Zane Rowland, Sports Correspondent
Back-to-back Region 1-6A Defensive Player of the Year in basketball. 19-8 senior season record and back-to-back playoff runs. And add multiple school records broken in track and field in the last two years as well. Mmekom Inyang could go down as one of the best athletes to ever come out of Richmond Hill High School.
Although she has now graduated and is headed to Division I Howard University for Track and Field in the summer, Inyang does not want to be remembered by how great of an athlete she is, but by something much bigger.
“I want to be remembered most by the way I was able to make people feel,” Inyang said. “I know that I will be remembered for my athletic prowess by most outsiders, but with the few people I was able to build relationships with while at Richmond Hill, I hope that they remember me as somebody that made them feel seen and worthy while they were around me.”
While she individually broke the records and earned the accolades along the way, Inyang knows that she could not have done it all on her own, even if the records have her name on them.
“The faith and belief my family and a few of my coaches had in me is what gave me the confidence to reach my goals,” Inyang said. “The heavy training and workouts are what prepared my body to break all the records I broke this season. I put in a lot of extra work on the weekends and even after school practice to perfect my craft and make my mark on the track team. It seemed to have paid off because this year alone I broke four individual school records.”
With graduation and state finals in the rear view mirror, Inyang can now focus on the next step in her life: attending Howard University on a track and field scholarship.
“I am most excited for the independence that comes with living on your own and the new experiences I’m going to have,” Inyang said. “I’m looking forward to building new connections and starting my life career. Going to an HBCU is something I am very proud of and excited to experience. It will be a nice change in scenery.”
While she will be hanging up her basketball shoes for good, it isn’t the accolades and the on court game that Inyang will miss the most about no longer playing the game of basketball.
“I will definitely miss the team and the family love that we had,” Inyang said. “Despite the team’s success, actually playing basketball stressed me out and I had a difficult time staying out of my head during games. It’s the bond that I have with the team and how special they make me feel that I will miss the most for sure. We have had so many fun and happy memories over the years and those friendships have continued even after the conclusion of our season.”
Although she is leaving high school sports behind, Inyang knows that she had an impact on the teams and sports she played, and she is proud of those efforts.
“I am super proud of myself for accomplishing everything I did in high school and leaving a mark in all of the sports programs I went through,” Inyang said. “It is all a testament to the hard work I have put into my athletics.”
As she transitions into university life, there are still a few things that she will miss about high school, and the people she holds close to her from her time at Richmond Hill.
“I will miss the connections and relationships I have built while at Richmond Hill High School,” Inyang said. “Since I am moving to Washington D.C., I might not see a lot of my peers ever again. I feel as though I made the most of my time at Richmond Hill High School and I’m ready for the next step.”