U.S. student-athlete accepted by NCAA College; Texas Tech

Jan 09, 2020 Sports

By Calvin Chapman

Former South American Youth Games Gold medalist; Joanna Archer, is the latest Guyanese athlete to make it to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) circuit after being accepted to Texas Tech on a full scholarship following an outstanding two-year stint with Monroe College both academically and athletically.

Joanna Archer (center) is flanked by her coach Shirvon Greene and President of Texas Tech Mark Jerome (right) during her visit to the institution yesterday.

Joanna Archer (left) will link up with Claudrice McKoy (left) at Texas Tech in the new academic year (www.trackalerts.com).

The student athlete had attended the West Demerara Secondary School in Guyana and after excelling in in the C.S.E.C examinations coupled with her dominance not only at the National Schools’ Championships but regionally, winning Gold for Guyana in the 4x400m and silver in the girls’ 800m; both at the 2017South America Youth Championship held in Guyana, she gained a sport scholarship at New York’s Monroe College.
Archer stuck to her guns, working hard to achieve her dreams, and although she shared with Kaieteur Sport that it was hard adjusting to track life in the U.S. in her first year of Munroe in 2018, she managed to maintain her academic excellence.
The Criminal Justice major maintains a 4.0 GPA in the Associate’s Degree programme and bounced back harder on the track in 2019 with some stellar performances for the National Junior Collegiate Association (NJCAA) institution.
Last year, the middle distance maestro reset records in the 500m, 600m, distance medley relay and 4x800m relays on the NJCAA scene, which coupled with her academic excellence allowed her to be a top target from a few NCAA colleges but after visits to Clemson, UTEP and Texas Tech, Archer eventually made her decision.
Fellow Guyanese student-athlete, Claudrice McKoy, is in her second semester at Texas Tech. When the 19-year-old Archer was quizzed on whether she was close with McKoy, Archer explained that, “We’re more like sisters, we share a lot and support each other a lot. Many of my great races at Monroe was because I had ‘Dricey’ they helping me to stay positive.”
However, the 2019 Carifta games 800m silver medalist was adamant that her decision to join Texas Tech was not based on the potential of a link up with her pal, “We have different coaches and programs and schedules at Tech. It’s not like I’m following her. I was just most impressed with the programme at Tech as compared to the other institutions on my shortlist.”
Success on the track is desired for Archer but during this interview yesterday with Kaieteur Sport, she posited that her academics is most important and she gave thanks to God and everyone that has supported her on her journey so far as she strives to make Guyana proud.
She concluded giving, “Special thanks to my grandmother for always supporting me and allowing me to be myself and the best at that and I owe this semester’s Academic excellence to my Mentor Crystal Camejo.”

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