Volleyball Recruit Takes His Talent to Lavietes' Hardwood

Men’s volleyball coach Rob Keller could not have been happier when freshman Seamus McKiernan decided to come to Harvard. McKiernan—a self-described “6’6 white guy from California”—was a top recruit, destined to make a tremendous impact on an already rising program. However, earlier this year, he decided to postpone his volleyball career, as he found himself pulled in another direction—towards Lavietes Pavillion.

“I decided to take a year off to see what kind of opportunities the school had to offer,” McKiernan said. “I might be considering [volleyball] later.”

One of the opportunities that he considered was pursuing a career with the Crimson basketball team.

“I played with [the volleyball team] for the first few months,” McKiernan said. “But I just had this yearning in the back of my mind that I really wanted to play basketball.”

However, the high school basketball star learned in the fall that Harvard would not allow him to tryout for the varsity basketball team as a walk-on. He had hoped to give making the basketball team one shot, and if he were cut, would return to the volleyball team.

Without the tryout he had to join the junior varsity team, unsure of his athletic future.

“I was ready to compete with those recruited players, and [I was] confident I could make the team,” McKiernan said. “If they turned out to play harder and better, then I’d totally accept that. I guess I’m stuck with this feeling of a lack of closure.”

While trying to make up his mind, he spent his mornings with the volleyball team and his afternoons with the junior varsity basketball team. However, splitting time between both teams drained him physically and took the focus off of his scholastic work. He realized that he would have to make a choice.

“It felt strange playing with two different sports [teams], because I didn’t like sending the message that I was half-committed to each,” McKiernan said. “I think the mental committment is the first thing an athlete gives, and I was conflicted about which sport to play.”

McKiernan excelled on his high school basketball team. but it was his stellar prep volleyball career that attracted the attention of most colleges. Still, in the back of his mind, he kept the dream of playing college basketball alive. When he was given the opportunity to play, even on the JV level, he could not pass it up. He has made the most of his opportunity, becoming an integral part of the junior varsity squad.

“He’s an incredible athlete,” assistant men’s basketball coach Lamar Reddicks said. “He’s one of our top JV players. He always competes and plays very hard.”

However, Reddicks did acknowledge that the journey to the varsity level would be difficult.

“We have a big roster as it is right now,” Reddicks said. “It’s not impossible, but a lot of numbers are stacked against him.”

The big roster that McKiernan must compete against includes 11 freshman and sophomores combined. The plethora of young bodies on this squad will make the competition for roster spots and playing time intense well into the future. Also, he was not recruited to play basketball for Harvard, and very few walk-ons have ever been able to reach the varsity basketball level. McKiernan hopes to be one of the few.

“Whatever happened to the walk-on tradition?” McKiernan said. “Whatever happened to Rudy?”

His decision to leave the volleyball team was difficult. The urge to play basketball was pulling him one direction and the camaraderie of the volleyball team pulling him in the other.

“The guys [on the volleyball team] were cool, and they’re becoming a force to be reckoned with,” McKiernan said. “That made it even harder.”

In just a few months McKiernan had made a tremendous impact on the volleyball team. His ability and athleticism caused his teammates to take notice.

“He’s just an incredible athlete,” senior setter Mike Bookman said. “He would be an incredible addition to the volleyball team.”

His departure was a great disappointment to a team whose prospects were high for the upcoming season. Yet, his teammates understood that they needed to respect whatever path he chose to take and were confident in their chances even if he decided to leave the team. Without McKiernan, the Crimson opened its season 3-2.

“Everyone was fully supportive of his decision either way,” Bookman said. “There was never a time when we thought Seamus was making a poor decision.”

Though he chose not to play volleyball this season, he has not given up on the idea all together. Once the basketball chapter of his athletic career is complete, he will be enthusiastic to rejoin his former team.

“By not playing volleyball this year, I don’t mean never to continue with it,” McKiernan said. “I want to go for basketball, and if that doesn’t work, I’d definitely want to try to play again, if they’d let me.”