S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 | 1 9 A T H L E T I C S MAJOR: Architecture with a minor in real estate YOU’VE BEEN INTERESTED IN ARCHITECTURE SINCE NINTH GRADE. WHAT PIQUED YOUR INTEREST? I was doing a research paper, and I came across Frank Lloyd Wright and Japanese architecture. The relationship that he had with it, that’s what really drew me in. I like the balance of Japanese architecture, the symmetry. And the way Frank Lloyd Wright connected Japanese influences with his architecture is just really interesting to me. DID YOU PLAY ANY OTHER SPORTS GROWING UP? I did karate for a few years. I almost made black belt, but then I got bored. I moved on to soccer because my sister had been playing soccer for a year. So I did that. I was like 12 years old. YOU’RE A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FOR STUDENT-ATHLETES OF COLOR. HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT? Divine [Buckrham ’21]—he was on the football team—got together with some [athletics] advisors and saw that there was a need for a student athletes of color group because Lehigh hadn’t had one previously. They eventually gauged the interest of others wanting to take part in creating this legacy and providing a space for us, for athletes of color, to be able to come and feel seen and feel like they’re around people who can relate to them. Divine, [former Lehigh volleyball coach] Xiomara “Zee” Ortiz, [Lehigh track and field assistant coach] Khayla [Atte] and all the advisors who were involved, they helped steer everyone who wanted to put the time and effort into creating this thing that would hopefully better the student-athlete of color experience at Lehigh. AND YOU’RE AN EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER OF FLIGHT 45? Yeah, Flight 45 is the leadership development program in the Lehigh Athletics department, obviously run by some great advisors—Julie Ammary [director of athletics leadership development], Cait Gillard [assistant director for athletics leadership development] and Katie Guynn [director of student-athlete academic services], shout out. But, yeah, I’m an e-board member. I’m the captain of the student-athlete council, because my other co-captains unfortunately had to step away because of commitments in other areas. It’s been a fun experience, and I’m just grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to hopefully impact other student athletes’ lives the way that Flight 45 has impacted mine and allowed me to grow into the person I am today. And also to work on leadership development. Hopefully we’ve inspired some type of unity within the athletics department. I’ve learned a lot. WHAT GOT YOU STARTED IN TRACK AND FIELD? My brother ran before my sister and I did. He’s seven years older than us. I started when I was 4. My brother was going to practice every day, and my mom just thought it’s more convenient to have these extremely energetic twins go to practice and run off all their energy too. YOUR TWIN SISTER, PORTIA, IS ON LAFAYETTE’S TRACK AND FIELD TEAM. IS THERE A BIG RIVALRY? Not really, because we do completely different events. If I was a sprinter still, there probably would be a little bit more tension in our competition season, but I think the rivalry mostly just lies with me being Lehigh and her being Lafayette, not anything with how we compete, because we don’t really directly compete against each other. In the discus, Teasha McKoy has already earned 2021 All-East honors and was second team All-Patriot League in 2019. Now she’s off to a strong start in her senior indoor track and field season, taking the top spot in both the shot put and weight throw at the Fast Times Before Finals meet in December. McKoy’s also a founding member of the Student-Athletes of Color Leadership Council and an executive board member for Flight 45, a program that promotes, develops and inspires leadership in the Lehigh athletic community. The interview continues at go.lehigh.edu/mckoy.
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