Tanyi Makia ’17 (#40, pictured right, photo credit to Maryland Football) is one of the few Randolph-Macon Academy athletes to earn a spot on a NCAA Division I team. A sophomore linebacker on the University of Maryland football team, Tanyi credits his determination with getting him here.
It also started with the self-reliance he learned at boarding school. “Being away from home and taking care of myself, helped me when I got to college,” Tanyi said. Laundry, cleaning his room, making his bed, keeping a uniform pressed and shoes shined – these rituals to the daily life of an R-MA cadet built structure that gave him a head start when he got to college.
Tanyi also didn’t let the fact that few R-MA athletes make it to D-I schools get in the way of his dream. He said would break curfew, staying up past lights out – not to watch Netflix or be on social media – but to get more sit-ups in on the dorm room floor. “I served in the dining hall so I could eat more food. I worked out more with that goal in mind,” he said.
A multi-sport athlete at R-MA, football was his passion. His favorite R-MA sports memory was the September 2016 game versus St. Anne’s-Belfield (STAB) in Charlottesville. This come-from-behind win propelled the Jackets to win the Patriot Conference football championship that year. “No one expected us to win that game on the road,” he remembered.
Tanyi attended Howard University his freshman year before transferring to become a Maryland Terrapin. He takes the 6 am workouts, daily football practices, along with keeping up with his classes, in stride. That’s because he has his next goal in mind: graduating with degrees in communications and business and attending law school.
“My advice to today’s students is to follow your dreams. Have a great work ethic and don’t rely on anyone else to make your dreams come true. You need to make it happen.”
With that attitude, it’s no wonder that that 8th grade Tanyi wouldn’t be surprised.
From September 9-30, each gift you make to a specific Yellow Jacket sport counts as a vote for that sport. The sport with the most votes on September 30th will receive a $5,000 gift from an anonymous donor! See where your sport stands: Yellow Jacket September.