University of North Carolina Athletics
Senior Spotlight: Mary Kathryn Harrah
November 15, 2018 | Field Hockey
As the top-ranked Tar Heels prepare to play in the NCAA semifinals on Friday and hopefully move on to the championship game on Sunday, GoHeels.com will spotlight the seniors ending their UNC careers this weekend. Read on for more on Mary Kathryn Harrah, a goalkeeper and communication studies major from Yorktown, Va.
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Matt Penner
UNC Athletic Communications
Mary Kathryn Harrah never thought she would play field hockey at Carolina, but that all changed with one phone call.
"I got a call one day saying UNC needed a backup goalie, so after that I stopped looking," she says. "Carolina's always been my dream school. I never thought I was good enough to come here."
"MK," as her teammates call her, has been a backup her entire career at UNC. She raves about her coaches, the "amazing" athletics and academics, and especially her teammates. However, playing for her dream school has brought its challenges. Jostling for playing time has been difficult, particularly because there's only one goalkeeper on the field. She acknowledges her position on the team "is quite different" with three other keepers on the roster, but it's taught her to "see so much more to life" than what she wants to happen.
Harrah also struggled in the classroom when she arrived on campus. She started her first semester with a 1.4 GPA, but now holds a 3.0 GPA and made the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Honor Roll. She's learned, she says, that anything is possible.
"That was really, really tough, but I'm so grateful for that moment," she says of her first year grades, "and that's when I learned to lean on the Lord."
Harrah's faith has been a staple for her throughout her entire career. She is on the leadership team of Athletes in Action, a ministry she joined as a freshman. Harrah says it changed everything for her when a member of Athletes in Action's staff team introduced her to the ministry. Coming to college, she describes herself as "selfish-minded" before joining Athletes in Action and starting a new walk in her faith.
The ministry has greatly influenced her career trajectory. She traveled to Mongolia with Athletes in Action over  summer and plans to do ministry full-time after graduation.
"I just wake up every day being so thankful being part of such an amazing program," she says. "It's a blessing for sure. I have met my best friends through Athletes in Action."
Though her playing time is limited, Harrah has found other ways to lead as a senior. Whether it's encouraging her teammates, participating in team activities, or something as simple as taking her freshman teammates to the grocery store, she wants to contribute.
"I'm really big on relationships, authentic relationships," she says. "Just cheering for people and just pumping everyone up."
Though Harrah begins every game as a backup, she's always ready when her name is called. She held Ball State without a goal in 19 minutes of play on Sept. 30, continuing Carolina's air-tight defense this season. For that given day, she simply understood it was the best way to contribute. She also played in the Senior Day game against Duke on Oct. 21 and in the ACC Championship game win over Wake Forest on Nov. 4, when she made one save in her final appearance in Chapel Hill.
For the short time she has left with the team, she's determined to do anything within her grasp to win a National Championship. Having reached the championship game two years ago and the final four last year, she's confident in her experienced senior classmates. Above all else, she loves their humility. It's a resounding theme among the group.
"I've never heard anyone say, 'We're the number one-ranked team right now, we're undefeated,'" she says. "Everyone is just so humble and works so hard for each other."
As the season comes to a close this weekend, Harrah will continue fulfill her role with the same humility and focus as her fellow seniors. Whether it's stepping into goal or doing something unnoticed for the team, she will be ready.
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Matt Penner
UNC Athletic Communications
Mary Kathryn Harrah never thought she would play field hockey at Carolina, but that all changed with one phone call.
"I got a call one day saying UNC needed a backup goalie, so after that I stopped looking," she says. "Carolina's always been my dream school. I never thought I was good enough to come here."
"MK," as her teammates call her, has been a backup her entire career at UNC. She raves about her coaches, the "amazing" athletics and academics, and especially her teammates. However, playing for her dream school has brought its challenges. Jostling for playing time has been difficult, particularly because there's only one goalkeeper on the field. She acknowledges her position on the team "is quite different" with three other keepers on the roster, but it's taught her to "see so much more to life" than what she wants to happen.
Harrah also struggled in the classroom when she arrived on campus. She started her first semester with a 1.4 GPA, but now holds a 3.0 GPA and made the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Honor Roll. She's learned, she says, that anything is possible.
"That was really, really tough, but I'm so grateful for that moment," she says of her first year grades, "and that's when I learned to lean on the Lord."
Harrah's faith has been a staple for her throughout her entire career. She is on the leadership team of Athletes in Action, a ministry she joined as a freshman. Harrah says it changed everything for her when a member of Athletes in Action's staff team introduced her to the ministry. Coming to college, she describes herself as "selfish-minded" before joining Athletes in Action and starting a new walk in her faith.
The ministry has greatly influenced her career trajectory. She traveled to Mongolia with Athletes in Action over  summer and plans to do ministry full-time after graduation.
"I just wake up every day being so thankful being part of such an amazing program," she says. "It's a blessing for sure. I have met my best friends through Athletes in Action."
Though her playing time is limited, Harrah has found other ways to lead as a senior. Whether it's encouraging her teammates, participating in team activities, or something as simple as taking her freshman teammates to the grocery store, she wants to contribute.
"I'm really big on relationships, authentic relationships," she says. "Just cheering for people and just pumping everyone up."
Though Harrah begins every game as a backup, she's always ready when her name is called. She held Ball State without a goal in 19 minutes of play on Sept. 30, continuing Carolina's air-tight defense this season. For that given day, she simply understood it was the best way to contribute. She also played in the Senior Day game against Duke on Oct. 21 and in the ACC Championship game win over Wake Forest on Nov. 4, when she made one save in her final appearance in Chapel Hill.
For the short time she has left with the team, she's determined to do anything within her grasp to win a National Championship. Having reached the championship game two years ago and the final four last year, she's confident in her experienced senior classmates. Above all else, she loves their humility. It's a resounding theme among the group.
"I've never heard anyone say, 'We're the number one-ranked team right now, we're undefeated,'" she says. "Everyone is just so humble and works so hard for each other."
As the season comes to a close this weekend, Harrah will continue fulfill her role with the same humility and focus as her fellow seniors. Whether it's stepping into goal or doing something unnoticed for the team, she will be ready.
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Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
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