming & Diving – Mid/Distance/Free
“[Howard University] is the mecca of Black excellence, and then you add on the sport that is swimming and diving. We’re the only [historically Black college and university] with a swim and dive team in the nation. Being that example to the younger Black kids is so crucial. Since I’ve gotten here, it has been brought to my attention how important it is to be a Howard athlete and to be a member of this program.”