Lobo Heroes: Kieran Casey
Previous Lobo Heroes
Jadon Phillips, Men’s Tennis
Olivia Ferrier, Women’s Soccer
Teton Saltes, Football
The University of New Mexico Athletic Department is proud of all of our student-athletes that have worn the Cherry & Silver, but in this time of global crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are especially proud of our Lobos For Life that are on the front lines of this crisis.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Kieran Casey knows there is one goal in a race, and that is to win. That’s what she learned as a distance specialist at The University of New Mexico, being a part of several NCAA championship races, helping UNM to a top-10 finish in outdoor track.
After graduating with a degree in nursing, she once again is in a race, but the goal is the same … to win. Kieran Casey, of Indianapolis, Indiana a 2019 Lobo graduate is our latest Lobo Hero.
Casey is a Summa Cum Laude graduate from the nursing program at UNM, earning that degree in the fall of 2019. After starting her medical career in the medical and surgical ICU in Lincoln, Nebraska, she has since moved to Texas, where she currently works for Christus Santa Rosa in New Braunfels. Largely a cardiac hospital, many of the patients under Casey’s care of are cardiac in diagnosis. With the looming COVID 19 crisis, Casey handles many of the floors PUIs, or “persons under investigation”.
After transferring to UNM from the University of Indianapolis in her hometown, Casey wanted to get involved in the nursing program, which is a tricky major for a student-athlete. Her head coach, Joe Franklin, helped make sure it was an attainable goal.
“Kieran is one of several student-athletes that have been able to earn nursing degrees while running at a national, elite level for the Lobos,” said her head coach Joe Franklin “Kieran’s success in the medical field, and on the track showcases that student-athletes can be very successful in any major they choose with hard work and effort.”
On that note, Kieran agrees.
“I’m so grateful that I was able to run for a program where the coaches made running and nursing possible,” said Casey. “I had an amazing support system of professors, teammates, and coaches who gave me the opportunity to pursue a very difficult major all while being a three-sport athlete.”
Of course, UNM is known for its renowned women’s cross country and track program. It’s also well-known for UNMH, and the hospital played a key role in Kieran’s development as a nursing student.
“My last year, I was able to take an internship on the MICU at UNMH where I was able to take care of the most critically ill patients and learn from some of the most skilled nurses in the state.”
“Kieran was a tremendous student and a tremendous runner,” said Franklin. “She was able to balance it all so well, and really excel at both. She is a selfless person, and we are so proud of her accomplishments in the medical field.”