Dijiona

In a short time, Olive-Harvey College became more than a place for Dijiona to earn college credits and play basketball. It became a place where she found support, built confidence, and achieved a milestone no Lady Panther had before.

After one year at Olive-Harvey, Dijiona became the first player in program history to sign with an NCAA Division I university before the start of her sophomore year. This fall, she’ll continue her academic and athletic career at Florida A&M University.

With a strong high school GPA, Dijiona had options when it came to college, but Olive-Harvey stood out because received the Star scholarship in addition to her athletic scholarship and she found people who believed in her from the beginning. That support helped her grow both on and off the court.

Olive-Harvey women’s basketball Head Coach Jeff Dillard said her commitment and leadership left a lasting mark on the Lady Panthers.

“Dijiona left her fingerprints on this team,” he said. “Her energy is contagious, and her work ethic both on and off the court motivated everyone. Her scholarship to Florida A&M is the ultimate encouragement for her teammates to continue chasing their own dreams.”

“Coach Dillard was amazing,” Dijiona said. “I loved being a Lady Panther, and I loved my teammates because we supported one another every day. Olive-Harvey felt like home for me.”

Dijiona is a South Side Chicago native, a graduate of Simeon Career Academy, and from a family that loves basketball. She and her 12 siblings all play basketball, but she’s the first in her family to earn a Division I opportunity.

“I’m the first person in my family to sign to a D1 school, and they are all proud of me,” she said.

As Dijiona begins the next chapter of her journey, she’ll also be leaving a legacy at Olive-Harvey. Her signing marks the college’s second consecutive NCAA Division I signee, inspiring the next generation of Lady Panthers to pursue their own dreams on and off the court.