Lily-Kate Carver is a beach volleyball athlete for Morehead State. Carver is an incredible individual who puts her heart into everything she does. Whether it's being a great teammate, her role as a future teacher, or being a positive influence on the youth, Carver's dedication to the well-being of others is second to none.
Carver is a proud native of Bowling Green, Kentucky. If you're familiar with Bowling Green, you know that the beach isn't exactly around the corner.
However, Carver fell in love with the sport of beach volleyball and decided to pursue it at the collegiate level. Out of all the schools, Carver felt a special bond with Morehead State.
"I picked Morehead because it was the place that felt like my home away from home," Carver said. "The community is so welcoming, and being able to walk around and know people and make connections is the best part."
Carver is a phenomenal beach volleyball player. She's an incredible athlete but also has a deep passion and understanding of the sport.
What makes it so special is the connection and chemistry that she has with her partner.
"Beach volleyball is like no other sport to me," Carver said. "You play with one other person, and you create a connection with them that is so strong that you become their biggest supporter. Everything they do well makes you feel good because you're the other piece of the puzzle. To me, when you see your partner succeed, and you work together so well that everything just flows, it's the best feeling."
Carver has played with many different partners growing up and has enjoyed building connections through the sport. It's an amazing feeling to have someone by your side that believes in you as much as you believe in them.
There were certainly challenges along the way for Carver to get to where she is today. She wants to let young girls know that they should never give up on their dream no matter what the circumstances are.
"I didn't sign to Morehead until February of my senior year," Carver said. "Everyone else I knew had already committed way before me. But I didn't give up and lose sight of playing beach volleyball at a high level. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't, because if I listened to all the people that told me I couldn't, I wouldn't be here today."
Carver is an inspiration to young girls all over the world. She's a living example of what hard work and dedication can do for someone.
She's also a firm believer in having fun and enjoying the game.
"No matter what, she was always smiling because she loved volleyball, and I want to be like that because, at the end of the day, we all want to win, but the love for the game is what wins over everything else," Carver said when asked about her role model Jessica Lucas.
The love for the game is what drives Carver in everything she does.
While Carver loves the sport of beach volleyball, she's also passionate about singing. She was in choir, acapella, and musicals growing up, and she loves any chance she gets to sing.
Another passion of Carver's is teaching. She's currently studying special and elementary education with the hopes of becoming a teacher one day.
"I love being able to have the opportunity to have an impact on kids' lives," Carver said. "I still have kids come up to me and recognize me from working with them in the past. This is how I know I chose the right field to pursue. Making impacts on kids' lives can better myself as a person every day."
Carver is a talented beach volleyball player, but more importantly, she's a remarkable person. She's a bright young woman with a bright future ahead of her.
Carver is a role model and an inspiration to young girls, and she's going to make an incredible teacher one day.
Whether it's on the court or off the court, Carver has the heart of a champion.
