NCSA caught up with rising volleyball star Meg Kenny to talk about her volleyball career and collegiate plans.
NCSA: What is your background in volleyball? When did you start playing?
Meg: I started playing volleyball when I was ten years old. I didn't fall in love with it though until I started playing club ball a few years later, and this is my fifth year playing travel.
NCSA: What is the athletic experience you have ever had?
Meg: The best athletic experience I’ve ever had was this year during my school volleyball season. Unfortunately, at the beginning of the school year, one of my school class mates was killed in a car accident. This was on a Saturday and that Thursday we had a huge game against a really good team in our district. The whole week before was a time when my team and my school was mourning over the loss of a really great guy and I had no idea how we were going to play in this game. The day before, after talking to my team, we decided that we were going to play the match the next day in honor of this boy. We sewed patches with his initials onto our jerseys and made signs with his name on them; we handed out free tickets to all the students the day of the game. That night, we entered the gym with no idea what the turn out was going to look like. Nothing could have prepared us for what was waiting for us in the gymnasium. There wasn't an open seat anywhere. Boys stood in the front row of the student section and had the boy's name painted on their stomachs. Behind them was- what looked like- half the student body (and we're an AAA school). The opposing team wasn't expecting it either. With the incredible noise that our fans made the opposing team didn't have a chance. After winning a great, close game, everyone rushed the court and everyone could just tell that things were going to be better from now on. It was incredible knowing that I could help an entire student body get back on their feet, and that is my greatest memory of high school so far.
NCSA: What is the best academic experience you have ever had?
Meg: I'm a math honor at school and all of the honors tutor little kids. It’s my favorite thing in the world to help them.
NCSA: What type of college are you looking for?
Meg: I'm looking for a college where in can thrive both on and off the court. I want it to be big enough so I can meet tons of unique people, but small enough that I don't get overwhelmed.
NCSA: How are you seeking out colleges of interest?
Meg: At first I sent out letters just telling coaches about me to several schools that I had taken an interest in and then if they responded to me I sent them my skills tape and later my schedule. I try and keep them updated on my team and on any up and coming tournaments that I may have.
NCSA: What makes you really interested in a volleyball program after a coach contacts you? What types of things are you looking for?
Meg: I really look at location because the environment really matters to me. Also, I want to go into pre-vet studies or marine biology. So somewhere aquatic or with a veterinary school would be ideal. It would also be nice if they had really good athletics there.
NCSA: How has your recruiting process changed since starting with NCSA?
Meg: I feel like NCSA has really gotten my information out there because I just don't have the resources to do what this program does.
NCSA: If someone was just starting the recruiting process, what advice might you give them?
Meg: The best advice that I could give someone just starting out is to be persistent and keep your options open. Also, don't rule out schools that you may not have heard of. Research them! You never know!
