From Fan to Foe to Terp: Keeley Block Lives Her Dream with Maryland Women’s Lacrosse

Last spring, the Maryland lacrosse team was getting ready to face the University of Pennsylvania Quakers on the road. It was a day that would change the trajectory of Keeley Block’s career and add the next chapter to her full-circle lacrosse journey.

Block netted the game-winning goal for Penn with 24 seconds left to seal the Quakers’ upset win over Maryland. But in a unique turn of events, Block had committed to playing her final year in College Park just hours before that game got started. 

Block grew up just down the road in Salisbury, Maryland, idolizing the Maryland lacrosse team that ran the college lacrosse landscape during her childhood, creating a lifelong fandom and an early dream. 

“I grew up in that prime time when Taylor Cummings was winning a ton of awards and they were just such a powerhouse,” Block said. “I looked up to them. I always wanted to play for Cathy.  I always went to the Maryland games as a  little girl, so having their posters on my wall gave me something to look up to. Having this last go-around with the Terps is really something special.”

She committed to Penn for her first four years of college, scoring 93 goals as a Quaker, including four in three games against her hometown Terps. 

“I always had a little bit of a chip on my shoulder playing Maryland,” Block said. “They didn’t really recruit me out of high school, so, at first I wanted to show them what they were missing, but after I committed here, I wanted Cathy to see what she was bringing in.”

Block tore her ACL during her sophomore season and missed out on a year of eligibility. When she gained it back with a redshirt waiver, it opened the door for her to play a fifth season, and she knew just where she wanted to use it. 

Knowing Penn doesn’t offer graduate students to compete in athletics, Block was able to start searching for the place she’d call home after her final season. Her unique situation created a timeline where she was able to commit to Maryland midseason, and her signing with the Terps couldn’t have come at a more ironic time. 

“When she entered the portal, we were on it,” Maryland head coach Cathy Reese said. “We've watched her, and we've known her. The day we actually signed her officially was the day we played Penn last year in the regular season, and she scored the game-winning goal on us. She was hard to play against. She was a big piece of our scouting report every time that we played Penn. I wish I had her here for four years, and not just one.”

Despite inking her future hours before, Block still went out and dazzled against her new squad, scoring a pair of goals, including the game-winner in the final minute. There was a unique blend of emotions for Reese on the Maryland sideline as her excitement for the future with Block mixed with the heartbreak of a close loss.

“It was kind of bittersweet,” Reese said. “It made the end of the line handshake and hug all the more special, because we were excited she was going to come play for us.”

“It definitely was a little bit awkward knowing that I was coming to Maryland next year,” Block said. “But you know, at the end of the day you're going to try to win for the team across your chest.”

Now, the name across her chest is “Maryland”, an area that means so much to her and an organization of which she gets to help write the next chapter of. In seven games this season, she’s netted 12 goals and tallied four assists, marking herself as one of the Terps’ most prolific scorers.

“She really understands the game,” Reese said. “She's got great field sense. Not only can she finish, she can see, she can dodge, she can defend, she can get ground balls, she can do all of the things lacrosse related. More importantly, she has great game sense and leadership. She's a good communicator and people listen to her. We know that she's going to lead the team through whatever she sees because of her understanding of the game and her game sense.”

The sample size only consists of half a season, but it’s been everything Block hoped it’d be and then some. 

“It's been great,” Block said. “Cathy is literally the best person and the best coach that I've ever had. It's honestly everything that I've kind of dreamed of, being with a new group of girls, and how nice they are and how welcoming they've been. I couldn't ask for a better start to my last year.”

Now a seasoned veteran of the game, Block spends her time off the field preparing for her future while doing everything she can to ensure the final months of her career are as fruitful as possible. She’s pursuing a master’s degree in management studies, and is hoping to sell insurance in the DC area after graduation. 

“I've got an old body,” Block said. “So I’m really focused on getting all the recovery I can and making sure my body's in tip-top shape for all the games that are coming down the stretch.”

Maryland faces Penn on Thursday as Block’s two lives collide once again. To add another wrinkle, her childhood idol — Cummings — will be on the Big Ten Network broadcast for the northeast clash. 

“I'm super excited,” Block said. “I’m excited to see my past coaches and my past teammates. It's going to be so fun.”

“I’m taking every day as it comes,” Block said. “I think it's all mental. If I find myself not really wanting to go to practice, or if a run is hard or something, I just remember that in four short months, I'm going to wish that I had given everything with all my energy. I’m thinking of future Keeley and knowing that she would want to be in my shoes right now. It keeps me grounded each and every day.”

The Keeley of her childhood is in awe, watching Block finish her collegiate career at her dream school. The Keeley of the present doesn’t want to take a moment for granted, protecting the memories of future Keeley, who will always be able to reflect on her full-circle lacrosse journey.