From The Heart: Family Ties Bring Marolly Sisters Together at Bona's

The 'From The Heart' feature series takes an in-depth look at St. Bonaventure student-athletes and coaches. Named for the beloved Merton's Heart that overlooks campus, this series will tell the stories of Bonnies athletic programs on and off the field.

When it was time for her older sister, Mika, to leave for college, Maya Marolly thought their chance to play together was over. Mika had decided to play her freshman year at the University at Buffalo. However, because of the transfer rules in collegiate sports, Mika was able to keep the dream alive. 

When it was Maya’s time to pick where to go to school, she chose St. Bonaventure. Head coach Donny George was interested from the beginning.

“Donny was interested and was always there for me right when I needed him, which made me feel very wanted,” Maya said.

Maya is one of 11 freshmen on this year’s roster, one of the largest women’s soccer recruiting classes ever.  “It has made my transition very easy because we are all new to the team and in the same situation which connects us,” says Maya.  

When Mika decided to transfer, she said it was very last minute. However, that didn’t stop George from reaching out to her about coming to St. Bonaventure. At UB, Mika appeared in 16 games, recording two assists. 

The sisters grew up together in Montreal, where they attended Ecole Secondaire Des Sources. During her high school career, Maya was named a league all-star. Mika was invited to Canada’s U-17 Youth National Team camp in 2022. 

“I think the experience is something that every little girl dreams about, and I know that I did,” Mika said. “It was the most amazing feeling ever, and I was so proud of myself.”

 When it came to the reasons for her deciding to come to Bonaventure, Mika said, “Having my sister here was a big part of it,” she continued, “but I think the supportive coaching staff and the smaller school with less distractions were all things that caught my attention.”

Each new freshman is assigned a senior on the team who acts as their “big sister.”

This year, Maya’s “big sister” is Bridget Kennedy. 

Kennedy has been impressed by Maya.

“She is a great addition to the team, I love her ability to get out of tight spaces, her craftiness on the ball, and how she can create plays and be dangerous in our attack,” Kennedy said. 

In just her sixth game with the team, Maya scored her first goal in a 2-0 win over Youngstown. “It was such a good feeling, and I honestly didn’t think the goal was going in, so when it went in, I was really surprised,” said Maya. “Everyone came around me and just jumped on me, (Mika) stayed back and hugged me, and it just felt really good in the moment."

The sisters hope to accomplish the same success they had at their home club. Mika says playing with her sister is something she always thought about. 

“I’ve always thought about it because I see how well we do at our home club together and wonder what if we were able to do this in college as well.”