Meehan sisters strengthen bond through UNC field hockey

Every year, the Massachusetts State Field Hockey Coaches Association follows up the day of state championships with the Best of 60 Senior All-Star Games; awarding one final hoorah to the state’s top graduating players.

But this year, one of the very best couldn’t make it.

A different field hockey tradition unfolded the same weekend down in Chapel Hill, N.C., and Bishop Feehan North Carolina-commit Ava Meehan was absorbing it all in.

“I didn’t want to miss (the Best of 60), but … ” Ava said, before her mother, Kim Meehan, interrupted. “She was planning on flying home, but then UNC won the semifinal game.”

The same day of the all-star games on Nov. 19, the Tar Heels thrillingly outlasted Northwestern to win their 11th NCAA Div. I national championship. Ava, alongside the other commits to the program, was at Karen Shelton Stadium to celebrate with future teammates she’s excited to play with – none of whom she’s ever played with before.

Most of them are from Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New Jersey, or overseas. But one grew up in the same house.

Former King Philip star Alli Meehan, who graduated before Ava was a freshman in high school, won her second national championship with the Tar Heels as part of a special weekend. Being a part of the most decorated Div. I collegiate program, that’s won twice with her on the team, is an unearthly feeling.

With one more year of eligibility left, though, perhaps the only thing that could trump it is going for a three-peat with her younger sister.

“Not many people can even say they won one national championship, and the fact that I’ve won two, back-to-back – it’s crazy and (it) still hasn’t really set in yet,” Alli said. “The fact that we get to have a season together is crazy. … Just as an older sister, seeing (Ava’s) growth over the last four years, I’m so excited to get her here.”

“We’ve never been able to overlap,” Ava added. “We do everything together. I just can’t wait to play with my best friend.”

Through their second national championship run together, Alli and former Groton School standout Cassidy Thibodeau often joked with each other about the grit they bring to the Tar Heels. They are the only two players from Massachusetts to play for UNC in the last decade, a perennial contender with five national titles in that span. Only four other players from Massachusetts have won Div. I national championships since 2013, so they very much represent the state well.

Ava’s commitment will make it three players from here to join UNC’s ranks over 11 years. But funny enough, neither Meehan sister was originally headed to Chapel Hill.

After a stellar freshman season at Northeastern in 2019, COVID changed Alli’s perspective on where she wanted to be. The Patriot Field Hockey club Kim co-founded – motivated by giving her daughters a special place to train – instilled in Alli early on to always strive for excellence. That meant entering the transfer portal and sending emails to “a bajillion” Div. 1 programs. Every program, except UNC.

She thought joining the Tar Heels, coming off three straight titles, was a long shot. But the night before she was about to commit to Boston College, Kim told her she might as well reach out. So she did. And sure enough, shortly before hopping on the call, Alli got a different one from legendary UNC coach Karen Shelton.

“Me, never having been down south to UNC, committed right then and there over the phone because how can you pass up that opportunity,” Alli said. “It was just me and Ava at home, so I started screaming, ‘Ava! You’re not going to believe this!’ … Ever since I stepped foot on campus here, never have I ever once questioned that I’m at the right place.”

The same goes for Ava, which presented quite an internal struggle.

Visiting Alli down at UNC was always an unbelievable experience. The championship culture, the family environment, everyone’s connection to the Carolina blue – Ava was captivated by all of it. But as a Penn State commit, she was conflicted.

“Going down to watch my sister play in her games, the tailgates with the family after – I (kept saying), ‘I’m going to Penn State. I’m going to Penn State.’ But then I’d go down to UNC, and everybody would just act like a family. I was like, ‘This is where I want to be.’”

When longtime Penn State coach Char Morett-Curtiss retired, that was Ava’s opening to reevaluate and eventually de-commit. She reached out to UNC’s new head coach Erin Matson – who just became the youngest head coach of an NCAA national championship team at 23 – and met with her in February during another trip to see Alli.

Not too long after, it was Ava’s turn to get the call.

“I was crying, my sister was right there,” Ava said. “We were both in tears, we just couldn’t believe it. It’s amazing. I’m so grateful for this opportunity, and I just can’t wait.”

“They (now) both have Carolina blue bed comforters,” Kim added. “I do believe in destiny. I believe in all of that. I just feel like the cards keep leading us to Carolina.”

One of the very reasons Alli wanted a place like UNC is because of her desire and passion to be exceptional. She wants to represent the state well and make everyone that’s helped her along the way proud.

Being surrounded by the same ambition is a dream come true, and is an environment she adds to.

“She is hungry to learn, and she is constantly pushing her teammates,” Erin Matson said. “She is one of the hardest workers I know.”

Now, the person that brings out perhaps the most competitiveness out of her is about to be a teammate for the first time. Ava has already said she’s coming for Alli’s beep test record.

Finally, the two have a chance to show off what they can do together on the same team.

“The Meehan combination is something the world has not seen yet,” Alli said. “The driveway has seen it, but not the world.”