A member of four state championship teams and a three-sport standout while at Quincy Notre Dame, Kristen (Gengenbacher) Mahoney seemingly always had the ball in her hands.
A setter on the QND volleyball team, she helped the Raiders win the Class 2A state championship in 2011 while racking up 821 assists. The next season, as a junior, she received special mention all-state honors from the Champaign News-Gazette after racking up 814 assists, 132 kills, 195 digs, 54 blocks and 38 aces. As a senior, Mahoney again earned all-state plaudits as she led the area with 833 assists to go with 61 kills, 117 digs, 45 blocks and 28 aces.
In basketball, Mahoney was named a first-team Illinois Basketball Coaches Association all-state guard in basketball as a senior in 2014 when she averaged 15.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in leading QND to a third-place finish in Class 3A. She was the starting point guard on the team that went 30-0 and won the Class 3A state title in 2013 and the team that won the Class 2A state title in 2012. She came off the bench for the Class 2A state championship squad in 2011.
As a softball player, Mahoney was a second-team Illinois Coaches Association all-stater as a senior and an honorable mention all-state selection as a junior. She finished her career with 132 hits, 87 RBIs, five home runs and a .375 batting average.
Her passion was volleyball and it carried her to a standout career as an NCAA Division I setter.
Mahoney dished out 3,729 assists in her University of San Diego career, which ranks third in program history. As a senior, she garnered West Coast Conference Player of the Year accolades and received third-team AVCA All-America recognition after leading the Toreros to the WCC championship and a second-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
She played one season of beach volleyball at the University of Washington, where she served as team captain and led the Huskies with 13 dual victories while qualifying for a spot in the USAV Collegiate Championships.
She is currently an assistant coach with the San Diego State University women’s volleyball program.
A Note of Thanks
I am truly honored to be inducted into the QND Hall of Fame. This recognition is a reflection of the many people who supported me throughout my journey. To my former teammates, I will always cherish the memories and lessons we shared. To my coaches, thank you for instilling in me the values I hope to share with the student-athletes I coach today. Finally to my parents, thank you for your support, sacrifices, and love. To my sisters I would be lost without you. It’s a great day to be a Raider!
-Kristen