Ocean City High School Senior To Enter U.S. Naval Academy

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Ocean City High School senior Jenevieva Mulhall will be inducted into the U.S. Naval Academy’s freshman class on June 30 and begin six weeks of basic midshipman training.

Mulhall was one of 1,200 candidates selected for the Academy’s “plebe” or freshman class, and each student is required to participate in Plebe Summer.

Last year the Naval Academy received over 16,000 applications for the Class of 2025. Mulhall was nominated for admission to the Academy by New Jersey Congressman Jeff Van Drew.

“My goal was to attend the United States Naval Academy in order to fulfill my desire to be challenged, live with purpose, and to serve my country while receiving an incredible education and continue my rowing career,” Mulhall said in a news release.

“Without the help and support of my head coach Ian Tapp and assistant coach Donna O’Keefe, who helped me become a more confident and stronger person, I would not have been able achieve such an honorable goal,” she continued. “ And of course thanks go to my family and friends who supported and encouraged me every step of the way. To these people I will forever be thankful.”

Mulhall, who graduates from Ocean City High School on June 15, has been an active member of class council, national honor society, key club and math club.

During high school she received high academic honors for all 16 marking periods and will be graduating summa cum laude with a certificate in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

At the Naval Academy Mulhall intends to study cyber operations and hopes to minor in Russian.

A three-year varsity letter winner for the Ocean City women’s crew team, Mulhall was recruited to row for the Naval Academy.

At the end of her sophomore year she attended the United States Olympic Development Camp for women’s rowing. In the fall of her junior year Mulhall was part of the women's varsity 8 boat, which qualified to row at The Head of Charles Regatta in Boston, becoming the first Ocean City High School boat to compete.

Mulhall has participated in the Block Island race week numerous times and was the youngest sailor to participate in the offshore Miami to Havana Cuba race in 2017.

Founded in 1845, the U.S. Naval Academy is a four-year service academy that prepares midshipmen morally, mentally and physically to be professional officers in the naval service. More than 4,400 men and women representing every state in the U.S. and several foreign countries make up the student body, known as the Brigade of Midshipmen.

Upon graduation, midshipmen earn a bachelor of science degree in a choice of 25 different subject majors and go on to serve at least five years as commissioned officers in the U.S. Navy or U.S. Marine Corps.

“As you might imagine we are extremely proud,” said Mulhall's parents, Deborah and Brian Mulhall. “We have learned and developed a new level of respect and consideration for all branches of the military and certainly for the young people who have the foresight to make this type of career and life decision at such a young age.”

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