The Gunnery community took a breather from exams, graduation, and end-of-year activities to cheer their favorite son playing for Duke in the exciting overtime win against Notre Dame in the NCAA Lacrosse National Title match. “I attribute my success to The Gunnery,” said Will McKee ’06. “I learned time management and other life lessons such as working hard, extending yourself outside of athletics into academics; both require a lot of work and time to get what you want to achieve.”
After graduating from The Gunnery, Will attended St. Lawrence University for two years. In 2007, he was named the Liberty League Rookie of the Year and finished the season ranked fourth on the team in points (31), second in goals (25) and sixth in assists (6). In 2008, he was named to the USILA All-America Division III Third Team and voted as the Liberty League Player of the Year after leading the league in goals (2.93) and points (4.36) per game, among other successes. After transferring to Duke, Will finished with 22 points and 16 goals in his first Division I season and scored at least one point in seven of the final eight games of the season. In his senior season at Duke, he amassed 21 points while playing in every game during the Blue Devils’ championship season. In Duke’s four postseason games, Will contributed three goals and two assists, including two pivotal goals in the teams’ 14-13 semifinal win over number one ranked Virginia.
Will has always been an athlete. He started playing lacrosse in the second grade and hockey in middle school. His passion for athletics grew at The Gunnery where he played football, hockey, and lacrosse. He was elected to the all-league lacrosse team three times, captained the team twice, and was the league’s Most Valuable Player as a senior. During his time at Mr. Gunn’s school, he mastered the art of being a student-athlete. “A student-athlete is someone who has the ability to juggle a lot of things – great time management, determination, and discipline – you can’t forget about the little things. I still remember getting up at 6am to lift in the mornings knowing that would pay off in the end. You can extend yourself farther than you can think. Academically and athletically, if you put the time in, things will come from it.”
Upon graduation from The Gunnery, Will spent some time at St. Lawrence University where he thrived athletically and academically. He transferred to Duke after his sophomore season and hasn’t looked back since. “The coaching staff at Duke has been great,” said Will. “Going to school with my twin brother is a positive.” This isn’t the first time Will attended the same school as a family member. His father, Rusty, is a graduate of The Gunnery and currently serves on the Board of Trustees.
Will fondly remembers many Gunnery faculty members who helped him achieve his goals, in particular, football coach Richard Martin. “He said I could do great things. I just had to work hard in several sports (not just lacrosse).” I have learned so much about eye-hand coordination and physical presence in football and finesse (dodging and scoring goals) in hockey. That helped me in lacrosse, which is a fast game. You have to make decisions quickly. It is a combination of football, hockey, and soccer.”
Will also commented on his future life after college. “Once I graduate, I see myself going to Wall Street. I have no formal plans now. I am getting my B.S. in Economics with a minor in History from Duke. I picked up my interest in economics during my senior year in high school.