Daniela Chapa-Reyes 
PHOTO COURTESY UTRGV ATHLETICS
For most UTRGV Track & Field athletes, the fall serves as their off-season. However, for one individual, the fall semester looks slightly different now.
Keamonie Archie, a kinesiology major, is now part of the UTRGV Football Team as a redshirt sophomore wide receiver, taking on the journey of being a dual-sport athlete for the university.
“I wanted to be a basketball player growing up because my brothers played football, and I wanted to be different; but, then, I didn’t compete,” Archie said. “I just never got a chance to compete. I’ve been doing track since junior year high school and football since senior year.”
He started his collegiate football career at Fort Hays State University, a Division II school located in Kansas. It was there that he was asked mid-football season to make the switch onto Fort Hays track and field team.
“My mom convinced me to transfer [schools] for track, and I ended up here,” Archie said. “During sophomore year, I was fighting through injuries for track. I decided I wanted to play football and it just went on from there.”
He transferred to UTRGV in the fall 2024 semester and started practicing with the UTRGV Football Team throughout summer 2025 as a defensive back to later make the switch to wide receiver.
“I decided to switch to the offensive side where I’m more comfortable to see what happens,” he said.
Archie said he prefers playing football over track and field.
“Track helps me get better for football, but I really like football a lot more,” he said. “I like track, but I only do it because I am good at it. … I would most definitely play football first before jumping.”
During the 2025 Track & Field season, Archie qualified for the NCAA West First Round, where he finished 43rd in long jump with a mark of 5.45. He also earned All-Conference Second Team honors in long jump at the Southland Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships after taking silver with a mark of 7.52 meters.
“Once [the football season] is over, I go straight into [competing for] indoor,” he said. “I’d rather be busy all year anyway.”
When it comes to managing practice and being a student, Archie said it was hard figuring out his schedule.
“I have mostly online classes; I do have in-person classes, but those are later throughout the day,” he said. “After practice, I go to class, I have meetings, I do homework and, then, I am done for the day.”
Archie pushes for young athletes to chase the opportunities.
“If you really want it, just go get it,” he said.
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