Feb. 20, 2007

LOGAN, Utah - By Kami Isom, USU Athletic Media Relations Student Assistant

Utah State's Dasheek Akwenye has come far from Namibia, Africa, where he left his family four years ago to come to the United States and take hold of his opportunity to run track at the collegiate level.

Leaving behind a mother and father, three older brothers, and an older sister, Akwenye originally traveled to Utah on a track scholarship for BYU. His older brother had ran there initially and that is how he came to know Utah.

"I went to BYU, but I did not go to school because I did not like the atmosphere, since I was new to America," Akwenye said. "Then UVSC gave me a scholarship, so I ran for them for two years, and I ran well enough that other schools started to look at me."

Checking into options both out-of-state and within Utah, Akwenye said he wanted to stay here because he had made friends and had adjusted to the atmosphere. So, when Utah State offered him a two-year scholarship, he gladly accepted.

"Utah State had a lot more to offer," Akwenye said. "At Utah State you have opportunities to go to nationals. Everybody is great. They are really helpful and I have great teammates here. It is just a wonderful atmosphere, and I love it."

Akwenye, however, has recently been creating a new buzz in Utah State University track and field atmosphere, placing his name in the Aggie record books this season. Training just three weeks after finding out he still had eligibility, he had great success at the Boise State Invitational on Feb. 10.

At Boise, he posted a 48.20 in the 400 meters tying him for the seventh-best time in school history. He was also a part of the team's 4x400-meter relay time, which recorded the second-fastest time in school history at 3:14.32.

Having this year to compete came as a surprise to Akwenye, who believed he had run out of college eligibility after last season.

"After I graduated in May, I thought I was done with school and had started moving on with the rest of my life," he said. "Then all of the sudden after Christmas, I found out I had another year of eligibility. I was excited, but I was worried because it was a short period of time to start and get back in shape."

When asked about his feelings on posting such a great time after only three weeks of training, Akwenye said, "I was like - where did this come from? I was surprised, but it was exciting to be only practicing for three weeks and already be at this level right now. I just went out there thinking that it was another day of practice."

Utah State assistant coach Corey Murdock, who recruited Akwenye out of UVSC, said he can see Dasheek getting stronger and improving. "He shows a tremendous amount of drive and sheer will," Murdock said. "He is a good athlete, and he really wants to do well."

His character off the track has also caught the attention of many because he is genuine, constantly making new friends and setting an example for his teammates.

"Everybody loves this guy," Murdock said. "He is very soft spoken and humble. Dasheek will never change."

Though he may never change, Akwenye's life over the past year has been full of changes. He has had to overcome some disappointments, which he says have had a great impact on his ability to achieve.

"My dad passed away last August, so that was sad," Akwenye said, " I had to go back to his funeral in Africa. He had a heart attack, so I had to go back."

His dad, Akwenye said, never got to see him compete in track. Growing up he played a lot of soccer because his dad represented Africa on the international soccer circuit, and only in his senior year of high school did he ever run track.

"He never really got to see me run," Akwenye said. "That was the sad thing, that he never got the opportunity to see me compete in track and field, but everytime I step onto the track I think about him. I think about wherever he is, he is watching me, and I want to show him `hey dad, everything I am doing, I am doing it for you and my family.' I use that as a motivational type thing to keep me going."

Back home, his brothers help run the family business, which is a small restaurant called the African Cafe. His mom does most of the cooking, but because she is aging, he said his family tries to help with bookeeping and ordering supplies. Akwenye said he tries to do what he can to help from Utah, but it is difficult to keep in touch and too expensive to fly home often.

Akwenye said he tries to keep in contact by phone. "They don't have email back home, so I just try to call a lot, but it is kind of expensive to call at the same time," he said. "It is kind of hard because my dad, we never kept in touch that often because it is so expensive to call and you take everything for granted, thinking everything is OK back home. I try to call more now to make sure that everything is going good back home."

In a few weeks, however, Akwenye said he will be able to see his mom again. She was able to come for his graduation last May, but now she will be coming to Utah for a wedding - one of the most exciting changes during Akwenye's last year. He and his fiance, Utah State graduate Jocelyn Merklyn, are getting married in Utah on March 10, 2007.

"I can't wait to get married to her and share the rest of my life with her," Akwenye said. "She does not let my frustration bring me down. She is very supportive and tries to make it to my track meets whenever she can."

He said she has helped him overcome many of his obstacles during the last two years of their courtship, and if he ever gets nervous she always tells him "good luck. We have worked hard to get here."

Dasheek and Merklyn's shared goals and aspirations extend far into the future, with the hope of Dasheek being able to represent his country in the All-Africa Games this July, and possibly in future competitions. Recently, he was selected as a member of their preliminary squad, and is working to get faster times, so that he will be appointed to the All-Africa team.

"My selection is based on what I am doing here," Akwenye said. "They look at my times and if they love it and accept it, that's when they will fly us out there where we'll be competing in the All-Africa Games in Nigeria, Africa. My country is small with a population of about two million people, and you don't have a lot of potential athletes. So, when you have a few potential athletes like us, the upcoming generation, hopefully we'll do well enough that we can represent on the international circuit."

It is at Utah State University that Akwenye is starting to make his dreams become a reality.

"It's just a matter of time," Murdock said, until Akwenye performs to his greatest ability.

Akwenye said for the short-term, his goals must stay focused on winning at the conference, which takes place this weekend, the regional and then national level. He is working hard to stay healthy and focused and said he just has to have faith that everything will go smoothly.

"You have to keep focused and keep on track," Akwenye said. "We still have a lot of things ahead of us, but we just have to take it one meet at a time."