Matt Ilodigwe has already graduated from Lycoming College. The four-year starting guard was one of our favorites. Matt has a great smile and an incredible demeanor. He was a sniper from the outside and helped the Warriors win a few titles. Ilodigwe led the MAC in many shooting categories. He finished his career with 758 points and 178 threes. Matt was an outstanding player. Smooth. A stud both on and off the court.
COVID-19 changed the entire landscape. The NCAA was in a tough spot, and they rewarded many student-athletes. Illodigwe took advantage of an additional year of eligibility. Matt entered the transfer portal just before graduation. You saw this a lot with several Division 1 players. It gave many folks another opportunity.
“I got my bachelor’s degree in May,” Ilodigwe explained. “I then transferred to Lancaster Bible to play one more season and work on my MBA. It was a great fit, and I continue to keep my dream alive.”
Matt Ilodigwe is famous. My man is a social media genius. I am not kidding. Matt has over 100k followers on Instagram. He is also trending on TikTok and Snapchat. Ilodigwe’s posts are fantastic. They chronicle his life as being a Division 3 athlete. He shares short stories and perspectives on managing your time and building confidence. Each feed is very well done.
“I started posting in January of 2021,” Matt continued. “It was during our COVID season at Lycoming. It was a strange time, and there wasn’t a lot going on besides our ‘masked’ practices and online zoom classes. I decided to post a TikTok video for fun, and it went from there. The following and feedback have been insane. I will continue to post as I hope to share my experiences and encourage my followers to be great. I have tried to stay consistent through motivational, faith-based, relatable, and basketball content.”
Jensen and I snuck over to see Matt and his Lancaster Bible squad play the Penn College Wildcats. It was a homecoming of sorts for the former Lycoming College Warrior. Ilodigwe’s role is a tad different. Matt now finds himself as a reserve. He did get a few shots up toward the very end. It was so great to see our friend running up and down the court again. Matt’s smile and work ethic are second to none. Jensen and I waited, and we got say hello. Matt immediately gave my son some love. He asked him about school and congratulated him on a few of his clips. Jensen was grinning from ear to ear. I then told Matt a quick tale on how he has made an impact on my son’s young career.
Jensen, like many other youngsters, knows Matt well. He is a rockstar through social media. Jensen always keeps me in the loop whenever there is something new. MATTY ICE’s material is exceptional, and his message is unreal. Jensen reached out a few months back. Matt answered and wrote him a great note. He encouraged him to hang in there and continue to work. I’m sure Ilodigwe does this on a regular basis. But his little shout meant the world. He gave Jensen a little boost. It was what he needed — impressive young man.
“It is very humbling to hear stories like this,” Matt summed up. “I try to encourage people to get better every day. It takes a commitment. If it’s training for an hour, watching film, working out in the weight room, or playing against older guys, find something to do that is going to challenge you to get 1% better. Eventually, you will get to where you want to be.”
Please do me a solid, folks, and track Matt down. His message and content are off the charts. I am so proud of my young friend and our fellow Lycoming cager. Matt Ilodigwe is well on his way. He is an inspiration. His platforms are outstanding. It was so good to see him again.
I look forward to seeing what the future brings to this extraordinary young lad. Thanks, Matty Ice. Cheers.
