BUTLER TWP — A three-time girls swim team MVP, Butler senior Brianna Keelan knows how to pick up the ball and run with it.

Now she's hoping to do more of the same at Loyola University in Baltimore, Md..

Keelan signed a letter of intent to swim for the Greyhounds, whose women's team is coming off a third-place finish at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships.

Loyola's men's swimming team is three-time defending conference champions. The last women's MAAC title came in 1996, but the squad has finished no lower than fourth since.

“The other Division I schools I looked at — Bucknell, Penn State, Delaware — it would have been hard to make an impact right away,” Keelan said. “At Loyola, I think I can make a contribution immediately.”

She may have to. Loyola had 14 seniors on this year's team and 15 freshmen — but only four juniors and four sophomores.

“A lot of underclassmen are going to get their chance,” Keelan said.

While her best finish in the WPIAL meet was 18th and Keelan never reached the PIAA Championships, she did what was needed for Butler's swim team.

She swam the individual medley and butterfly for the Golden Tornado as a freshman, the IM and backstroke as a sophomore, sprint and freestyle events the past two years.

Keelan also swam for three different head coaches at Butler, including Ken Bedford this year.

“I filled in where I was needed,” she said.

“She is extremely versatile and has a great work ethic,” Bedford said. “Brianna has a great head on her shoulders She has what it takes to be successful at the college level.”

Bedford said the freestyle is probably Keelan's best stroke, “but she is good enough in everything else that she can fill in wherever they need her.”

Brian Loeffler has been head swim coach at Loyola for 18 years, coached four MAAC Most Outstanding Female swimmers and has witnessed the breaking of all 19 women's swimming school records during his tenure.

“I've been pretty versatile and I'm looking forward to seeing what direction the coaches there take me as a swimmer,” Keelan said. “It will be exciting being part of a big team.”

Butler's girls swim team had 18 members this year, only 14 during Keelan's freshman year. She was a freshman when (current Washington & Jefferson College standout) Brittany Vogel was a senior.

“Brittany swam the same events I did. We swam together for years at the Butler Y. She's been a role model for me,” Keelan said.

“When Brittany graduated, I felt like I needed to take over the reins a little bit.”

Keelan wound up being Butler's team captain as well.

“She's a natural leader in that she's a very selfless athlete. It's all about team with her,” Bedford said.

A member of the Butler YMCA swim program since age 5, Keelan swam under the watch of legendary Butler Y coach John “Pump” McLaughlin until his death five years later.

She joined Morgan Morrison, Nicolette Krause and Jordan McElhaney in breaking the YMCA 10-under state record in the 200-yard freestyle relay just before he died.

That record still stands today.

“Being part of the last exciting race he got to see has stayed with me,” Keelan said. “Pump's influence is still very evident in that program. Even the 5 and 6-year-olds on the team now know who he was and how much he cared about kids.

“He's left a lasting impression.”

That's what Keelan wants to do at Loyola, in and out of the water. She carries a 4.0 grade point average at Butler and will study engineering in college.

“My goals are to at least contribute to the relays as a freshman and get to the (MAAC) championship meet,” she said. “Besides that, my opportunities are wide open.”