Featured Firstie: 1/C Maggie Cleary

  POSTED ON: Friday, March 10, 2023 10:49 AM by mediarelations@usna.edu

This week’s Firstie Friday is Midshipman 1st Class (senior) Maggie Cleary from Atlanta, Georgia. A women's lacrosse player and storm chaser enthusiast, she is a proud member of Navy Women's Lacrosse and the USNA Oceanography Department. Cleary is a squad leader for 12th Company.

Her motivation to attend the Naval Academy came from her family. Her uncle attended the Academy in the class of 1982 and her dad was a successful Navy pilot, but what drew her in was the people. She recalls visiting the academy for a summer camp: “Meeting the lacrosse team and other midshipmen, I honestly thought they were some of the coolest people and I made it a goal of mine to attend the academy.” 

Cleary’s favorite memory as a midshipman thus far would be flying with the Hurricane Hunters in Hurricane Ian in September 2022. Storm chasing in the Tropical Cyclones (TROPIC) internship as an oceanography major during her sophomore year, she was later able to fly through the eye of Hurricane Ian four times to collect data for CAPT Sanabia, an oceanography instructor here in the yard. She also attributes her inspiration to CAPT Sanabia, “She emulated what type of leader and officer I want to become. Seeing how she leads and looks out for her peers and students, motivates me to do the same. I know all of us in the Oceanography major that have had her can all say the same thing.”

For the remainder of the semester, she looks forward to “finishing up this lacrosse season with the team and making it through the Patriot League tournament and beating Army of course.” Upon graduation in May 2023, Cleary will commission as a Navy pilot.

Category: General Interest, Midshipman