Coming from a tennis family, Whitney Byrd was predetermined to play college tennis.
“My younger brother plays, actually my other brother plays as well. And my mom likes to think she can play also, but she can’t play,” Byrd said.
Byrd has one family member in particular that was influential in her pursuit of tennis—her father, Charles Byrd. He played tennis at Georgia State during the 80s and is now a coach and instructor at the Riverside Club tennis facility in Sandy Springs.
“I think watching my dad play a lot, because I used to always go with him to the court when I was little,” Byrd said. “I think that the him from the 80’s would’ve probably given me a run for my money. Maybe he’ll beat me, I don’t know. He’s a bit slower than he used to be, but he’s still pretty good.”
While less-than-certain if her still tennis-savvy dad could hang with her on the court, she is more definitive about one of her brothers, Justin Byrd.
“My brother could probably beat both of us. He’s pretty good,” Byrd said. “My dad coaches my brother and he’s actually in the quarterfinals of the Atlanta ITF tournament.”
Both Justin’s and Whitney’s respective journeys in tennis are still continuing. In fact, prior to arriving at Georgia State, she originally started her collegiate tennis career while at Auburn University at Montgomery. While there, she earned NAIA All-American honors and was on the team that won the 2009 NAIA National Championship—their sixth straight title dating back to 2004.
The year after that, they were the 2010 runner-up to Fresno Pacific, but she transferred to Georgia State for the following year.
Georgia State women’s tennis head coach Miha Lisac said, “she had a great career at Auburn-Montgomery. She did very well. Unfortunately, her coach left. That’s when she started looking at her options. Fortunately, she decided to come a little closer to home.”
Byrd still maintains a relationship with Auburn-Montgomery.
“I still stay in contact with them. I have a lot of friends there,” Byrd said. “The difference between Georgia State and Auburn-Montgomery is that we’re more fast-paced being in the middle of downtown Atlanta and Auburn-Montgomery is a little more laid back. Also the level of play is much higher given GSU is a Division I school.”
As proven by her play, the tennis court is one place where Byrd is anything but laid back. She possesses a highly focused mentality and work ethic on the court.
“Whitney has a pretty relentless work ethic. And that’s something that’s being transformed into other players,” Lisac said. “She is very hard-working. She is very dedicated to reaching her potential.”
Byrd commits herself to daily practice even while balancing her athletic and academic pursuits.
“I practice about two to three hours every day, which can be tough to do because of school life,” Byrd said. “It’s much harder to be a student-athlete than it is to be just a student because of the academic standards placed on you just to stay on the team.”
But her hard work paid off, along with the rest of the team’s work. Last year, they reached the CAA Championship Finals only to lose 4-3 to VCU. The loss still haunts Byrd, but she’s determined that this is the year for her and her team.
“I completely expect to win a championship this year. It would be a great way to end my collegiate career with a championship,” Byrd said.
Such a plateau that eluded the team last year would be a huge accomplishment this year for a team that has embraced Byrd as their leader—and as a big sister, since she is the only senior.
“I, somewhat, feel like a big sister, and my teammates I see as little sisters or younger versions of me. We’re really best friends on and off the court,” Byrd said.
One of them is Maryna Kozachenko, with whom Byrd earned 2012 All-CAA First Team doubles honors with last year. She also earned All-CAA Second team honors in singles as well last year.
“That surprised me a little bit because I do well with singles than I do doubles,” Byrd said. “I like playing doubles too, but if I had to choose, I’d prefer singles.”
While maintaining an eagle-eyed focus on the court, her personality off of the court is what makes Byrd so infectious to many.
“I would describe myself when I’m not practicing or playing tennis as goofy, silly, or lively,” Byrd said.
However, the public relations major is not goofy when it comes to deciding her future after college. When she graduates this Spring, she’ll be 25 years old, a year when most tennis players reach their peak and plan to stick to tennis.
“I plan on getting my masters, but I think I’m going to play tennis in that little break between graduating and coming back. I’ve played in a couple of pro tournaments, but I got injured, so I really want to go back,” Byrd said. “I think I can continue on with tennis until about the age of 33.”
Like her dad and many others who have maintained a relationship with the sport after they have put away their competitive racquets, Byrd wants to do the same.
“I want to work on the public relations side of USTA, and after that I do want to be a sports agent for tennis players and NBA players,” said Byrd.
Regardless of the path Byrd chooses after Georgia State, ss the marquee player for the women’s tennis program, Byrd will leave a legacy as a Panther when she graduates.
“I want people to remember me as a fighter, someone who never gave up and always pushed to be the best, which is a good lesson in life as well as sports,” Byrd said.
