Serious competition brought out the best in Ishmieal Kamara, whose hard work on the Cal U basketball team pays off with latest accolade.
When Ishmieal Kamara joined Cal U's men's basketball program in 1999, the Vulcans were defending PSAC champions who had made eight NCAA Division II Tournament appearances in the past 12 years.
"The competition was serious and at a high level, so I knew right away that I really needed to focus on my game to just even get on the floor," Kamara said. "It was extremely challenging but an exciting time that brought out everyone's best."
He rose to the occasion and became a three-year starter and all-conference guard.
Playing under head coach Bill Brown, Kamara helped the Vulcans compile an 88-31 overall
record and 35-13 PSAC-West mark during his four-year career.
During this stretch, Cal U won three PSAC-West titles with consecutive conference championship game appearances in 2002 and 2003.
Kamara is the second athlete recruited by Brown — who coached the Vulcans to 365 wins over 20 seasons before he retired — to be inducted into Cal U's Hall of Fame. Brown also recruited 2013 inductee Seth Martin '02.
"I was and still am in total disbelief," said Kamara, after Brown phoned him about making the Hall of Fame.
"Coach Brown is one of the easiest people to get along with, and he allowed us to grow, learn from our mistakes and become men. It was an absolute pleasure to play with him, and this honor is a reflection of the job he did putting our team together and the opportunity he gave me."
Kamara finished his stellar career with 1,421 points, which ranks 11th in school history. He also shot 78.4 percent from the foul line (326-416) and produced 354 rebounds, 213 assists and 80 steals.
Originally from Dublin, Ohio, Kamara was selected as the 2003 PSAC-West Player of
the Year.
A dean's list student as a secondary education major, he also was active with the
Black Student Union and was a student-worker in the health center.
"You don't realize it when you're going through it, but looking back, it was so much
fun," Kamara said about his time at Cal U. "I enjoyed everything about being at Cal."
After his collegiate career, Kamara competed for five years in the Continental Basketball Association and International Basketball League.
Brown called him a special player and even better person.
"Ish is a guy who was very respectful of others and was a great teammate," Brown said. "He was so low key, but he let his actions speak for his play.
"He never let his individual accomplishments affect who he was as a player or a person, and we knew if we needed a bucket, he would get one for us."
For nearly a decade, Kamara has owned and served as a personal trainer and fitness instructor for MiLegacyMyLife in the Washington D.C. area. He runs a series of wellness programs and clinics for companies, as well as fitness projects for several schools.
Kamara lives in Laurel, Md., and always looks forward to returning to campus.
"As much as the campus and buildings have changed, when I come back to campus it still has that nice 'Cal' feel to it, which is amazing," he said. "That's why Cal U is so special."