Sister Act Helps Power Panthers Volleyball

Madison McKeever and her kid sister Morgan share a passion for many of the same foods and music, as well as the warmer weather of Southern California.

Along with their love for sushi, Mexican food, and female rapper Nicki Minaj, they also share a passion for volleyball.

And for the first time ever, the McKeever sisters are sharing that passion on the same court.

Madison McKeever, a senior setter, and Morgan, a sophomore outside hitter, who throughout their careers have played on different club and youth teams, are now teammates at Burlingame High.

Both are key contributors on a team that’s expected to contend for the Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division title.

Burlingame (9-7, 1-2 PAL Bay) is the two-time defending league champion. The Panthers, however, graduated four seniors, including outside hitting sensation Michelle Neumayr, a high school All-American last season who’s now at California.

Madison McKeever led the team with nine assists per game before Tuesday’s loss to Aragon, and Morgan led the Panthers with 3.5 kills. She was also among the team leaders in digs, averaging 3.2.

The McKeever sisters are just 17 months apart, and they maintain a close relationship that transfers onto the court.

“I think it’s a big advantage because we know how each other plays, and this is the first time we’ve ever been the same volleyball team together,” Madison McKeever said.

“We’ve played softball together but it’s much different than volleyball because I’m always setting for her and she’s hitting so we really get to interact.

“We have great chemistry.”

Madison McKeever, who is 5-foot-10, started her prep career across town at Mercy, where she was the freshman team MVP. She was a second-team all-league selection on the frosh-soph her next year, and has been the captain of her Santa Clara-based City Beach club team for the last two years. She is also a Burlingame captain this year.

“It’s really nice,” she said of playing with her younger sister. “I can always rely on her to get kills and set the ball.

“We kind of have a connection.”

But it’s Madison’s whatever-it-takes approach that sets her apart.

“What makes her special is her hustle,” Burlingame coach Steve Erle said of Madison McKeever. “She’s the kind of person who leads by example, she’s always hustling and she’s never one to complain or question.

“She just goes.”

Morgan McKeever, who is 5-11, plays club ball for Los Gatos-based Vision.

She’s the team’s best hitter, and she brings some enthusiasm and emotion to go along with a powerful shot, Erle said.

“She’s the type of player who always loves to play volleyball,” Erle said. “She’s happy about being out there, she’s just got a great bright smile and you can just tell that she’s enjoying the game.”

Morgan McKeever said the familiarity factor she gets with playing with her sister has benefited her game.

“We just have really good chemistry,” she said. “She understands where I like the ball placed, and that really helps me out getting good kills.”

But Morgan McKeever doesn’t get a free ride, noting that if anything, her older sister is tougher on her.

“She definitely can put me in my place but that helps me sometimes,” Morgan McKeever said.

“It pushes me. She knows I can do better when I’m not playing my best or if I miss the ball, and she just has high standards for me, so that makes me try harder.”

In addition to advanced skills, the McKeevers bring some energy to the team that’s rubbed off on their teammates.  

“It’s a cool dynamic,” Erle said.

“There’s a certain connection between any setter and an outside hitter. The outside hitter is kind of the one who’s going to clean up all the bad passes, who’s going to get the sets when there’s nobody else to go to, and they’re able to trust one another.”