A total team effort for the Bluejays this season even as Megan Sharkey had to watch on the sidelines (Juszyk / WBR)
While sitting beside her head coach and fellow senior teammates last Sunday afternoon, Megan Sharkey apologized as she lost the ability to suppress her emotions and began to cry while recapping a senior season that never went according to plan.
Entering the final week before Selection Sunday, Creighton has compiled a 24-4 overall record and earned a sixth consecutive Big East regular-season title to go along with it. Sharkey has had to miss all 28 of those matches as a player, and even a handful of them as a spectator while dealing with the symptoms of a concussion she sustained during an afternoon practice session at D.J. Sokol Arena on August 15. The first concussion of her college career — one she suffered during her sophomore season at Rutgers prior to transferring to Creighton — brought with it a 4-week recovery. The second one came this fall, and it stole her senior year from her.
“It definitely was a roller coaster,” she said of her recovery process. “Some days I would practice, other days I wouldn’t depending on how I was feeling. About a month ago I just decided to take a backseat from playing volleyball and decided to just be the best supporting role that I could be for the team. Ultimately I think that was the best decision.
“It’s been hard,” she continued, as her eyes welled up and her voice began to quaver.
Not all of the emotion she expressed came from the sadness of having her volleyball career cut short, but rather the fact that despite not having the ability to practice or play she was still treated no differently by her coaches and teammates this fall. She’s seen the other side of that coin, and has found a way to enjoy her senior season as a result, even in the face of personal adversity.
“I hate to relate it back to my old school, but Creighton is just completely different,” she said. “It’s totally a family atmosphere. When I had my concussion at my old school you wouldn’t travel and the coaches didn’t really check up on you. You were kind of just pushed to the side, and when you could perform you were back in the lineup or whatever.
“Creighton has been completely different. They really care about you as a person and as a player. I’m so thankful to be a part of a program that’s like that.”
Sharkey has still been a part of two Big East Champion seasons. (Juszyk / WBR)
Because of both the timing and severity of the concussion, the Bettendorf, Iowa native is the only member of Creighton’s 14-woman roster who hasn’t registered a stat of any kind on the court this season. Despite that, her contributions off the court have had a ripple effect that will go beyond the official record book.
“Even just for the younger players she’s a good role model for them, because going through this during your senior year is very difficult,” roommate Brittany Witt said. “She’s taught them that not everything happens the way you want it to, but you still have to come out of it with the best attitude and have a ‘think of the team’ mentality. She’s been a good role model in terms of dealing with adversity and showing how to overcome that and still be involved. She hasn’t made it about her at all.”
Still to this day Sharkey wakes up with a headache, and the bright lights and noises like the ones that filled a jam-packed arena for the Big East title-clincher against Marquette last Friday only exacerbate those symptoms. That, however, has not shaken her resolve to be a star in her supporting role.
“I’ve come to peace with it at this point in the season,” Sharkey said. “I’m just trying to be the best cheerleader I can be now. I want to see these girls go as far as they can.”
The Bluejays look to add another trophy to the case this week as they head into the Big East Tournament starting Friday evening in Milwaukee with a 5:30 first serve against St. John’s broadcast on the Big East Digital Network and if they advance, on Saturday at the 3:30 p.m final that can be watched on FS2.