Stella Agbokpah, sprinter for Emporia State Track and Field, says it felt “super exciting” to be named MIAA Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week.
“I’m very proud of myself to be named athlete of the week here,” she said.
At the Bearcat Invite in Maryville, Missouri on Feb. 7, the freshman secured an ESU record for the women’s indoor 200m and earned two provisional qualifiers. She beat the school record with a time of 24.06, placing second in the invitational’s 200m. The accomplishment led the MIAA to name her athlete of the week on Feb. 10.
The record for the women’s indoor 200m was previously set by Shannon Butler in 2006 with a time of 24.81.
“After running the race, I didn’t know I broke the record,” Agbokpah told The Bulletin. “I was just lying down and my coaches and teammates ran to me and said you broke the record, and then I saw it on the board and just couldn’t believe it. I was surprised.”
For Agbokpah, the difference that record-breaking day came down to how she responded to disappointment.
After running 7.63 in the 60-meter heat and 7.66 in the final, she wasn’t satisfied. Encouragement from her teammates helped her reset, and she decided to “put (her) all in the 200.” She says her coach has played a role in her development this season and has helped her build courage and “push(ed) her in practice to give 100 percent.”
Agbokpah currently ranks second in women’s 200m runners with her Feb. 7 time as the second fastest in the MIAA. She is ranked 12th in the nation in NCAA Division II as of Feb. 17.
Agbokpah went on to break another ESU record on Feb. 13, this time in the 60m with a time of 7.57. Her time outbeats previous record holder Latiyera Yeargin’s by .04 of a mark. Yeargin set the record in 2018 with a time of 7.61.
Growing up in Accra-Adenta, Ghana with a single mother shaped Agbokpah’s early love for sports. Her mom’s constant encouragement, always saying “you can do it,” and the support of her community helped ignite her passion and commitment from primary school to college. Moving to ESU fulfilled her dream of pursuing athletics in the U.S., she said. She saw coming to ESU as a chance to advance both her athletic career and her future.
“It has been my dream to travel to the U.S. to pursue my career and sports,” said Agbokpah. “I was very proud when ESU reached out to me to give me a scholarship.”
It was watching a U.S. track and field athlete that inspired Agbokpah to pursue track and field for sport. She was drawn to Sha’Carri Richardson’s confidence and determination, noting how “she has this poise and she means business.”
“(I realized) if I train and work hard enough, I can be like her,” she said.
Agbokpah hopes “to one day become a national athlete and sign a full contract” and also thinks about the future beyond competing. She says she could see herself working as a sports coach or manager.
But for now, college track is a chance to grow, achieve her goals and prepare for a life in sports.
