Ezekoye finds fit in the Ivy League

Less than a month ago, Silver Spring (Md.) Kennedy athlete Ndubisi Ezekoye was still deciding between eight schools that had offered him scholarships. But on Monday evening the 5-foot-11, 175-pounder was ready to make a decision.

"I'm going to Harvard," said Ezekoye, who made his announcement in the first half of the second annual Maryland Crab Bowl at Towson's Johnny Unitas Stadium. "It seemed like the best fit for me and my family. There's a great attitude up there, the coaches are awesome and obviously it's a great education."

Ezekoye had offers from 11 schools but narrowed his list to eight in early December: Army, Cornell, Georgetown, Harvard, Navy, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Yale. Four of those schools are in the Ivy League and almost all of them are known more for academics than athletics. That doesn't bother Ezekoye, an honors student who boasts a 3.9 GPA.

"I've been handling my academics pretty well my entire life," Ezekoye said. "So I think I'll be OK at Harvard."

But the Crimson aren't just about the books. Last year Harvard's football team finished 7-3 and came within a game of winning the Ivy League title. Their recent success certainly appealed to Ezekoye.

"The coaches are committed to winning an Ivy League championship," said Ezekoye, who took his official visit to Cambridge two weeks ago. "They'll accept nothing less. I liked that attitude in an Ivy school."

Ezekoye lined up all over the field in high school. He played running back, wide receiver, safety and cornerback in addition to returning kicks and punts for Kennedy. Apparently Harvard will give him the same freedom.

"I'll be doing everything for them just like high school," Ezekoye said. "I'm excited to play and contribute."