Nneka Offodile appeared in 120 games during her four years with Loyola's women's basketball program from 2010-14, earning starts in 75 of those contests and continuing to rank sixth in program history with 92 career blocked shots. She was a key contributor off the bench as a freshman, helping the Greyhounds win 21 games and advance to the second round of the WNIT, and ranked eighth in the Patriot League with 35 blocks during her final season on campus.

Offodile also put in plenty of work off the court at Loyola, graduating with a degree in biopsychology and beginning her doctoral program in physical therapy at Hampton University one year later. She graduated as the Valedictorian of her class at Hampton, and is now a Doctor in Physical Therapy at the George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Learn more about Nneka's basketball journey and her experiences after graduation below in this week's Alum Spotlight presented by Butterball!


Name: Dr. Nneka R. Offodile, PT, DPT
Graduation Year: 2014
Major (+minor if applicable): Biopsychology, B.S.


How did you first get into basketball, and when did you realize you had a chance to compete at the Division I level?
I got into basketball when I was about five years old because my older brother started playing for his team at school. I loved watching his games, and I vividly remember begging my parents to sign me up too. They finally gave in when I was in 3rd grade, and I also started playing AAU about two years later. My AAU basketball team was where my love for the game really started to grow: the road trips, playing 5+ games per day, staying up late with my teammates in the hotels. It was great!

My AAU coach was the person who made me realize I could compete at the Division I level. I honestly thought the questionnaires I was receiving from interested colleges were just junk mail. Then, thankfully, my coach called me out and told me he was going to make me run laps for every questionnaire that was still in my gym bag after the next practice. So, I decided it might be a good idea to start filling them out and sending them back.

What was it that originally drew you to Loyola?
The first time I visited Loyola University Maryland was actually for my older sister's campus visit. I was only a freshman in high school at the time, and I had no idea what my college plans were yet. I remember the campus being so beautiful though, and I loved that it was in the city. I returned to Loyola three years later for my official visit, and I was so excited to be back on campus as a recruit. When Coach Logan took my family and the entire team to ESPN Zone later that night, I had so much fun bonding with my future teammates while my mom and uncle grilled the coaches. The next morning after practice, Candice Walker, a junior at the time, looked at me and said, "I better see you here next year" as my mom and I were saying our goodbyes. That moment really sealed the deal for me because I felt like I was already a part of the team!

What have you been up to since graduation?
I graduated from Loyola in May of 2014 and started working as a technician at an outpatient physical and aquatic therapy center in Columbia, MD. I worked there for a year while I prepared for physical therapy school and subsequently relocated to Virginia in the summer of 2015 to begin my doctoral program at Hampton University. Three years later, I passed my national board exam, graduated as the Valedictorian of my class, and earned my Doctorate in Physical Therapy. After graduation, I relocated back to Maryland and started working as a physical therapist at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, DC where I am still employed today.
 

How did you originally get into your line of work? Was it what you planned to do as an undergrad?
I spent much of my collegiate athletic career in and out of physical therapy due to injuries and wear and tear on my body. After arriving early and staying late for countless hours of rehabilitation in the training room, I became fascinated with the science of injury prevention and recovery. To that end, I spent a full summer studying Anatomy & Physiology in the biology lab and doing so piqued my curiosity even more. By the time I reached my senior year, I was crystal clear on what i wanted to do, and that's how I decided to pursue a career in physical therapy. Thankfully, my coaches and academic advisors were very supportive of my decision and helped ensure that I completed the pre-requisites that I needed to apply to PT school!



How has your profession been impacted by the current COVID-19 outbreak? What kind of changes have you had to implement?
The COVID-19 outbreak affected the entire world in a major way. Working as an acute physical therapist during this time has been challenging, but the hospital has instituted many parameters to improve the safety of all healthcare workers, patients, and visitors. Upon entry into the facility, all personnel are required to wear masks, have their temperatures checked, and participate in a brief symptom assessment. The pandemic has affected aspects of patient care as well. Effective last month, all healthcare workers are now required to wear specific personal protective equipment at all times within the hospital, including medical grade goggles and face shields. Work has kept me very busy during this quarantine period, but I am grateful to be on the frontlines doing what I can to add value to my patients and their families, especially those directly affected by COVID-19.