Commencement and Confetti

Many diehard Seahawks fans are still riding the high of the past few weeks while reflecting on and reveling in the magical season that was, the victorious division and championship games at home and that statement-winning Super Bowl performance that couldn’t have been scripted better.

Recent SU graduate Nijeria McClain, who finished her degree in December, got to experience all the memory-making moments of this past season—including attending her first Super Bowl and that raucous victory parade that snaked through downtown days later—up close and personal. Oh, and she did this why studying for her classes and finals on her way to earning a degree in sociology.

But McClain is no ordinary “12” but rather the longtime girlfriend of Seahawks star cornerback Devon Witherspoon.  “It’s been really fun,” she says of the memorable season and its culmination with winning the Lombardi.

The high school sweethearts grew up in Pensacola, Florida, attending rival schools (Pine Forest High School and Escambia High School) and both played basketball. They were somewhat familiar with one another through family connections and their shared sport, but they first officially crossed paths at the state fair, followed by their first date attending a football game at McClain’s school. And the couple has been together since, with each pursuing their academic goals as Witherspoon’s dream of pro sports—in football, not basketball—became realized.

As someone who attends every home game, McClain predicted early in the season—despite the rough first few games—that the Seahawks would ultimately prevail and win it all by season’s end.

Though no ordinary fan, she is not immune to the nerves that rack many of the 12s who watch games often go down—and blood pressure up—to the final seconds of the fourth quarter. But this year felt different, she says.

“I think once we got past that slow start, things really picked up and I just felt it,” she says. “Then when we were in the NFC Championship game I knew that we were going to make it to the Super Bowl. And when it happened, when we beat the Rams, it was amazing. Like, ‘this really did happen.’”

McClain’s path to Seattle University started with a desire for a change of environment, relocating from Florida to California where an uncle resides. She attended junior college in San Diego while Witherspoon was attending the University of Illinois to play football. Right around the time she was finishing up her associate’s degree Witherspoon was drafted by the Seahawks and McClain entered Seattle University as a transfer student.

“Seattle U was the only school I applied to. I didn’t know anything about it,” she says, but had the “best experience” with her classes and professors.

Originally, she was eyeing a major in African American history but then decided on sociology with a desire for a career in community programming (she is currently exploring job opportunities in the Seattle area.)  

“A big theme of my education was around building community and being able to better articulate how I am feeling about issues, whether it’s around combating authoritarianism or tackling grief,” says McClain, adding that she learned so much from her peers and the professors, lessons that will be beneficial in her professional pursuits.

As she reflects back on the Seahawks' run to the Super Bowl she remembers fondly the whirlwind of off-the-field activities in the days leading up to the big game. There were memory-making moments like attending star-studded parties and getting a private concert with T-Pain and Ludacris at the Super Bowl after-party. Perhaps the biggest highlight was being on the field, as the confetti rained down, crowning the Seahawks the Super Bowl champs, an experience she won’t soon forget.

“It was surreal. I always watched the Super Bowl from home but to see Devon and his team win was insane.”

Another surreal, pinch-me moment? Being part of the parade celebrating the home team.

“The parade was so cool. It was magical,” she says. “I always knew Seattle had the best fans.”