Ava Carey in a match at the Binghamton Tennis Facility October, 2023.
By Collin Bolebruch
Ava Carey has emerged as one of Plattsburgh State’s bright young stars following a great initial season last fall for Cardinals tennis. Ava finished 7-6 in singles play, tied for the second-most wins on the team. Along with her partner Jacklin Mitchell, the first-year amassed a 4-3 record against conference opponents in doubles.
With five contributors graduating, Ava and Jacklin have the potential to become the face of a small squad, with plenty of underclassmen. The two, along with the rest of the Cardinals, will showcase their talents in a home tournament April 27.
This question and answer was conducted with Ava over text April 10.
Question: Does having a smaller roster compared to other sports make everyone closer?
Answer: Having a smaller roster compared to other teams can absolutely make it easier to gain a closer bond to one another. It’s less people to have to get to know and gives us the opportunity to learn more about each other.Â
Q: You’re challenged to stay handcuffed to Jacklin for 24 hours — how do you spend that time? Could you do it?
A: I could definitely do it because we spend a lot of time together and tend to tag along on each other’s shenanigans. We would probably go on a drive, listen to music on the way, grab some coffee and then hit up the library.
Q: Which other Plattsburgh State team is the most fun to hang out with?
A: I enjoy spending time with a lot of teams since I have some friends on multiple of them! Most of my friends that I always have a blast with are on the basketball team and men’s lacrosse.
Q: How does having a younger head coach benefit the team?
A: Having a younger head coach on the team is extremely beneficial. She is closer to our generation and has a growth mindset that allows us to feel understood and supported! She understands the importance of a balanced lifestyle, especially in college. She always reminds us that we are student athletes first in which our academics will always be top priority — as well as our personal lives and health. However, during practice there is no doubt that she will push us to our limits and push us to be better tennis players everyday. I absolutely lucked out with Coach Henn and couldn’t be more grateful than to have her as my coach.
