Player Profile: Mary Nyagwoka

One in a series of articles on Central Penn basketball players this season.

Mary Nyagwoka is at home with the Lady Knights

And she knows her role and job on the team

By Andrew Hunter

Knightly News Sports Reporter

andrew.hunter@mymail.centralpenn.edu

Mary Nyagwoka is new to the defending Eastern States Athletic Conference champion Lady Knights’ basketball roster.

Nyagwoka hails from Brooklyn, New York, where she played basketball at Hillside High School. She is a computer information systems major and would like to be a business analyst after earning her associate degree.

“The art of it,” Nyagwoka said about what sparked her interest in basketball. “Just … the form, quickness and the little details.”

She said she looks up to one of the greatest point guards in NBA history, Kyrie Irving. She loves his craftiness on the court, the details he works on for his dribble moves, and how he can guard any other guard in the league and be one of the best doing it.

She said her biggest achievement in her basketball career was winning the title of defensive player of year in high school. Her defensive tenacity will be needed this year for the Knights, as they are losing All-American point guard Tahniyaah Jackson’s leadership and defense.

Nyagwoka has been lucky in her career by not having any major injuries or dealing with adversity. She hopes her good luck can help the Lady Knights stay healthy and have a great season. Roles in all sports are hugely important and Nyagwoka knows her job for her team this year: to bring everyone together, on and off the court, and to bring her defensive skills and tenacity to spark the Knights on the court.

Since joining the team a couple of weeks ago, Nyagwoka said she’s not really close with any of her new teammates, but as the year goes on and the Knights see successes on and off the court, she believes they will begin to bond and grow closer.

She does not plan to play basketball after Central Penn but does want to become the best version of herself in the short term.

To watch Nyagwoka and the other Lady Knights defend their ESAC championship this year, tune into The Knightly News Media Club YouTube channel for every home game and look for the postgame stories on www.cpcknightlynews.com.