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Women's Indoor Track & Field By: Jim Hague

Scarlet Raider Profile: Chidimma Igwe

Chidimma Igwe hadn't made an official decision about where she was going to attend college late into her senior year at Union County Vocational and Technical High School.

Just two weeks before official decision day, Igwe applied to Rutgers-Newark on a whim.

"I have a twin sister (Chinonye) and we wanted to go to school together," Igwe said. "But she wanted to go to Rutgers in New Brunswick. I thought about Rutgers-Newark because I still wanted to compete in track and field."

Because she attended a school (Union County Tech) that did not have a track team, Igwe was able to compete with the team in her home district, namely Hillside. But the short sprinter wanted to still give running track a go, so she applied late to Rutgers-Newark.

"After I got accepted, I filled out the track questionnaire," Igwe said. "After I did, I was called in by the coaches (head coach Juan Edney and assistant Bruce Berry) and they told me about their program. It was a zoom call, a three-way conversation and I liked the vibe I got from them."

From that point on, Igwe decided that she was going to Rutgers-Newark to run track.

But then the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic reared its ugly head and shut everything down. Igwe missed her senior year of track and field, then couldn't head to a physical fitness location to do any off-track work.

"It was really frustrating," Igwe said. "It was really difficult to do anything. All the places were closed."

However, when Edney saw Igwe run, he thought she had potential.

"She's about 5-foot-10, but she's as skinny as a rail," Edney said. "But when you get a girl like that, you want to keep her around. You can't teach her height and you can teach her to get stronger. I saw someone with some serious raw talent. All we needed to do was strengthen her in the right way. I thought she could be someone special."

Edney saw Igwe as a competitor in the 200 and 400-meter runs.

"The jury is still out what event she's better at," Edney said. "I can't say she's better in one than the other. But she definitely has some untapped potential."

Just how good?

"I want to make her become a national (NCAA Division III) qualifier," Edney said. "Hopefully, we can have her there by the time of her senior year."

But the pandemic has thrown a monkey wrench into Igwe's development.

"We couldn't get in the weight room," Edney said. "We had to meet at the track and then leave. But I think she still has a lot of potential. It's really hard to say how much."

However, hard work is not a problem with Igwe.

"I feel like I have to make it in life, so I have to work hard for everything," Igwe said.

It hasn't been easy. In fact, quite the contrary, considering Igwe's tragic life. Her mother, Gloria, died after a battle with breast cancer almost five years ago and her father, Kenneth, died from complications of COVID last Jan. 27.

"It really messed me up mentally," Igwe said about losing both parents. "I really feel like sometimes I'm on my own. I guess I've sort of adapted to it after my Mom passed away. I really feel like sometimes I have to do everything on my own. It's doable, but it's hard. I miss my Mom so much."

Because of the mental anguish, Igwe suffers from anxiety and depression.

"But the best times are with my team," Igwe said. "It helps me keep my mind off things. The team is like my family and the coaches give me assurances that everything will be fine. My team and coaches always have my back."

If there's one issue, it's a lack of confidence.

"I feel like I'm not good at this," Igwe said. "But I don't want to let the coaches down. They all have a lot of confidence in me, more than I have (in myself).

Edney just adores the kid.

"She'll do anything we ask her to do," Edney said. "But she has a way to fade a bit when we jump on her to work harder. But she's a beautiful kid, a wonderful kid. For her to lose both parents like that, I can't even imagine what she's been through. The strength this lady has is tremendous. She never misses a day of practice. She is always collecting the uniforms to watch. She comes in every day with a smile on her face."

Igwe is majoring in psychology, but doesn't know what she wants to do with her degree down the road.

One thing is for sure: Igwe is glad she sent in that application to Rutgers-Newark right before the deadline.

"Everything happens for a reason," Igwe said. "I get in the school and then I get in with this team? It really is like it was supposed to be."
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Chidimma Igwe

Chidimma Igwe

200/400
5' 9"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Chidimma Igwe

Chidimma Igwe

5' 9"
Sophomore
200/400