Remembering Keegan McKenney: Queens University of Charlotte Mourns the Loss of a Beloved Royal
The Queens University of Charlotte swimming and diving community is grieving the loss of one of its own.
Keegan McKenney, a graduate student swimmer who competed in the individual medley and butterfly events, has passed away, leaving behind teammates, coaches, and friends whose lives he touched in ways that go far beyond what any scoreboard could ever reflect.
The Queens athletics program shared the news through social media, writing that McKenney was “a cherished teammate, friend, and member of the Queens family whose impact will never be forgotten.”
That sentiment, simple as it reads, carries the weight of a program that clearly knew they had someone special in their midst, not just in the water, but in the hallways, the locker room, and everywhere else a team becomes a family.
A Competitor Who Gave Everything to His Sport
McKenney came to Queens from Cape Elizabeth, Maine, where he attended Cape Elizabeth High School before beginning his collegiate swimming career.
Standing six feet tall, he dedicated himself to the demanding disciplines of butterfly and individual medley, two of the most physically grueling events in competitive swimming.
The IM in particular requires a swimmer to master all four strokes at a high level, and McKenney rose to that challenge throughout his career.
His results reflected the work he put in year after year. During the 2022 to 2023 season, he posted a career-best time of 3 minutes and 59.23 seconds in the 400-yard individual medley at the CCSA Championships, breaking the four-minute barrier, which stands as a meaningful benchmark for college swimmers at the Division II level.
The following season, he broke through again, swimming a personal best of 1 minute and 49.33 seconds in the 200-yard butterfly at the Queens Fall Frenzy in November 2023.
That performance helped earn him a spot as a finalist in the 200-yard butterfly at the ASUN Championships in February 2024, one of the proudest moments of his competitive career.
A Royal in Every Sense of the Word
What made Keegan McKenney more than just a name on a roster was the kind of person he was to those around him.
Queens Swimming is a program built on culture, and culture is built by individuals who choose to show up not just for themselves but for the people next to them. By every account, McKenney was exactly that type of person.
Returning to Queens as a graduate student said something about his character. He did not have to come back. He chose to. He chose his teammates, his coaches, and the program that had become home to him.
That decision, quiet as it might seem, speaks to a young man who valued belonging and community above personal convenience.
The outpouring of grief from the Queens athletic community makes clear what he meant to people. His teammates have lost a friend. His coaches have lost a young man they believed in.
And a program has lost someone who, in the way he competed and the way he lived, reminded everyone around him what it means to be a Royal.
Keegan McKenney will not be forgotten. The best tribute anyone can offer now is to carry forward the standard he set.
