Why Holland Christian tennis state champions signed together, room together in college

When Josh Dawson and Gavin Swiftney were looking at colleges, they were looking for similar things – good academics and a place to continue their tennis careers.

Well, they ended up in the same place.

Dawson and Swiftney, who helped the Maroons win the Division 4 state tennis title in the fall, recently signed to play tennis at Taylor University, an NAIA program, and didn’t have to look far to find a freshman roommate.

“I am excited to be playing with a teammate from high school because we have already built a friendship and we have always pushed each other to be better both on the tennis court and in the classroom,” Dawson said. “To be able to bring this relationship into college is really exciting. I am also really excited to see how each of us grows at Taylor. Gavin was named the most improved player on our team this year. I am so excited to see what Gavin and I can do out on the court at Taylor.”

More: Holland Christian tennis claims state title with six flight champs

Swiftney felt the same way.

“Going with a teammate is a huge deal, especially considering the fact that we will be rooming together,” Swiftney said. “Adjusting to college can be very difficult, and going with at least one person I already know will help ease that transition. Going with Josh will help me gain confidence quickly, which will be essential to my success at Taylor. We will also be able to hold each other accountable in order to uphold the work ethic and integrity that coach (Steve) Gorno instilled in us during our time at Holland Christian.”

So why Taylor?

“I was drawn to Taylor because of their campus and their student life. I was looking for a strong Engineering program and I was really impressed with Taylor’s program. I am super excited to have the opportunity to continue in athletics and to help build the tennis program at Taylor University,” said Dawson, who plans on studying mechanical engineering. “This opportunity means a lot to me, ever since freshman year I knew I wanted to play tennis in college. I have worked really hard throughout high school to be able to play tennis at a high level. To achieve this goal is a big accomplishment.”

Swiftney is also looking into engineering.

“I chose Taylor because when I visited in the summer I was very impressed by their engineering program. I knew I wanted to go to a smaller Christian school, and for the size of the school, Taylor’s engineering seems to be ahead of the curve. They are well funded and they have plenty of equipment,” he said. “I also like the fact that the program utilizes project-based learning, which I prefer. Additionally, I appreciate Taylor’s friendly environment and Christian approach to learning. To be honest, I hadn’t decided that I would like to pursue playing college tennis until after I had visited Taylor. When I heard they were bringing back their tennis program, I knew I would have a chance to earn a spot. The appeal of the engineering program and atmosphere combined with the opportunity to play tennis made the decision to go to Taylor a relatively easy one.”

Now, the duo will look forward to building the team culture together at Taylor.

“On the surface, this opportunity means I get to play the sport I love at the college level. On a deeper level, it means I get to part of a community within Taylor that I wouldn’t be a part of otherwise,” Swiftney said. “Teams are like a brotherhood, and I think being a part of the tennis team will help me adjust to college in the short term and deepen my college experience in the long term. Since most of our team will be incoming freshmen, I also have the chance to be a part of the group that will establish Taylor’s tennis culture for years to come. This opportunity will also help me in the long run because I perform better on the academic side when I have the physical outlet of athletics.”

Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’[email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as  Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.   

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Holland Christian tennis state champions sign with Taylor University