By: Gordon Weigers, Athletic Communications Assistant

Last season, Kwesi Abakah realized a dream. From a young age, he wondered what it would be like to win a conference championship in an elite conference in the NCAA. He imagined the emotions of playing in the NCAA tournament in front of tens of thousands of fans with millions more watching at home.
 
"The CAA Championship was one of the most electric moments of my basketball career," Abakah said. "The pressure and the atmosphere of being able to play in that tournament and get to that championship game was amazing."
 
As Abakah knows, it takes endless hours of hard work and support from countless people to have the opportunity to play in a championship game. The Suwanee, Georgia native dominated high school basketball, earning him looks from great Division I programs.
 
The perfect fit for Abakah was Northeastern. From his arrival on campus, he knew what Northeastern was all about and he knew that he wanted to be a part of it.

Abakah was poised to see big minutes on the court as a freshman for the Huskies, before the landscape of his college career was changed forever. Abakah suffered a torn ACL in the preseason and was sidelined for the entire season.
 
"It was a very hard time for me," Abakah said. "I got through it with help from my support groups: my family, my teammates and my coaches. They were a big help."
 
Missing time with an injury is frustrating for an athlete, especially one who was so close to starting a new chapter in his basketball career. Having to wait an entire season to get back on the court can discourage athletes and make them wonder if they'll ever see the court again.
 
While Abakah's injury kept him sidelined, he worked through the rehabilitation process with his teammates and coaches, helping to get him physically ready to play again as a sophomore. As he healed physically, Abakah had to heal the mental scars that took place from missing a full season.
 
"Although I was far from home, my parents made sure to keep in touch with me everyday to check on how I was doing, what progress was being made, and how I was feeling both physically and mentally," Abakah said. "I'd say their biggest role was giving me advice on how to cope with the seemingly negative situation. Sharing times when they had faced adversity and helping me find the silver lining shaped my recovery process into a very successful one."
 
Abakah credits his love for basketball to his parents, Matthew and Stephanie Abakah. Growing up about 30 miles north of Atlanta, Abakah learned the values of sports at an early age.
 
"My parents always did their best to keep us active," Abakah said.
 
Abakah's parents have been their son's role models ever since he was a boy. Their love and support for their son, both athletically and academically, gave Abakah the tools necessary to play Division I basketball.
 
"They keep me on track in my academics and my athletics," Abakah said. "They have raised me to be a fine young man," Abakah said.
 
For this year's Midnight Madness Dunk Contest winner, the 2015-16 season means getting back to the top of the mountain and reaching the NCAA tournament again. For someone who has overcome the adversity that Abakah has in his career, no feat is unattainable.