Blue Devil Alumni Spotlight: Molly Loney and Morgan Loney

Name – Morgan Loney 
UW-Stout graduation year – December 2011 
Major – Business Administration
Sport(s) – Golf 
Years Played – 4 
Hometown (High School) – River Falls High School  
Currently Reside – River Falls, Wis.

Name – Molly (Loney) Krick 
UW-Stout graduation year – December 2008 
Major – Business Administration 
Sport(s) – Women's Basketball and Women's Golf  
Years Played – Basketball (3 years); Golf (2 years, plus one fall semester)  
Hometown (High School) – River Falls High School  
Currently Reside – Scottsdale, Ariz.
 

Give us a brief synopsis of your life since graduating from UW-Stout, include job and family? 

Morgan : After graduation, I moved back home to River Falls and started working at Grainger Industrial Supply Company as an outside sales representative. I bought a home in River Falls, which was a difficult decision for me as all three of my siblings live in Arizona.  There was a small window where I looked into moving to Arizona, but fate kept me here in Wisconsin. I currently work for a cable manufacturing company based out of New York, covering the Midwest as a regional sales representative.  I am fortunate enough to be able to get out to Arizona as much as I can.  We're a tight-knit family so the distance is definitely tough for an aunt of seven beautiful nieces and nephews! 

  Molly: Days after graduating in December of 2008 from UW-Stout I relocated to Phoenix, Ariz., where both of my older siblings were also living. After about a year of working a couple different jobs, I ended up with a great opportunity with Maui Jim sunglasses as a sales rep covering Arizona, Las Vegas, and New Mexico in their golf division, and have been with them for just over 10 years. My husband and I have two little ones, Landry (2 years) and Lyle (1 year), and we also own and operate an Electric Bike Store located in North Scottsdale.
 

How are you using your Stout education in your occupation? In your daily life?.  
 Morgan: After graduating in 2011 with a degree in business (emphasis in sales) I have pursued a career in Industrial sales and now cable manufacturing sales. My education at UW-Stout opened up the door to a career in sales.  Fortunately for me, taking clients and potential customers golfing has been one of the perks of my job.

Molly: Much of my career now is directly related to my education from Stout. My specialization in Golf Enterprise Management and Sales and Marketing are used daily in my work, whether it's a conversation with someone about golf operations in general or directly in selling to a customer. 
   

Morgan: Athletics and competition have always been an important fixture in our family and we had the most supportive parents you could imagine.  They pushed us to work hard and to never give up.  All three of my siblings went on to have successful college athletic careers.  Luke went to UW-Stout and played basketball.  Maggie attended UW-Eau Claire for golf.  Molly attended UW-Stout as well – Playing both basketball and golf.  Watching my siblings excel in college athletics inspired me to follow in their footsteps.  Attending their games and tournaments, seeing the campus at Stout – I fell in love with the small town vibe and campus culture. 

Molly: I really wanted to play basketball at Stout. Their women's team was a great program and my older brother played for the men's team at the time.    
 
 

What did you like most about competing in collegiate athletics?  
Morgan: So Much! One of my favorite part of college athletics was all of the people I met and the relationships I built! We had such an amazing group of girls on our team and by far the best coach.  Golf provided me the opportunity to meet people who were not only team members, but some of my most cherished friends.  The thing I love most about golf is how different it is from other sports - basketball, baseball, football, soccer – they are all fast paced.  Golf is unique, there is ample time to enjoy the outdoors and get to know friends and competitors. On top of that, we had the opportunity to play at some of the most beautiful courses Wisconsin has to offer.  Our golf season was spring and fall, which made it even better to be able to get outside throughout the week. Golf is extra beautiful when those leaves change during the fall season!  

Molly: I really enjoyed the competitiveness, the relationships with your teammates and the memories that you create throughout your college career. There is nothing like it, even years later! You don't remember the pain or the early mornings that seemed hard at the time; you remember the great people, and times you had with them. 
 

Morgan: I quickly learned how important it was to find the balance between class, studying, golf and my social life.  Time management is a life skill that I use on a daily basis because of the demands of being a student athlete.  

Molly: Time management and perseverance. Now with two kids, a full time job, and a business, both of these are needed more than ever. 
  
