Alabama Softball Lands Georgia Prep Star
11/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ?? The University of Alabama softball team landed one of the most highly-touted recruits in the Southeast when head coach Patrick Murphy announced that Jennifer Fenton has signed a letter of intent to join the program in 2009. Fenton, from Marietta, Ga., becomes the third member of a highly-regarded class of five signed by Murphy and his staff.
"We targeted Jennifer early in the recruiting process,” Murphy said. “She had everything we were looking for with speed, a great arm, a left-handed bat and tremendous upside. We felt she was one of the top outfield prospects in the country last year and are very fortunate she chose Alabama."
Fenton comes to Tuscaloosa as one of the most heralded recruits in the state of Georgia. A star centerfielder at Kennesaw Mountain High School, Fenton led her team to a regional championship in 2007 and regional runner-up finishes in 2004 and 2006. Kennesaw Mountain has qualified for the state sectionals in each of Fenton’s seasons with the team under head coach Lisa Chapman.
The list of Fenton’s accomplishments and awards as a prep star is impressive. She was named the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Region 5A Player of the Year in 2007, has been a three-time GHSA First-Team All-State selection and has earned First-Team All-Region GHSA honors in each of her four seasons.
The Marietta Daily Journal and the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC) named her an All-County selection all four years of her prep career and the AJC honored her as the 2005 “Hitter of the Year”.
Fenton earned KMHS Rookie of the Year honors in her first season of competition, has been named team MVP in each of her last three seasons and served as the team captain the last two years. The four-year letter winner holds five career records at KMHS, including batting average (.465), on-base percentage (.531), hits (201), stolen bases (96) and runs scored (144).
Also a star player for the East Cobb Bullets club team, Fenton led the team to the 2007 Georgia Amateur Softball Association State title and an appearance at the 18 Gold Nationals last season.
A 2007 Wendy’s Heisman School Winner, Fenton earned Kennesaw Mountain’s Most Athletic Award last year and the Iron Horse Award after lettering in three sports in 2005. An excellent all-around athlete, Fenton earned varsity letters in track and basketball, owns the school record in the 100-meter dash with a 12.90 clocking and was the school’s Sprinter of the Year in 2005.
Fenton is also active outside of athletics. She is a two-time Character Award recipient, a three-time Scholastic Award honoree, has been on the honor roll throughout her high school career and has never missed a day of school in her scholastic career. Fenton is also a member of the Beta Club, Delta Epsilon Chi, Future Business Leaders of America and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
The daughter of Kevin and Jan Fenton, Fenton has a younger sister, Amanda. Her father played football at Maryville College and her mother was on the volleyball team at Jacksonville State University.
