Few student-athletes embody the Maties Sport spirit quite like Keenan Horne.
A former Maties Hockey standout, Keenan balanced his academic pursuits, completing a BCom (Law), LLB, and LLM at Stellenbosch University, with a stellar career on the astro fields of the Maties Hockey Club.
He mastered the art of balancing academics, sport, and social life, the three pillars of Maties Sport’s holistic approach to developing student-athletes. He successfully combined the challenges of academic distinction with international sporting success.
Being a student-athlete, Horne says, teaches one the importance of maintaining balance between academics, sport, and social life, the three key components of Maties Sport’s holistic approach to its athletes.
“As an athlete at Maties, you have quite a rich student life experience,” says Horne.
“When I joined the Maties Hockey Club, I immediately felt the family atmosphere. It was truly incredible, and I made lifelong friends during my student life.”
When asked about his favourite memories from his years in Stellenbosch, Keenan takes a moment to think. Not because he struggles to remember, but because there are so many to choose from.
“This is a hard one,” he laughs. “I spent many years in maroon! But if I had to choose, 2016 stands out above the rest. It felt like our team was truly a brotherhood. We spent so much time together on and off the field, winning two titles and playing in three finals. The preparation for that 2016 USSA tournament, with Ashlin Freddy (a former Matie himself) and Paul Revington (renowned international hockey coach) as our coaches, and Dylan Swanepoel as our team leader was something special.”
In 2016, the Maties Men’s Hockey team won the USSA title, for the first time since 2009 — as well as a record fourth Western Province Grand Challenge title, and reached the final of the Varsity Sports Hockey Tournament. Keenan was named Player of the Tournament for both the USSA and Varsity Sports competitions.
That formidable team included not only Horne and Swanepoel, but also Daniel Bell, Matthew de Sousa, Luke Schooling, Alex Stewart, Tom Richardson, Shannon Boucher, and Reece Arendse — several of whom would go on to don the green and gold for South Africa.
During his years at Maties, Keenan learned the values of grit, excellence, and perseverance — lessons that continue to guide him today.
Now based in Paris, Keenan works as a jurist at international law firm Mayer Brown, specialising in international arbitration.
“Off the field, one of my greatest highlights has been the opportunity to work at a world-renowned law firm alongside some incredible lawyers,” he says.
Yet his passion for hockey has never faded. Representing South Africa at both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games stands among his proudest achievements.
From the start, Keenan knew what he wanted to achieve as a South African hockey player. His lifelong dream came true when he and his teammates claimed gold at the inaugural FIH Nations Cup in 2023, marking South Africa’s first major title outside a continental tournament. Adding to that, he recently celebrated his fifth African Cup gold medal. He also represented his country at the Commonwealth Games.
“Playing in the knockout stages of a World Cup and causing an upset for our nation, that would be amazing,” he says with a grin, hinting that there are still goals on his horizon.
Looking back, Keenan speaks of Stellenbosch with the deep affection shared by many Maties alumni.
“Stellenbosch as a town is absolutely fantastic,” he says. “The balance of education, sport, and social life you experience in Stellies is second to none. It’s truly an institution that gives you an all-round experience. You make friends for life while getting a world-class education.”
From law lectures to Olympic arenas, Keenan Horne’s story captures the essence of what it means to be a Maties student-athlete, achieving excellence on every field he steps onto, with heart, humility, and pride.
