KU Scholar Athlete of April 2019: McKenna Vicini
Volleyball Star Goes West to Stanford
- School: Lexington Catholic High
- GRADE: 12
- Sport: Volleyball
- Academics: A National Honor Society member, McKenna has a 3.96 GPA, has taken nine A.P. classes and scored 30 on the ACT.
- Parents: Cheryl & Dave
One of the nation’s top 10 volleyball recruits, McKenna Vicini of Lexington Catholic High fulfilled a long-time goal when she committed to Stanford.
One of the nation’s top academic universities, Stanford has ruled women’s volleyball, winning eight national championships and reaching the Finals 16 times in 37 years.
But that’s not why McKenna first fixed her sights on Palo Alto. You can thank Disney’s “High School Musical” for that.
“Actually, I first heard of Stanford when Gabriella was going there,” she said with a laugh about the lead female character in the Disney classic.
It didn’t take long for McKenna to learn about Stanford’s powerhouse program.
Even though McKenna came relatively late to volleyball, her recruiting process began early. She received her first recruiting letter in seventh grade, from Illinois, and then Coach Kevin Hambly.
By her sophomore year, McKenna was being recruited by UK, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Purdue, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Carolina and UCLA, among others.
That same year, Stanford’s long-time coach, John Dunning, retired. Stanford’s new coach? Kevin Hambly, who immediately added McKenna to the team’s wish list. She committed as soon as she was accepted to Stanford.
The Cardinal is getting one of the country’s top players. McKenna is a 6-foot-2 middle blocker who recorded more than 1,000 kills, a Lexington Catholic record.
As a senior, she was first-team All-City, All-State and the Region 11 Player of the Year.
As a freshman and sophomore, she made the USA National Youth Training Team and worked out at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado.
McKenna should have no trouble with Stanford’s academics. She has 3.96 GPA, has taken nine A.P. classes, and scored 30 on her ACT.
A National Honor Society member, she was named the KHSAA volleyball Student Athlete of the Year.
“She’s a hard worker and excellent at time management,” her mother Cheryl said. This is a trait she shares with her three older brothers – David (32), Nick (29) and Jake (24).
McKenna is considering human biology as a college major, which will give her numerous career options.
Back on the volleyball court, McKenna’s proudest achievement so far – next to going to Stanford – is helping with the development of Lexington Catholic’s program.
“Being part of the program for the past five years has been exciting,” she said. “We’re competitive and the future is bright.”
Just like hers.