Outgoing River Falls senior setter Morgan Kealy, who has been a fixture of the Wildcats’ offense throughout her high school tenure, will continue her academic and athletic career at the University of St. Thomas as a Division 1 volleyball player, as she made official on National Signing Day on Wednesday, Nov. 9.

Kealy generated interest from schools all throughout the country because of her unique skill set to orchestrate an offense like she was working at the Philharmonic. Kealy’s unique size, court awareness and versatility made her attractive to many schools, especially the Tommies based out of Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Throughout the recruiting process Kealy had spoken with a variety of schools at multiple levels, but she knew during her visit to St. Thomas that she didn’t have to keep looking at other institutions – she wanted to be a Tommie.

“They reached out to me first. I was debating between a couple of other schools, but they reached out and I went on a visit,” Kealy said. “Right on the visit I knew that it was going to be my place. He said, ‘Take all the time you want.’ But I was thinking in my head, ‘I don’t need any more time.’” While Kealy was impressed with a lot of the facilities and programs that were recruiting her, the University of St. Thomas’ coaching staff was the deciding factor. Their approachable, welcoming team environment made Kealy’s final decision an easy one.

“Going from D3 to D1, they have to recruit based on the coaches and the facilities and players like that,” Kealy said. “They are super welcoming and amazing. They’re pretty much like family already and I’ve only known them for like six months.”

Kealy ends her River Falls volleyball career with three trips to the WIAA State Volleyball Tournament in Green Bay and as many selections as an All-State player. Kealy was Second-Team All-State as a sophomore, First-Team All-State as a junior and Second-Team All-State as a senior, as voted by the Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association.

“I think she was a legit First-Team player last year and a legit First-Team player this year,” River Falls head coach Sara Kealy said. “They won’t even consider anybody on our side of the state if the team doesn’t make it to state.”

In coach Sara Kealy’s eyes, Morgan was unquestionably one of the best players in the state this season. Her aforementioned versatility as a 5-1 setter and also essentially a middle blocker because the team needed it made her one of the most unique players in the state.

“No other setter in the All-State conversion had to block middle for the rotation like Morgan did,” Sara Kealy said. “The fact that (Morgan) can even do that and was third on the team in kills is ridiculous. She had to do so many different things for us this year just to help keep us competitive (on a state level), along with Brianna (Brathol), Abi (Banitt) and Taylor (Peterson).”

Morgan Kealy leaves River Falls as one of the most decorated athletes in the program’s star-studded history. Like so many other elite volleyball players in the Midwest, Kealy played club volleyball during the offseason with other top-tier talent in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Typically, elite players prefer club volleyball because all of the players are excellent.

However, Kealy loved playing both club volleyball and school ball at River Falls because the Wildcats always have great players, in large part because of head coach Sara Kealy, who was a Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Indiana and had a fruitful college volleyball career before beginning coaching.

“It was different than most people, because for most players, the club season is their really good team and then they go back to their high school where there aren’t many players,” Morgan Kealy said. “Mine was pretty much equal. I went to club season and had a fun time, but in high school season I still get to play with Abi (Banitt), Brianna (Brathol) and Taylor (Peterson).”

Even though St. Thomas is a Division 1 volleyball program, all indications are that Morgan Kealy will be an immediate starter with an offense built around her setting skills in a traditional 5-1 rotation. Coach Sara Kealy spoke about Morgan’s fit at St. Thomas and what she will bring to their roster.

“I think Thanh (Pham), who coaches at St. Thomas has a great relationship with his players and that’s what Morgan needs at this point in her life,” Sara Kealy said. “Since they made that switch to D1 a couple of years ago, they don’t have a full D1 roster but they’re playing a D1 schedule. I think he’s looking at it like he can build a program around Morgan, he’s thinking if he can get a setter in place, he can get better hitters by showing them what (Morgan) can do for the next three or four years. I’m really excited for her.”

Factoring in the excellent coaching staff, the first-class facilities and an entire offense built around her, St. Thomas proved to be a tailor-made situation for Kealy coming out of a successful high school career.

“Yeah, that’s the plan,” Kealy said about starting during her freshman year next fall. “They have like four setters on the team, but the plan is for me to come in and run a 5-1. So, that’s super cool and that’s always what drew me in, knowing that I could make an impact right away.”

River Falls senior setter Morgan Kealy sets a ball to senior Becca Randleman during a set against Chippewa Falls at the annual UW-Stout Sprawl Tournament in Menomonie earlier this season. Kealy will be the starting setter at St. Thomas during her freshman season next fall.Photo by Reagan Hoverman