WOODBURY — Maggie Keane is a prominent face around the campus of Nonnewaug High School. Both academically and athletically advanced, Keane strives to make the most of her time at Nonnewaug.
Keane’s course load and athletic goals have significantly increased since her freshman year, and she still manages to keep up with the busyness of her final year of high school.
“I was really not involved freshman year,” Keane said. “I stepped up my participation game throughout my years at Nonnewaug. I did have volleyball my freshman year, which I knew was my biggest passion at the time.”
Keane was a four-year volleyball player. She started as a sophomore as a right-side hitter, then worked her way up to a more comfortable position for her as the second outside hitter her junior year, and finally to the top outside hitter her senior year. As a senior, she was elected captain and led the team to a 17-3 record.
“Maggie has had a tremendous impact on our volleyball program over the past four years,” said coach Marty Malaspina. “She has led the team in statistics, she’s hardworking, and receptive to feedback. She will be missed next year; it’s hard to imagine our team without Maggie Keane.”
But Keane’s sports career isn’t over quite yet.
“If I am to be accepted into UMass-Amherst, I definitely want to continue my volleyball career,” said Keane. “Since they’re [Division I], I might try to be a walk-on, but I’ll probably stick to their club team.”
Keane said that although she would love to be an outside hitter, the girls in college volleyball are tall.
“I’d love to continue to be a front row hitter, but seeing as I have little height in comparison to the competition, I could see myself playing in the back row as a [defensive specialist],” she said.
Along with playing club volleyball in college, Keane has many hopes for her college education.
“As of right now, I think I’m going to go into college undecided. I do have a lot of interest in history, or maybe I should go into business — I’m not really sure yet,” said Keane. “Business is where the money is, though. Catch me rich or I’ll marry rich.”
Keane has a wide variety of interests, as shown by her indecisiveness of her future major. She is involved in many honor societies, like holding a pillar position in National Honor Society, serving as historian of Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society, and being a member of the National English Honor Society. She is also a part of the Student Events Planning Committee and the Leo Club, and she ran the 2023 Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fundraiser along with fellow seniors Skylar Chung and Sam Duncan.
“That LLS fundraiser was such a great experience,” said Keane. “We ended up raising $14,000. It felt so good to be a leader in fundraising for blood cancer research. I had no idea how much of an impact I could make in the school.”
Chung was thankful for Keane’s dedication to the event.
“Maggie was a huge help during the LLS activities and she was so easy to work with,” said Chung. “Her bubbly personality was great when we had to go to local businesses and ask for sponsors. She’s so extremely organized and a great leader.”
Keane’s involvement has been both a favor to Nonnewaug and a part of her personality she’s come to appreciate. It’s also a part of the advice she has for younger students.
“Don’t be scared to be a part of a lot of things,” Keane said. “It allows you to learn to manage time well. Before freshman year, I didn’t do many clubs, and now my plate is filled, and it’s only brought great opportunities that I wouldn’t trade for anything.”
