Basketball just small part of Toohey’s schedule

Guerin junior basketball player Mary Jo Toohey spends a good portion of the weekend catching up on her sleep.

Considering her workload during the week, who can blame her?

The three-sport standout was the captain of the soccer team last spring as a sophomore and fell just a minute short of earning a trip to state in cross country.

In addition to her athletic endeavors, she stays busy in the school’s Irish Club and went to state the past two years with the mock trial team, which placed fourth both times. She is also a junior class officer and has been on the student council the past three years.

“I guess I like challenging myself and keeping busy,” Toohey said. “I’m always involved in something year round, so I’m used to it. I don’t have any free time during the week and I spend most of my time over the weekend trying to sleep because I’m exhausted.”

Despite her hectic schedule, Toohey manages to shine in the classroom.

She ranks No. 2 in her junior class and has an impressive 4.8 grade-point average to go along with being members of the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society.

All eight of Toohey’s classes this year have been advanced placement or honors.

Toohey plans to attend college on the East Coast and would like to find a school that has a food science program; otherwise she will look for a science-related field.

Boston College, Cornell, Brown and Princeton are among the schools Toohey has expressed an interest in, but she plans to apply to many colleges before making a decision.

“She’s a great kid,” Guerin basketball coach Johnnie Gage said. “If you put all your eggs into basketball (or other sports) and think that will get you through life, you’re on the wrong page. Guerin Prep is not here to only develop the athletes, but to help young men and women excel in life. You’re a student before you’re an athlete.

“When you are looking to attend Ivy League schools (like Toohey), that means way more than basketball. It means you are going to have great success in life. She’s going to be another Michelle Obama.”

She mostly comes off the bench, but has started a couple of games for the Gators.

“I love every single person on the team,” said Toohey, whose older brother Bill was a standout runner at Fenwick. “It’s the most unified team I’ve ever been on. Everyone gets along so well and puts 100 percent into everything we do.”