ARCHBISHOP SPALDING // FIELD HOCKEY
A love of the game of field hockey started at a young age for this talented sophomore forward. Shanahan, who experienced varsity field hockey first-hand during her freshman year with the Cavaliers, has been playing this sport since the second grade.
Her experience playing for the Gaels U16 indoor field hockey team has helped her tremendously with her transition at Spalding. With them, she won the 2013 U16 National Indoor Tournament. Through the Gaels, Shanahan has participated in the Futures Elite program, the National Futures Championships, the Junior Olympics, and the Junior National Camp, where the top 100 field hockey players in the country under the age of 21 are selected to compete amongst their peers.
Despite her on-field accomplishments, Shanahan says being a successful student athlete is her primary focus. As a Principal’s Honor Roll student, she puts academics ahead of sports. “I try to keep my grades up the whole school year so that I’m able to perform well on the field,” she says.
Shanahan looks up to Olympian and former Maryland Terrapin Katie O’Donnell. She fondly recalls watching her play at Maryland when she was younger. O’Donnell’s on-field talent stood out to Shanahan whenever she visited College Park. Her skills inspired her to become a better athlete on the field.
Shanahan is being recruited by Maryland, Virginia, Penn State, Old Dominion and many DIII schools. While she hasn’t decided on a career choice yet, she says she enjoys science and works well with kids, so a career as a science teacher is not out of the realm of possibility.
In her spare time, Shanahan is involved in her church’s youth group and aids on team-building retreats.
-- Jake Russell
