Chidubem Nkoloagu is a fifth-year fullback for the St. Thomas University men’s soccer team. A natural athlete, he began playing in his hometown of Vancouver at the age of five but didn’t start taking it seriously until he was older.
“I did it more as a hobby growing up, just as something so I could run around, that sort of thing,” he said.
During his second season with the Tommies, they went on to win the 2021 ACAA Championship in penalty shots.
“We were the underdogs — no one expected us to win,” he said.
Now, Nkoloagu’s time with the Tommies is done like many other seniors at STU. Moving on from athletics, Nkoloagu is looking towards his future back home in Vancouver.
Nkoloagu has spent the past few summers working as a mentor, which has inspired him to continue working with kids. He’ll return to Vancouver once he completes his Master’s of Social Work in July.
“I’ve worked with youth a lot and I really do enjoy it,” he said.
Like Nkoloagu, Tommies women’s volleyball setter Julia Campbell’s time as a Tommie has come to a close.
She is also interested in working with kids. After she graduates with her education degree, she plans on teaching younger special needs students.
“I started volunteering at the Provincial Special Olympics and I loved being able to learn from those athletes,” she said.
Campbell plans on continuing to be active in her sport after her college career.
“It will be an adjustment not to play as much as I do right now, but I’ll definitely stay involved.”
Luke Ewen is a fourth-year goalkeeper from Milton, Ontario. He worked hard to get into STU as he thought it was the perfect fit for him academically and athletically.
“I was actually rejected twice from STU in high school and I pushed really hard to get in and that’s all I wanted to do, was to come to this school and play for this team,” he said.
Both Ewen and Nkoloagu agree that winning the 2021 ACAA championship against Holland College was their favourite memory as STU soccer players.
This season, the men’s soccer team won the 2024 ACAA championship once again and hosted the CCAA national championship.
Ewen will be using his last year of eligibility to play at Wilfred Laurier University while studying for his Master’s of Professional Communications.
In the meantime, this summer he’ll be back playing League1 Ontario soccer with Unionville Milliken SC.
“It’s kind of weird when you graduate, it’s you gotta let the guys step up who are the third and fourth years and you got to kind of move on a little bit, but I’m always going to support the boys,” he said.
Chloe Little is a fourth-year outside hitter for STU’s women’s volleyball team.
Unlike Knoloagu, she started playing her sport later, in Grade 4.
She said that she spent most of her early years as a bench warmer, but began to improve.
“I started competing for the provincial teams and everything and then I was finally off the bench,” she said. “Yeah, but it took a while. I definitely was not good from the get go.”
Like Nkoloagu and Ewen, her favourite experience playing for the Tommies was when her team bested first place Holland College in the 2021 ACAA semi-final.
“They were undefeated … and we beat them out in their home gym to go to finals. That was just like a super surreal moment with the team,” she said.
Little plans on attending as many Tommies volleyball games as possible to support her former teammates while she works on her Master’s of Communications at STU. Apart from collegiate sports, she will stay involved with Volleyball NB through coaching and playing co-ed.
“I’m definitely going to be around the sport for a long time,” she said.
When asked what it means to be a Tommie, one thing everyone agreed on was camaraderie.
“I love being a Tommy. I take a lot of pride in it. I love the school, I love all the teams, I love the community. I really enjoy everything about being a Tommie,” said Little.
From Summerside, P.E.I., Megan MacDonald is a fourth-year criminology student and member of the STU women’s volleyball team.
She said that being part of a community that values personal and academic growth will have a positive impact on her once she graduates. MacDonald plans on becoming an RCMP officer.
“Creating friendships is definitely one of the things [I liked] and I made a lot of memories playing volleyball,” she said.
Campbell believes that being a Tommie not only means “exuding confidence,” but also “being a leader.”
“It’s a community, it’s a family,” said Nkoloagu. “I’ve learned so much over these past few years as a Tommie and I’m really grateful for it.”
