Picking up everything and leaving behind all of the friends made over the past three years is easier said than done. For Grand Valley State University tennis player Morgan Carney, it was one of the toughest decisions she has ever made.

Thankfully, GVSU has served her well thus far.

“It was really tough, leaving all of the friends that I made over the years in Alabama,” Carney said. “It was definitely one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, but the friends I have made on and off the team here at Grand Valley made the transition easier for me.”

Carney’s transfer isn’t any normal story, as she decided to move across the country from Kennesaw State University in order to plan her upcoming wedding and to be closer with her fiancé.

“Everything has fit into place well so far,” Carney said. “It was a big adjustment for me at first, but the transition couldn’t have gone smoother.”

Currently on a six-match winning streak, Carney has made a name for herself in little time as a Laker and is poised to continue improving on her 14-3 overall record.

“Our team is just that much better with her in the line-up,” said sophomore Leah Dancz. “She brings tons of experience to the team, which is great, especially for our underclassmen.”

Transferring from the Division I level to Division II is no easy adjustment, let alone transferring with only one year of eligibility left. Carney has shown that passion of the game outweighs the struggles that come with it, though.

“I still wanted to play tennis and finish out my eligibility,” she said. “I’m thankful that I had the chance to do it here at GVSU.”

Carney’s transfer couldn’t have came at a better time as the GVSU women’s tennis team is poised to make a deep run at the end of the season behind its junior and senior led team.

“She is a great leader, someone we can all look up to,” said sophomore Kali Phillips. “It’s a great fit for not only her, but for the rest of the team as well.”

It’s rare to see a transfer step in so suddenly and make an impact such as Carney has made, but according to teammates, it’s hard to imagine what the team would be like without Carney on the roster.

“Growing up in Alabama, she brings a different style of play to our team that really fits in well with what we are trying to accomplish,” Phillips said. “It’s sad that we only get to play with her for one year, but that will push us even harder to accomplish all of our goals during the time that she is on our team.”

Behind the strength of her teammates, Carney has high goals set not only for herself, but for her team and fellow teammates, as well.

“Nobody wants to lose a match, of course, but it’s one of my goals to finish out the year without any losses from here on out,” Carney said. “That goes hand-in-hand with the team goals that we have, as well.”

Carney and the Lakers step back onto the court April 13 when they travel to St. Louis, Mo., to face Drury University.

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