Julia O’Keefe’s Impressive Start at St. Laurence

Julia O’Keefe, a freshman at St. Laurence, honed her volleyball setting skills under the guidance of her father, Ed. He was the setter for Mount Carmel in 1992 when the Illinois High School Association first recognized boys volleyball. One of Ed’s notable teammates was future NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb. With a background in playing and coaching at the college level, Ed continues to coach at the club level. Julia’s setting journey began in fourth grade, clearly influenced by her father’s expertise. O’Keefe reflects, “I just followed in his footsteps. We always worked together. He’s trained me. We would set in the gym and sometimes in the backyard.”

All her years of effort bore fruit during a successful varsity debut. On Monday night, St. Laurence claimed a 25-17, 25-16 nonconference victory over Lincoln-Way West in Burbank. O’Keefe, standing at 5-foot-10, assisted on 15 of St. Laurence’s 18 kills. She also contributed a kill, a block, and an ace to the match. Aubrey Martinez, who has committed to Ball State, and Abby Ambrose each recorded six kills. For Lincoln-Way West, Emma Novotny led with four kills, though the team conceded 17 points due to errors.

O’Keefe’s debut impressed her teammates. Martinez shared, “Absolutely amazing. I love working with her. She’s so good and I’m so proud of her, especially in this first game. You can’t even tell she’s a freshman.” Martinez also praised O’Keefe’s practice poise and her performance during the match, stating, “Her sets are beautiful.”

St. Laurence coach Ellen Yopchick had insights into O’Keefe’s abilities before the season, as Julia had been a standout player for St. Barnabas’ eighth-grade team, coached by Ed. Last November, St. Barnabas competed in Burbank, securing a win at the Diggin’ For A Cure Tournament held at St. Laurence. This event, initiated by Martinez’s sister Natalie, gave O’Keefe familiarity with the Vikings’ gym.

Coach Yopchick acknowledged O’Keefe’s composed demeanor: “She’s incredibly calm and collected. That makes her special. She can take time and see the court. She brings in a high volleyball IQ and is a competitor through and through. She’s a great teammate. Everything she does is to help her teammates.” O’Keefe is Yopchick’s fourth freshman to advance to varsity, a decision made when the player is deemed ready both emotionally and physically. “Julia was ready to do that here for us,” Yopchick noted.

Julia O’Keefe (33) sets the ball against Lincoln-Way West during a nonconference match in Burbank on August 24, 2026.

Although feeling slightly nervous, O’Keefe appeared confident directing the game before an enthusiastic home crowd. “There were definitely nerves,” she admitted. “But when you have nerves that means you are excited, so it was great.”

Over the summer, O’Keefe’s abilities earned her the distinction of AAU All-American, with her club team securing fifth place nationwide in the open division in Indianapolis. Reflecting on this achievement, O’Keefe expressed surprise, “I honestly didn’t think anyone on our team was going to be able to get it because we got fifth. When I was told about it, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, really?’ It was so cool.”

With a promising future on the horizon, Julia O’Keefe feels supported by her teammates at St. Laurence. “I actually really love it,” she said. “All the girls are welcoming and they don’t even make me feel like I’m a freshman. My teammates and coaches push me and they believe in me.”