Huntington senior Shannon Kehoe has committed to Canisius College’s NCAA Division I women’s volleyball team. The Blue Devil great has been working for years to earn this opportunity and she plans to make the most of it.
“The college recruiting process is very long and schools are constantly on and off your radar,” Ms. Kehoe said. “The MAAC conference was where I felt I was able to play and contribute to a team. Canisius was constantly on my radar since I started my recruiting process. The Canisius volleyball team hired a new coach last summer and I felt I had an instant bond with her once she said her name was Shannon, too.”
Ms. Kehoe is undecided regarding a possible college academic major, “but I do know I want to work with athletes and continue playing and coaching volleyball,” she said. “As for after college, my goal is to play overseas and with dual citizenship and an EU passport it makes it a lot easier. Coach Shannon played overseas before starting her coaching career and I believe she can help get me there, too.”
The Huntington senior is currently immersed in the Blue Devil volleyball team’s season. “It’s looking really good so far,” Ms. Kehoe said. “We have a strong team and I know we can make a good name for Huntington volleyball. I have played club volleyball for nine years between Creole Big Apple and Sportime Volleyball Club. Not only do I currently play for Sportime, but I also have been working there the past few years, from teaching little kids to play volleyball at clinics to working the front desk. I am looking forward to this season, this is the first year I’ll be an assistant coach of a 15’s team, alongside my dad and cousin, Lauren a former college player.”
The senior’s academic record is an impressive one. “A teacher I have constantly worked with over the years at Huntington was Mrs. [Dame] Forbes,” said Ms. Kehoe about a longtime faculty member who was recently named an administrator in a Nassau district. “Though she switched school districts over the summer, I still want to thank her again for the past three years in science research. She helped me realize that women in science need to be a bigger deal. She has definitely pushed that at Huntington and made an impact.”
Ms. Kehoe is an essential member of Huntington’s Class of 2022. “I think one of my all-time favorite Huntington memories related to volleyball was making playoffs my freshman year,” she said. “I still remember the game that we won to get us into the playoffs. All of the girls from that team have graduated, but we all still text and talk like they never left. As for other memories, I think Relay For Life really stood out for me. Being able to hang out with friends all night while raising money for a good cause was amazing.”
All things considered, the teenager has had an enjoyable and altogether rewarding and meaningful experience these past four years.
“To underclassmen who are either undecided or plan to play a sport in college, start as early as you can,” Ms. Kehoe advises. “I started early and I was able to begin my senior year committed, which takes a lot of pressure off and makes for a more enjoyable senior year. Any sport or club you think you are interested in, do it. It was 100 percent worth it. I have made some of my best friends through them.”
While everyone has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in one way or another, it certainly hasn’t been easy on teenagers attending high school, but Ms. Kehoe, like so many of her classmates has made the best of a tough situation.
“It definitely wasn’t a normal high school experience with COVID, but I think the teachers, staff and coaches at Huntington all adapted fast,” Ms. Kehoe said. “They were able to give us the best possible experience in these circumstances and I thank them all for it.”
