When asked about his time at Auburn, Finn Murgett expresses nothing but gratitude. As the fifth-year senior considers what the past five years have meant to him, growth and meaningful friendship are the two themes that seem to sum up his time at Auburn.
"I feel like I came in as a kid and am leaving a man," Murgett said. "When I came to Auburn, I was pretty raw and I was taking every experience head-on, just trying to learn. Over the years, I've slowly gotten older, more mature and wiser. From a tennis perspective, I think I see the game in a different way than I used to. I'm much more appreciative of what it has done for me and the opportunities that it has given me, not only at Auburn, but throughout my life as well."
The Yorkshire, England, native came a long way to attend Auburn and play tennis, but he quickly found community and a love for the new culture he was in.
"The Auburn Family and the culture here have made it easier for me," The 2021 NCAA doubles finalist said. "Most schools say they have a family atmosphere, but Auburn really does. When I came here as a freshman, obviously I was missing home. It was tough and a big culture change. But the people here are very inviting, they make you feel at home and they make you feel like you are a part of something bigger than yourself. That made it easier for me to join and feel comfortable straight away."
Although the transition was made easier by the Auburn Family, the culture change did not go unnoticed by Murgett, who quickly picked up on many differences. Murgett listed Mexican food, mac and cheese, Chick-fil-A breakfast and country music among the many things he had never experienced before living in America. He noticed differences in daily interactions, too.
"In England, people are more cutthroat and a bit more straight to the point, so when I came here, I was blown away by how people took time out of their day to make you feel good and ask you how your day is going," Murgett reflected.
The people Murgett met in those first few days would quickly become best friends and important influences. The 22-year-old is grateful to have been surrounded by the people in the Auburn Tennis program.
"I've been blessed with some of the best teammates I could have had in college," said Murgett. "I have had about 19 teammates since I have been in Auburn, and they have all been great people and relationships that I will treasure forever. It's interesting- tennis is an individual sport, but you play on a team in college. You really grow closer because of that, you have impactful relationships that go past the tennis court and lead into life. Tad [Maclean], for example, if I get married one day will play a very important role in the wedding. He is like a brother to me. My teammates are some of my closest friends and people who I will be in contact with for the rest of my life."
The most impactful team moments Murgett recalls are making the semi-finals of the SEC Tournament in 2022, winning the Blue-Gray in Arizona last year and making it to the finals of the NCAA Tournament with his doubles partner, Maclean.
"That was one of those weeks that you don't even remember, you're just in pure bliss for the whole week," Murgett says about the 2021 NCAA Individual Tournament. Murgett's time spent with his teammates off the court has also brought memories that he will take with him. Sharing meals, playing golf, and exploring downtown Auburn and Opelika have been some of their favorite things to do all together when they are not playing tennis.
The upcoming graduate's relationship with his coach, Bobby Reynolds, has also been of the utmost importance to him. Murgett describes their relationship as one that has gotten stronger each year.
"Bobby's a great guy. He's had to put up with a lot for me to be honest and he's given me a lot of chances, especially when I was younger and I was a bit immature and reckless," The fifth-year senior said. "The way he coaches the game is unique. He makes you understand things yourself. Which, in turn, makes you understand things on a more detailed level."
This relationship has allowed him to grow, not only on the court, but on a personal level.
"He has also instilled into me the application of everyday work and the idea of putting your head down and working hard, which is something I didn't have before I came to college," Murgett said. "This skill is not only valuable for tennis, but it is also valuable for life."
Murgett will continue to put these lessons to use, as he plans to continue playing tennis after he leaves Auburn after the season.
"After I graduate, I am going to go on the pro tour," Murgett explained. "I am going to try my hand at it and see how I can do. I have come this far, so I might as well give it a shot. After that, I would like to get into tennis coaching or something with tennis. I want to stay with the game. I will probably try to stay in the states until I am a little bit older."
The 2021 ITA Doubles All-American will graduate from Auburn with many Tennis and academic honors to his name, and he attributes each of these achievements to the support he received from his mom.
"My mom is the main reason why I've had any success in my life," Murgett said. "She sacrificed everything for my siblings and me to be where we are right now. None of it would have been possible without her, so I've got big thanks to her."
It is this attitude of appreciation of the people in his life that has been Murgett's motivation, and it will continue to drive him into his next chapter. Murgett has certainly made his mark on the program, which was his hope.
"I see it from this perspective: I was given the chance to come here by [Coach Bobby Reynolds] and Auburn, and I feel like I should repay them for giving me everything I have," the 2022 SEC Championship All-Tournament Team member said. "We have always talked about leaving the program in a better place than you found it, and it has always been a goal of mine to do that"