Greenbrier East senior volleyball player Brooklynn Morgan has not always been on the east side of the county.
Last year, Morgan arrived in the halls of Greenbrier East High School as a transfer from about 25 minutes away, at Greenbrier West where she sent her freshman and sophomore years. Morgan played a late starting basketball season for the Spartans as a junior, but it was her year in volleyball in the fall with coach Matt Sauvage that peaked everyone’s interest.
And it was Sauvage’s interest that was peaked the most.
“When she came to East last season, I realized quickly we had a special player,” Sauvage said.
“Her athleticism is crazy. She was able to bring that in and figure out how to use it for volleyball,” Sauvage continued.
Morgan has capitalized on all those accolades and this past weekend signed to continue her career on the court for the West Virginia State Yellowjackets.
During her senior season that just ended about a month ago, Morgan played 322 sets and logged 68 aces. She also had 792 kills, 75.5 blocks and 217 digs. She earned Special Honorable mention all-state honors and finished in the top 10 in several impressive categories in Spartan history.
Morgan says choosing West Virginia State was an easy decision.
“West Virginia State has an amazing atmosphere between all the athletes. They all support each other at their games. Kris Kern and the players are great. I also enjoying being close to a city like Charleston,” Morgan stated.
Morgan also thanks Sauvage for his guidance in the process as well.
“Matt Sauvage is the one who initiated the contact between me and State. I am very thankful for that. Any questions I have had he has helped and answered them,” Morgan exclaimed.
The only people more excited than Morgan with her choice of college was her family.
“My family is so excited for me to play at State. They plan on coming to every game. They have supported me in any and every sport I have ever participated in,” she said.
The only negative of the whole situation is not about Morgan per se, but the fact she decided not to play basketball for the Lady Spartans this season. Last season, Morgan was an integral part of the team’s success, but her passion for volleyball convinced her to sit this season out on the other hardwood.
“I did not want to play basketball due my future volleyball career. Playing basketball would not have benefited me in any way. It was in my best interest to play travel volleyball with Coach Kern instead,” Morgan said strongly.
Relationships made on sports teams are some of the strongest ones a person can have, some even lasting a lifetime, and that is the one thing the athletic senior will miss the most.
“I will miss the younger girls I played with. We had so much fun. Other than that, I am more than ready to play college volleyball,” Morgan concluded.
Sauvage will miss more than that with the graduation of one of his better players in recent memory.
“She wanted to win every time she was on the court, and you can’t teach that,” Sauvage said.
“It has been my pleasure to be able to coach her. I wish her nothing but the best at WV State, he concluded.
Staying fresh, Morgan just finished playing in the North-South All-Star game last Sunday, December 5 along with two of her teammates, Nevaeh Wooding and Julia Smith.
