GALION — Volleyball standout Taylor Keeran is ready for the next chapter in her playing career. Keeran has decided will continue her volleyball and educational pursuits at Carson-Newman University, an NCAA Division II school and member of the South Atlantic Conference in Jefferson City, Tennessee.
“The Carson-Newman campus is absolutely beautiful,” Keeran said. “The athletic and academic facilities are amazing, but the main reason I fell in love was the people. The coaches, academic staff and players made me feel like family the first time I was on campus”
Keeran, this year’s Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference volleyball Player of the Year, will be trading in her orange and blue Galion uniform for the same colors next fall. Carson-Newman was one of the many schools interested in her.
“Other possibilities fwere the U.S. Naval Academy, American University, Ohio University, Kent State, Eastern Michigan, East Stroudsburg University and West Liberty University,” she said.
Keeran plans to pursue a degree in special education and elementary education. Between her academic and athletic scholarships, she will be on a “full ride” for the Lady Eagles.
“It’s going to be different because my family and I are really close,” sh said. “But my roommate is from Wisconsin, so we will both be far away from home and can really lean on each other. I also loved that the volleyball team is a family so I know I will be happy.”
Taylor received many accolades for her high school volleyball skills. As a member of the Harding Prexies (2016-18), she earned honorable mention honors as a freshman season and was first-team, all-MOAC her sophomore and junior seasons. After moving to Galion this year, she was named conference Player of the Year, was a first-team MOAC and earned all-county pick, all district and all-Ohio accolades. She helped the Lady Tigers to their third consecutive conference title.
“Thank you to my mom, grandparents, siblings, club coach Josh Chiero, Galion coach Jaime Valentine, club teammates and high school teammates for all of their support,” she said. “My dreams would not be possible if all of these people were not there to help me grow as a person and as a player. My Galion teammates were beyond amazing. The way they welcomed me onto the team and treated me as if I’d played with them for four year was unbelievable. To finish my high school volleyball career with my team at Galion was exactly what I needed athletically and personally.”
