Dimeko Price ’13

Running back Dimeko Price is the greatest rusher in Hornet football history. But his favorite football stories center around a person who didn’t play football. 

“When I was eight,” Dimeko recalls, “my dad stayed up all night painting a Michigan Wolverines design on the helmet my rocket football league provided. The team loved it, and everyone asked him to paint their helmets too. We won the championship that year. 

“My dad did not play high school football,” adds Dimeko. “He did not have profound football knowledge. But he was my biggest cheerleader and supporter. He filmed all my games from rocket league to high school with a camcorder so we could study them together. He never complained about long road trips or watching in rain or snow. He was always there. 

“I lost my dad this year. He was 57. Receiving this award without him will be difficult.” 

Though he is not at tonight’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Dimeko’s father undoubtedly knew by heart all the plentiful evidence of his son’s football prowess. 

Dimeko was named an All-MIAA First Team running back his junior and senior seasons. He led the Hornets in rushing yards both those seasons. His sophomore season was equally stellar. That year too he led the team in rushing yards, set the school record for rushing yards in a season, and ranked third in NCAA Division III in all-purpose yards per game. He also earned honors as an all-conference First Team return specialist.  

By the end of his senior season, he had rushed for more yards than any player in Hornet history. But he wasn’t quite done. He played in the postseason Bowl of Stars game in Mexico City, one of only 48 Division III players in the U.S. honored with an invitation. 

Dimeko majored in chemistry and studied abroad in Costa Rica. “My first time out of the country,” he says, “and my first time boarding a plane.” He also is the first member of his family to graduate from college and is “proud to set an example of what is possible.” 

After graduating, Dimeko and his (soon-to-be) wife, Amelia, moved to California and worked in the biotechnology industry. Later they left corporate life and worked at the Boys Town California affiliate, providing specialized education and care for at-risk students. 

During the pandemic the couple returned to Michigan with their three children—Phoenix (8), Audie (6), and Griffin (4). Today they own and operate The Recovery Den, a wellness center that serves student-athletes, fitness enthusiasts, first responders and individuals recovering from everyday physical stress. 

“At K I learned how to think critically,” says Dimeko. “I learned it’s fine to not immediately have an answer or know the right thing to say. I learned how to think carefully and to be objective and logical before making decisions or passing judgment.”