In the vibrant world of NJ high school volleyball, few players have made as significant an impact as Keira Mullen from Howell, New Jersey. As a standout athlete for Howell High School, Keira has consistently demonstrated her prowess on the court, earning recognition and admiration from teammates, coaches, and opponents alike. Her journey through the sport is a testament to her dedication, skill, and passion for volleyball, making her an inspiring figure for aspiring athletes.

Keira is multi-talented athlete and spread herself pretty thin on the varsity side for the Rebels. Between juggling multi-varsity sports and her club volleyball season, her focus is turning toward college volleyball. Whether she’s delivering powerful spikes as an outside hitter or making crucial blocks as a middle blocker, Keira’s presence on the court is always felt. Her statistics from the 2023-2024 season, including 165 kills and 125 digs, highlight her significant contributions to her team’s success.

Keira has had her own family member as mentor to help guide her on and off the court. Her older brother Patrick has been there for advice and guidance. Patrick is an accomplished volleyball player and is currently playing at the D2 collegiate level. He had a storied career at Howell and Keira has been fueled by his accomplishments.

Join us as we sit down with Keira Mullen to learn more about her remarkable journey in volleyball. Keira’s story is one of perseverance, growth, and passion. Her experiences offer valuable insights for anyone interested in the world of high school sports and the dedication it takes to excel at the highest level.

Hi Keira… Can you tell us a bit about how you got started with volleyball and what drew you to the
sport?

I started playing volleyball as a freshman in high school. Before that I was so set on the fact that
track would be my main sport, and I would go on to run in college. Volleyball has always
surrounded my life, as my dad plays, my brother plays, and my uncles even played really high
level volleyball. My family was definitely my biggest influence when it came to volleyball, and I’m
so glad I grew up around the sport.

What has been the most memorable moment of your volleyball career so far?

My most memorable moment from my career was from one of our games last year against
Pinelands. We were down 5-15, but we were absolutely not losing hope, it was one of those
games that we really wanted.. I remember chipping away at the score for it to be 26-25. I was
next up to serve and the energy on our side of the court took over the entire gym. I got an ace
on the last point ending the game with a win for us. Our team this year always talks about this
game and that last play, and I love the grit we showed to not give up even after being down 10
points.

How do you balance your academic responsibilities with your commitment to volleyball?

It has taken a lot of practice in the past 4 years especially since I do varsity sports all three
seasons of the year, as well as club volleyball. I’ve learned to try to manage my time, whether it
be studying on the bus or just trying to use my time wisely. Balancing schoolwork, athletics,
work and relationships with people is always going to be so hard, but that’s what I live for, I
need a good challenge in my life.

You have decided to play D2 volleyball at Daemen. What were the factors that went into
choosing the Wildcats?

I am so happy with my choice to play for Daemen University, there were definitely a lot of
factors that went into picking Daemen as my future school, one of the biggest aspects was the
opportunity I was given to play, and how much I know the school is going to help me reach my
full potential and gain a lot more experience. Another deciding factor was the fact that my
brother also plays for Daemen University, and from his perspective the programs there are
really good, also they were very accommodating academically, and would help me in my future
career.

What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a student-athlete, and how
have you overcome them?

My freshman year of high school I was doing three different sports all in one season. I was
playing out of school soccer, out of school volleyball, and I was running track for Howell. That
year was one of the most mentally challenging years of my life, and also physically put a huge
toll on my body. One of my biggest struggles was managing school and all three of these sports,
but I eventually learned how to manage classwork and athletics, which overall really helped me
to become a better athlete and student.

What is your best memory of your high school career so far?

My best memory of my high school career so far was definitely our divisional win, our school
wasn’t always a known school in the volleyball world, and so to win the division and stay
undefeated, it was such a cool experience to live out with my team.

What professional field do you want to enter after college?
After college I am planning on pursuing a career in Physical Therapy, I have always wanted to
be involved in sports in some way, and when I got hurt sophomore year of high school and was
in physical therapy it really sparked an interest in me, and I thought it would be a good way to
stay in sports, as well as help the people around me.

Which Shore opposing player were you most impressed with last season?

There is so much competition in the Shore, and I’m so lucky to be able to play in such a high
level conference with some of the top teams in the state. One player that really stood out to me
last year was Gia Sergi from St. John Vianney. She’s only a junior this year and has so much
potential for her future career as a volleyball player. I remember playing her my
sophomore season and she was insane even as a freshman. She’s one of those players who I
love playing against because she makes the game so much more competitive and takes the
game to that next level.

Who has been your biggest inspiration or mentor in your volleyball journey?

My biggest inspiration is my older brother Patrick. He started playing volleyball his sophomore
year of high school since his freshman year was cut short due to COVID, and that’s where the
idea of me playing started. He was also the one who mentioned the idea of reaching out to
Daemen University, and I am so glad he did because I was able to find the school that was the
right fit for me. He always watches videos and tells me what I need to change about my passing, swing or approach, and coming from him the criticism is easy to take because I know he wants what’s best for me.

How do you prepare mentally and physically for a big game?

I always try to keep myself calm. My biggest thing is making sure I eat well the night before and
drink a lot of water. Doing sports all three seasons has made me realize the importance of
taking care of my body in between games and after practices. I usually like to watch film on
either my own team or the other team to get perspective on how to shift our defense or blocking,
or even the differences we have to make with our offense. I learned that stress on myself is only
going to make me play more tense, so keeping myself calm before games is always one of the
biggest ways I can stay physical on the court.

In your 4-year high school career, you have put up some impressive statistics and are on
your way to surpass 500 kills, 300 digs, and 100 aces for your career. What are your
expectations for your senior campaign?

My biggest goal is to definitely surpass 500 kills, I think it is definitely a goal I can try to reach
for. This season my biggest goal is to definitely prepare myself for how college will be. I am
hoping I can do better than last year, and I think currently I have ultimately improved from my
game play last year.

Tell us about your Rebels head coach, Maggie Preston?
I love being able to play for Coach Preston, I can play easily knowing she knows the game, and
knows how to coach us. She definitely played a huge role in getting our first division win
since 2019 last year, and we are looking for another takeover this year. With her coaching, I
think we can absolutely win the division and make it super far into the shore conference.

Tell us about your teammates and some of the individuals that will contribute toward the
Rebels success in 2024?

I genuinely love this team, there are 10 of us graduating this year, and most of us have been
playing together for the past 4 years. Everyone on this team is so talented, which makes it so
hard to choose, but I think one person that really makes a huge difference on the team in Cici
Socha Soares, Last year she was 1 of 3 girls on our team that put up over 100 kills and
contributed such a big part of our divisional win last year.

Tell us about your volleyball club experience?

I started playing club the season directly after my freshman season. I originally played for
Ocean County Volleyball Club, and ultimately decided to make a big switch to play for Princeton
Volleyball club last year and continue to play there this year, I have always had really good
experiences playing club each season, and I am super excited for this year, because there will
be some girls from the Shore joining my team and I think we’re going to have a very good
season.

Who is your role model?

My role model is Ally Batenhorst. She is an all around outside for USC. I watched her my
freshman year, and she was one of those players that I still, to this day, love to watch, because
her mentality and energy on the court is unmatched. She has such an insanely impactful
presence on the court, and that’s the mentality that I want. I don’t just want to be on the court, I
want to make an impact on the court.