One of the most crucial pieces of a great team is a great leader. For the Binghamton wrestling team, that unquestioned leader is 174-pound senior Jack McKeever — the only senior on a young Bearcats roster. Heading a young team is an important task, but McKeever is certainly up for it.
“Being the only senior is a bit of a shock but it’s definitely helped me become a better leader,” McKeever said. “Trying to show the younger guys how I got through these four years and the work ethic it takes, it really helped me step up.”
McKeever has helped lead the Bearcats to an 11-6 record this season, as well as a 7-3 mark in the 16-team Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA), which is good for fourth in the conference. This season has certainly been a stellar one for McKeever. He has posted a 13-3 record in dual matches so far this year, including capturing his 50th career win.
“It’s my confidence,” McKeever said of his performance so far this season. “I’ve been around four seasons and I just have so much more experience and I’m really starting to believe in my attacks and everything I do [on the mat].”
McKeever has improved his win total each year he has donned the Bearcats’ singlet. Improvement is something that McKeever strives for. His strong work ethic on the mat has helped him blossom into one of Binghamton’s top wrestlers. McKeever’s success, however, has not caused him to become complacent.
“I’ve never really satisfied my goals here yet, as much success as I’ve had I’m always striving to do better,” McKeever said. “I want to be a national champion. I want to be an All-American, and until I achieve those goals, I’m going to keep working as hard as I can.”
McKeever may not have met his goals yet, but he has certainly found success at BU. In his junior year, he became just the ninth wrestler from the state of Connecticut to advance to the NCAA Championships since 2002.
Success for McKeever is not only defined in personal accolades, as his team has had a strong season as well. This year, the Bearcats have their first winning record since 2012, and McKeever knows his great season would not mean as much if his team was not succeeding as well.
“It’s great when you see all the other guys winning matches,” McKeever said with a smile. “It’s definitely exciting to be a part of a winning team. I’d definitely rather see the team succeed, and I’m just excited for the future that these guys have.”
McKeever is a leader in the truest sense, but that does not end when he steps off the mat. McKeever has always mirrored his success in wrestling with success in the classroom. He was a four-time academic All-State honoree in high school, and this academic prowess continued when he arrived in Binghamton. In 2013 he was named to the Fall Athletic Department Honor Roll for earning at least a 3.3 GPA. McKeever knows that being a great leader means setting an example in everything he does.
“I set my same work ethic to everything I do, and I try to succeed in everything I do,” McKeever said. “When younger guys see the success I’ve had both in the classroom and on the mat, they want to look to me and see what I’m doing and it is a good way to lead by example.”
One person who knows better than most what McKeever means to the team is BU’s head coach Matt Dernlan.
“Jack is a one-stop shop when it comes to leadership,” Dernlan said. “In every phase of his life he leads — academically, athletically, socially, he does all the right things.”
McKeever is relishing his opportunity to lead the Bearcats’ young core. Not only does he want his teammates to look up to him, but he is doing everything in his power to show them that hard work pays off. With one regular season match remaining in his final season, McKeever wants to make the most of his time left.
“I need to take it one step at a time, but I want to win it all,” he said. “I want to win conferences, make nationals and then win nationals. I just want to do the best I can and leave it all on the mat.”