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TACOMA, Wash. - Throughout the rest of the semester, GoLutes.com will profile the Pacific Lutheran University senior student-athletes involved in spring sports that had their seasons cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Today's installment features PLU women's tennis and swimming student-athlete Lauren Kearney.

Balancing one collegiate sport is hard enough, but Lauren Kearney learned how to manage two.
 
A member of both women's swimming and women's tennis, Kearney was an athlete year-round. In the fall, she was in and out of the pool, and in the spring, on and off the court. 

 

Hometown: Auburn, Wash.

Career Highlights: 13-time All-NWC swimmer 3-1 singles record in 2020 12 career doubles wins

She valued spending time with her teammates, recalling racing in relays during swim season, and enjoying team movie nights. Kearney was also a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and the Lute Lead program, where she honed her leadership skills.
 
For both sports, she said, "my teammates and coaches have been my biggest motivators."
 
Kearney was a 13-time All-Conference selection in the pool for the Lutes, helping the team win four consecutive NWC dual meet titles. On the courts, the Auburn, Washington native racked up eight wins in singles play and 12 in doubles competition. 2020 was shaping up to be Kearney's best, enjoying a 3-1 record in singles play before the season was cut short.
 
"A two-sport athlete, lettering in both swimming and tennis all four years, Lauren joined the team late once the swimming season was completed but easily earned a spot in the top six," said Head Coach Cheri Campbell. "She has natural strokes that when combined with her strength, made her a force to be reckoned with on the court."
 
After four years of balancing two sports, Kearney is prepared, "to manage and balance a busy schedule," in her future career.
 
Kearney will be graduating in the spring with a degree in Elementary Education with an endorsement in reading and English learners, and plans to become an elementary school teacher.