From Tennis to Travel

By Angie Sykeny

Gordon College News Service

December 10, 2013

(This story is a part of a package of stories on college athletes written for the Boston Globe North.)

NORTH ANDOVER—When Alyx Barnes, 21, of Portsmouth, NH, graduated high school, Merrimack College asked her to play tennis on scholarship.

“I was unsure of what I wanted to do after senior year,” she said. “So I decided to take the offer.”

Now, as a senior, she said this season has been the best her team has played in her four years.

“When I was deciding to take this coaching position, Alyx was one of the players I was most looking forward to coach,” said head women’s tennis coach Paul Arsenault, 30, of Nashua, NH. “She has been a reliable player for our team and is a big part of why this team has improved so much in the past few years.”

Barnes is a business major with a self-proclaimed “indecisive personality.” Although she has no definitive career plans, she is excited to graduate and set out on her own adventure.

“I love to travel,” she said. “After graduating, I am going to move back to Portsmouth to work and save money so I will have the funds to go around the world and see other countries.”

Barnes said although she doesn’t have plans to continue tennis professionally, she will always play for fun with family and friends.