Sports

Maure Twins Give Buccaneers 2-for-1 Deal

Megan (above) and Kera (below) Maure on the volleyball court.

When Beloit College Volleyball Coach Maureen Boyle started recruiting for the 2003 volleyball season more than a year ago, she had no idea she would end up with a two-for-one deal. Twin sisters and first-year student athletes Megan and Kera Maure stepped in from the start, played a vital role for the Buccaneers this fall, and continue to do so as they enjoy the Beloit experience.

“When they visited and looked around, I got the feeling they both either would come here or they wouldn’t,” Boyle says. “They were at the top of my recruiting list, so I did all I could to get them here. I’m very happy they decided on Beloit.” The Maure twins agree.

“At first, Megan wasn’t sure she wanted to go to the same college as me, but I always wanted to go to the same place as her,” Kera explains. “When we came to Beloit, we both really liked the place from the start. We both knew we wanted to go to school here, and we couldn’t decide which one would get to come and which one wouldn’t. So we both decided it was the best place for us.”

“Both of us made the right decision,” Megan says. “We love it here.”

Boyle enjoys having the Maures on campus. They played a vital part in the Buccaneers’ success on the volleyball court. Both started the majority of the matches last fall and made their presence known throughout the season.

With the 2003 volleyball season now in the books, Megan ended up leading the Buccaneers in a couple of offensive categories. Her 329 kills and 89 service aces were tops on the team. Kera recorded 157 kills on offense and accumulated 544 digs on defense.

As a team, the Buccaneers were 12-25 overall and 3-6 in the Midwest Conference. They saved some of their best volleyball for the end of the season, when they placed fourth in the 10-team league tournament. The 12 wins are the most since the 1996 season, as Boyle continues to turn around and rebuild the program.

Both Maure sisters are outside hitters and defensive specialists for the Buccaneers. They were all-around players at Elkhart (Indiana) Memorial High School, and led their team to a No. 8 ranking in the state polls in 2002, while also capturing the Northern Lakes Conference championship. Both were three-year members of their varsity team and two-year starters They were co-captains during their senior year and earned first team all-conference honors. Megan was her team’s most valuable player a year ago.

“We started playing volleyball in fourth grade and have been playing ever since,” Kera says. “It’s something we have always enjoyed doing.”

“We have played in sand and grass leagues and in countless club tournaments, besides playing in school,” Megan adds. “Basically, we play the sport year-round. We both love it, and it’s important to us to continue playing.”

Kera and Megan do not room together at Beloit, but they keep in constant touch. The volleyball court or weight room is not the only place they see each other.

“We check on each other,” Kera says. “We’re best friends as well as sisters, so we’re always spending time together,” Megan explains. “We’re very close. I don’t know what we would ever do without each other.”

“They do think and act an awful lot alike,” Boyle says. “Yet, they are also totally different. They are great people who are enjoyable to coach.

“These two young women have heart and they believe in themselves,” the Beloit coach concludes. “They also believe in each other, which is important, and they believe in what we are trying to do as a volleyball team. They are and will continue to be an important part of our success.”

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Susan Kasten - Editor, Beloit College Magazine