Maddy Kempski: Siblings Always Have Your Back

The transition to college can be hard for some college athletes., and with the COVID-19 pandemic, that transition was made harder. For rising sophomore, defensive specialist Maddy Kempski, having a sibling on campus, made the transition easier.

For Kempski, her older brother Mike was entering into his final year at Susquehanna university, when the younger arrived on campus for the first time.

Photo courtesy of Jack Imburgia (instagram @imburgiaimages)

Having her brother on campus, showed Kempski the level of dedication and commitment that is needed to be successful as a college athlete.

Kempski said, “Growing up I never really said my older brother, Mike, was one of the main role models in my life. After being together at Susquehanna this past year my mindset completely flipped.

“I learned what a good work ethic is. A lot of the time during our early morning lifts I would be super tired and have little motivation, and then I would look other in the field house and see Mike lifting. He was giving more effort than me and did not even have to be there. This made me realize that I needed to put more effort in if I wanted to be a successful collegiate athlete. I needed to be working my hardest even when I didn’t have to or didn’t want to.”

During her first year at Susquehanna, Kempski also had to deal with two injuries, a back injury during the fall and a knee injury during the spring, which was tough, but Mike had her back every step of the way.

“Mike also helped me through a lot of my downfalls/injuries,” Kempski said. “He did everything between driving me to doctor's appointments to getting my groceries. At the same time, he was my number one supporter; he would check in on me frequently to make sure I was doing my physical therapy and encouraged me to keep pushing through those injuries.”

With the injuries that Kempski dealt with, along with having to adjust to a new environment during a global pandemic, it is easy to see why Kempski may have had a difficult time during her first year, but is able to take away positives from her experience.

“I am not going to lie; it was definitely difficult at some points,” Kempski said. “We were restricted who we could hang out, what we could do, and where we could go. There were definitely times where it was hard to not just give in, and study remotely. On the other hand, I was super lucky to have a support system from the volleyball team. When I got stuck in quarantine two seniors surprised me and my roommate with groceries and chipotle one night. Those are some pretty good teammates right there. I saw the non-traditional volleyball season, as a learning experience. I got a little taste of what it is like to be a collegiate athlete.”

Before joining the River Hawks women’s volleyball team, Kempski was a member of the Bishop Shanahan’s girls' volleyball team, which fell in the Pennsylvania State Championship game, during her two years as a member of the varsity team.

While at Bishop Shanahan, Kempski also was a member of their track and field squad, mainly participating in sprinting events.

When it came time for Maddy to begin her college search, she began looking at Susquehanna due to the high praise her brother gave the university.

Upon visiting the university and getting to meet the team, Kempski knew that Susquehanna was the place that she wanted to continue her academic and athletic career.

Kempski said, “I loved the study abroad program, and the science department as a whole. But I knew that I wanted to go to Susquehanna when I meet the volleyball team. The first day I met some of the girls at camp, they welcome me with open arms, and we spent hours just talking. As a whole team, they were the definition of the ‘family’ I wanted to be a part of. I also loved their work ethic and how hard they worked inside and outside of the gym.”

Even though her first year at Susquehanna was not what Kempski would have hoped for, with the initial season being canceled, multiple injuries, and not being able to play in the shortened season, having a strong support system of both her brother and the volleyball team, Kempski would not want to be anywhere else.

“Even though it may have stunk at some points, I am still super happy with my decision, and I can’t wait to have the ‘normal college experience’ I keep hearing every upperclassman talk about,” Kempski said.

Returning to Susquehanna for her sophomore year, and first opportunity for athletic competition, Kempski was ready to make an impact on the team.

“My experience so far this year has been amazing. I committed to Susquehanna on the earlier side, my junior year of high school, so the anticipation has been building up for the past few years,” Kempski said. “The simplest things such as having a locker room to being able to being able to travel with the team. It has been extremely rewarding and honestly feels like a dream coming true. We finally have a full team, instead of only have eleven people, so the practices have been so much more competitive. On the other hand, it has taken a lot of adjusting. I have had to really plan out my days and figure out when I need to get my homework done and to see my friends. At some points it was very mentally and physically draining, especially when you are spending pretty much every weekend travelling and staying in hotels.”

Kempski’s teammate, Meg Nelson, talked about the growth that Maddy has shown so for in her career.

Nelson said, “She’s grown a lot in her abilities on the court and mentally. Being on our team takes a lot of work and a lot of sacrifices, and I’ve watched her become stronger physically and mentally. I’ve also seen her heart for our team grow and she’s willing to sacrifice a lot for our team.”

With the return of intercollegiate competition back at Susquehanna Kempski was able to get her first taste of collegiate sports, as the sophomore appeared in 13 matches, compiling 17 total sets played.

Across the 17 sets played, offensively Kempski collected two kills on three total attacks along with two assists, while defensively she tallied 20 digs and one block assist.

Teammate Kody Dillon talked about what Kempski brings to the team:

“She brings a positive and encouraging attitude, who is a calming presence that brings a better vibe to the team.”

Although Kempski has not had too much playing time across the season, she has begun to understand how important it is to be a great teammate.

Kempski said, “One of the main takeaways from this season was that "even though you may be competing for the same position, you can still be that person's biggest supporter". During high school, I felt so alone in my position. There was no one really behind my back supporting me and helping me out when I needed it. This season has really showed me what a teammate is about. There were so many points throughout the season where teammates who come directly to me, to either praise me for something I did or point something out that I could do better. If I am on the court, they are the loudest cheerleaders and want me to do my best. If I am subbing them out, they are encouraging me and telling me to go pick up them up.”

Not only has Kempski been able to become a great teammate but knows the kind of people that she needs to surround herself with.

Mike said, “Maddy is really coming into her own. She had always been very good at identifying who she wants to surround herself with and understanding who her friends are. Also, to her credit, she radiates a positive energy and smile, with people wanting to be around her. As an athlete, she is beginning to understand that it is the hard work that will get the job done. She has seen it from her teammates at Susquehanna and the culture of the volleyball program, along with the sports program as a whole.”

With the 2021 volleyball season now complete, with the River Hawks falling in the Cambridge, MA regional final to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a senior laden team, Kempski looks to make a bigger impact on the team, though she is unsure of what that impact will be.

“Honestly, I don't know what kind of impact on the team I will have on the team moving forward. I hope to make a positive impact on those around me. I want to be that ‘person.’ I want to be the person that teammates can go to when they need advice on and off the court. I want to be the person that teammates go to when they are feeling down or just need a little energy boost.”