 

Who was the most influential person in your athletic career? 
Morgan: Our parents were definitely our roots.  They instilled values in us from Day One; to always work hard, keep a positive attitude and to never give up.  They never missed an event and were at every single game since we were kids.  As I've gotten older and look back on the sacrifices they made to provide us with those opportunities, it's pretty incredible how big of a support system they were, we couldn't have done it without them.  Then when you have three older siblings, picking one makes it impossible! Luke, Maggie and Molly were all great athletes - They all excelled in their sports and each brought a different competitive edge in our family. Each of them had an equal influence in my athletic career.  

Molly: My older siblings, Luke and Maggie, were definitely the most influential for me. You watch them, see them excel, and you want to be just like them!

 

 Morgan: These days social media makes it easy to stay in touch with my teammates.  We've all moved to different parts of the country, but it's been fun to see them take off in their professional careers and start their families.   Coach Howie and I remain in touch and I'm still trying to beat him out on the golf course! 

Molly: Facebook keeps me in touch with most of them, and I couldn't be more grateful to be able to see what they are all up to, their families, and the awesome things they are all doing

  

 Morgan: It's pretty wild – Neither of our parents really played. Molly and I picked it up because our older sister Maggie started playing.  Maggie was going into her freshman year of high school and happened to be hitting balls with some girlfriends at the local driving range. The golf coach for the women's high school team happened to be on the range at the same time.  The coach noticed Maggie driving well and suggested she try out for the team.  The rest is history!  She was a natural and worked hard to become one of the best players in the state.  Since then our Dad really developed a love for the game from watching us play over the years.  He's become an avid golfer and has been known to beat us!  

  

 Morgan: Molly and I played one year together in high school and then two years in college.  I absolutely loved it!  There was obviously some extra competition of wanting to beat your older sister – but I can't imagine my college experience without Molly.  I've always looked up to her (and still do) – and to be able to have those memories with your big sister is pretty cool.  Going to practice together, attending the tournaments, hitting balls on the range, putting together before we teed off – watching her play the last hole or asking Coach how she was doing during matches.  There was way more excitement; you're not just rooting for your teammate but you're rooting for your big sister, too. Outside of the golf game – being the little sister also came with bonuses – I remember we got to a tournament and I forgot my golf shoes.  Mom for some reason trusted her more out of the two of us to have a credit card – so that day Molly had to buy me some brand new golf shoes in the pro shop – Little Sister Tax came in handy during moments like that. 

Molly: I had the opportunity to play with Maggie for a couple years and then Morgan for a couple years but not all of us at once. It's a very fun and unique experience. Golf can be a very frustrating game so it's always nice to have a sister there to root you on, whether your round went well or not!  

  

Molly, you were a member of the first UW-Stout women's golf team. What was that experience like?  
Molly:  Kris Schoonover (the Blue Devils' first head coach) was the reason I ended up playing. She had started talking with me about the possibility of playing and being on the first team. At the time, it seemed absolutely crazy since I hadn't picked up a golf club in a couple years! It was a tough decision, as I was playing basketball up until the time. But it just seemed like too unique Of an opportunity to pass up. Not many people get the chance to try and build a program at a university. Kris and then (current head coach) Howie (Samb) have done an amazing job! 

  

  

  

Individually you might have your own highlight of your Stout career, but is there a combined highlight for the two of you?  

Morgan: Favorite Memory #1. This was at Eau Claire my freshman year.  UWEC was hosting a tournament and our sister Maggie was coaching the (Eau Claire) women's team after she had graduated. At each tournament on the first tee, The host introduces each group as each Individual player tees off.  Our parents were obviously there as they never missed a tournament (it made a little bit easier for them since Molly and I were on the same team). Maggie introduced me as I teed off and then the same for Molly.  It was a surreal moment for me to have your big sister introduce you at one of your first college tournaments.  Favorite Memory #2.  It was my senior year at the WIAC Championship at Northern Bay (near Wisconsin Dells).  My three older siblings flew in from Arizona to watch my last golf tournament. 

Molly: There are so many memories from school and with my siblings. I would say a constant one, even something I still hear to this day, is " are you a Loney?"  Early days are Stout, it was " are you Luke's sister"? And then it turned into " are you Morgan's sister"?  Even out in Arizona, I still hear it! It's something that still makes me laugh!




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