When asked what the best part of his restless job is, two aspects instantly popped into his mind.

“(I enjoy) working with the players; they keep you young,” Carney said. “And (I enjoy) the people I work with. I tell you what, with (head coach) Cathy (George), (assistant coach) Mike (Gawlik), the administrative people and the whole staff (being) awesome, it makes coming to work a pleasure.”

Carney, who has been coaching volleyball for 33 years, has built up a powerful résumé that includes a National Junior College Athletic Association National Championship with Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek, Mich., in 1980 as a head coach.

This season, he and George are coaching their 19th season together, eight with the Spartans and 11 at Western Michigan before coming to MSU.

In the players’ eyes, the coaches mesh together in perfect harmony, as it was mentioned how the coaches often play a game of good cop/bad cop, according to junior outside hitter Lauren Wicinski.

“If Cathy is being hard on someone someday, Russ will (cheer them up), and same with Mike,” Wicinski said, adding that the roles often are varied.

His hard work with the players on the court is just part of the duties Carney takes care of on a daily basis. One of the many traits that Carney brings to the program is how dependable he is at any given time.

Referred to as “the dad of the team” by sophomore middle blocker Jazmine White, one of Carney’s many roles is to keep an eye on how the players are doing in the classroom — a trait not uncommon of a father of two.

Carney’s daughter, Jessica, is a graduate of MSU, while his son, Branden, is a redshirt freshman on the MSU hockey team.

“He class-checks us sometimes and sits outside of our classes to make sure we are there,” Wicinski said. “And it’s really nice to have a coach that is concerned about the academics side because sometimes it’s rare to find that.”

Carney, or better known by his players as “Rusty,” is more than a coach — he is someone the players can approach if they are down, no matter how intense he can be.

It’s the player interaction that gives Carney the enjoyment of his profession, but at the same time, it’s the same interaction that is the reason those feelings are returned.

“He is that person that is going to get on you if you make a mistake, but at the same time, he always believes in you,” junior outside setter Kristen Kelsay said.

“I will never forget (the time) he said, ‘Never forget how great you are’.”