Brigid Duffy

When it comes to Queensbury senior Brigid Duffy, there seems to be no such thing as too busy.

Duffy committed to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point in the beginning of her junior year. The idea was to play women’s lacrosse while she served the country. At the beginning of this past fall season, however, she asked the Army coaches if it would be OK to add women’s soccer. They gave their blessings.

Just being a plebe at West Point is more than most freshmen could think of handling. But add two sports to that and you have something that sounds like it fits in Duffy’s wheelhouse.

One of 10 high school honorees for the third-annual Capital District Sports Women of the Year awards, Duffy was a five-year varsity girls’ lacrosse starter, a five-year varsity girls’ soccer player and a three-year varsity girls’ basketball player. And that’s just for Queensbury. She participated in ice hockey outside of school and was selected to participate in a selective USA National Camp.

“I played four sports my entire high school career. It’ll definitely be a challenge for me, but I’m willing to take it on,” Duffy said.

Academically, Duffy has a 95 grade-point average, ranks in the top 25 of her class and is a member of the school’s National Honor Society and Future Business Leaders of America.

Athletically, she is one of the most decorated athletes in school and Section II history. In lacrosse, she has been an All-American the past two seasons and is a USA Lacrosse U18 National Team member, as well as a numerous-time Foothills Council All-Star.

In soccer, she’s a five-year player, an East Region All-American, an All-State second-team player, Section II Class A Player of the Year, Foothills Council MVP and the school’s all-time assists leader and second in career scoring. She is a Foothills Council All-Star in basketball.

Duffy also has served the community by volunteering at Queensbury Parks and Rec. youth soccer and basketball programs, as well as at Our Lady of the Annunciation Catholic Church.

Queensbury athletic director Richard Keys said Duffy is his prime example of what it means to be a student-athlete.

“She is often the first person to practice and the last to leave,” Keys said. “Her participation in our zero block physical education class requires her to train multiple days a week prior to the start of school. Her work ethic is unmatched by any other student-athlete I have been around in my 28 years of education.”

As decorated as she already was entering her senior year, Duffy achieved an important goal: to be a captain in all three varsity sports.

“I’ve always been very focused and determined,” Duffy said. “It’s definitely a lot of responsibility. I feel like I’m a leader by example. I’m very vocal as a teammate, but I like to lead by example. I think that’s something the younger girls can see for themselves and relate to.”

Keys said Duffy’s leadership shined through at the school’s weekly Captain’s Club meetings.

“Brigid has not only participated and contributed to the group discussions, but she has also been a leader of leaders,” Keys said. “She has worked to evolve her skill set to not only be a leader by example, but to also be a vocal leader who brings out the best in everyone around her.”

When she looks back on her now-concluded high school career, Duffy said that senior-year accomplishments top the list, primarily because she and her teammates were able to achieve major goals.

“Definitely our sectional championship soccer team,” Duffy said. “We had never done that before and we did it this year. And, of course, this year for lacrosse was amazing. We’ve never been regional champions, and we did that — or made it to the final, and we did that.”

Duffy credits her parents, Tim and Gretchen Duffy, for setting the bar high.

“Our parents were very hard on us academically and athletically,” Brigid said, “but I’m glad because that will set me up well for the future.”

There will be many in Queensbury and the Capital Region who eagerly await to see what Duffy’s future will entail. As for her past, Keys said that will be awfully hard to top.

“It comes as no surprise to me that Brigid will be attending the United States Military Academy at West Point,” he said. “She exemplifies the values of that institution. I am extremely proud of the standard she has set for our programs. She is a generational student-athlete.”