In any sport, athletes are always told that how you practice is how you compete. This message is extremely evident in Keira Conway’s (‘26) dedication to cross country and track over the years as a three-season athlete. Through hot summer mornings and late winter track meets, Conway exemplifies how far mental toughness, drive, and passion can take an athlete.
Within the excitement of Conway’s commitment to Stockton University for Division III running comes the acknowledgment of the tears, injuries, and expectations she had to overcome during the process. Throughout Conway’s running career, she faced many mental and physical setbacks, the most impactful one being in the spring of her junior year when she sprained her achilles tendon.
“I’ve faced minor injuries before, but never where they’ve set me back this much. I had to relearn to be confident in myself and have faith in my abilities,” said Conway.
Even more so, growing up as a twin means people will inevitably compare you to your sister—including yourself. Oftentimes, Conway compared herself to others and even her past version of herself, pre-injury, leaving doubts and a loss of confidence.
Despite these challenges, Conway’s family, friends, and teammates remained focal points that helped her find resilience.
“I needed to put more trust in myself and cancel out all [of] the negativity in my life. When you see people [around you] come so far and put so much work into running, it inspires you but also makes you so proud,” said Conway.
During the summer before her junior year, Conway began reaching out to colleges that would facilitate her growth as a runner and help her achieve her dreams of becoming a nurse. Even when running became stressful, she always made sure that her education remained a top priority. Therefore, Stockton University immediately became one of Conway’s top choices due to its renowned and competitive nursing program.
“Nursing will always be a constant in my future and it’s something that I care a lot about, so while I love running, my education was another important factor [when choosing colleges],” said Conway.
When faced with uncertainties and setbacks, Conway still persevered to leave behind an impressive running career at Cherry Hill High School East, earning accolades like Olympic Conference Second Team Honors and Nike Regionals All Region Team Honors. As Conway prepares to enter this new era in her athletic career, she will continue to carry the same traits of discipline, resilience, and confidence she learned as an East Cougar.