On episode 194 I am delighted to be joined by Quinnipiac University point guard Maria Kealy.

Maria shares her basketball journey from growing in Donegal, playing basketball with her family, to winning AICCs with Letterkenny Blaze and training early before school at Loreto Letterkenny. 

Despite an early set back Kealy had a successful underage international career playing on multiple Irish squads, competed in the National League with LYIT Donegal and one year in Superleague with Ulster University while also balancing her leaving cert, before signing with coach Fabbri and the Bobcats. 

Quinnipiac University compete in the NCAA Division 1 MAAC conference where Maria suits up alongside fellow Irish star Ella O’Donnell. She enters her junior season and aspires to win a conference title which was last won by current Irish senior women’s captain Edel Thornton.

Maria shares the reality of college basketball, what a college practice is like, balancing academics and sport, Irish studies, and a connection to tennis great Maria Sharapova 

Tune in for an insight into the journey of Maria Kealy, from the Hills of Donegal to the hardwood in Hamden, Connectuit, and her goals for the future. 

This is Spotlight Her — where we celebrate the athletes, the journey, and the game.

The Spotlight Her series is a collaboration with Basketball Ireland  supported by sport ireland   

Follow Maria here 

https://www.instagram.com/mariakealy10/ 

Email Maria [email protected] 

Follow the Quinnipiac Bobcats here https://www.instagram.com/qu_wbb/ 

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thesidelinelive⁠⁠⁠ 

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Recorded using Samson Q2 microphone, Edited using GarageBand

Intro music, Watered Eyes by a talented Irish artist, Dillon Ward check him out ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ .