Post by Trojan Warrior on Nov 19, 2013 5:22:20 GMT -6
Kate Benton’s collegiate softball journey has been all about feeling “at home.”
The Northview product felt comfortable with Shelton State Community College head coach Buddy Boyle — a former Northview High softball coach – so she signed there out of high school.
Benton’s next step will also involve home – coming closer to the Circle City to finish her school years as a Troy Trojan.
Benton, a shortstop, officially inked with the Trojans in the past week during the early signing period. She cited being closer to home for fueling her decision to join the Trojans next season following her sophomore year at Shelton.
“I’m a huge family girl. It’s very close to home,” she said. “Both parents are Troy alumni.”
Benton had several offers, including one from softball power Louisiana-Lafayette – a Sun Belt school that reached the Super Regionals in the last two years and appeared in the Women’s College World Series in 2008. The allure of home, though, was too much for the Dothan girl.
“They wanted me to come right away. They didn’t want me to finish at Shelton,” Benton added about the ULL program.
Benton drew major attention after a humongous year at Shelton last year. The two-time Dothan Eagle Super 12 selection batted a robust .436 and notched a school-record 51 steals. She was named a third-team All-American National Junior College Athletic Association selection for her efforts.
Benton was most proud of the steals she accumulated; giving credit to Boyle’s coaching style for her success.
“That was the one thing I liked. Coach B kinda gave me the green light,” she said. “That made me very aggressive as a base runner.”
In fact, a familiarity with Boyle – plus great talent around her – led to her success as a Buccaneer, she said.
“I’ve known (Boyle) since I was in the third grade. He made me feel like home here,” she said. “We have a really talented team. We bonded well, and that made me more confident as a player.”
Through an email statement, though, Boyle gave Benton a lot of credit.
“Kate has something you can’t teach, speed. She … bunts very well and knows the game of softball,” he said. “Her angles on the bases are good, and she takes extra bases off her reads.” (Full Article)
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The Northview product felt comfortable with Shelton State Community College head coach Buddy Boyle — a former Northview High softball coach – so she signed there out of high school.
Benton’s next step will also involve home – coming closer to the Circle City to finish her school years as a Troy Trojan.
Benton, a shortstop, officially inked with the Trojans in the past week during the early signing period. She cited being closer to home for fueling her decision to join the Trojans next season following her sophomore year at Shelton.
“I’m a huge family girl. It’s very close to home,” she said. “Both parents are Troy alumni.”
Benton had several offers, including one from softball power Louisiana-Lafayette – a Sun Belt school that reached the Super Regionals in the last two years and appeared in the Women’s College World Series in 2008. The allure of home, though, was too much for the Dothan girl.
“They wanted me to come right away. They didn’t want me to finish at Shelton,” Benton added about the ULL program.
Benton drew major attention after a humongous year at Shelton last year. The two-time Dothan Eagle Super 12 selection batted a robust .436 and notched a school-record 51 steals. She was named a third-team All-American National Junior College Athletic Association selection for her efforts.
Benton was most proud of the steals she accumulated; giving credit to Boyle’s coaching style for her success.
“That was the one thing I liked. Coach B kinda gave me the green light,” she said. “That made me very aggressive as a base runner.”
In fact, a familiarity with Boyle – plus great talent around her – led to her success as a Buccaneer, she said.
“I’ve known (Boyle) since I was in the third grade. He made me feel like home here,” she said. “We have a really talented team. We bonded well, and that made me more confident as a player.”
Through an email statement, though, Boyle gave Benton a lot of credit.
“Kate has something you can’t teach, speed. She … bunts very well and knows the game of softball,” he said. “Her angles on the bases are good, and she takes extra bases off her reads.” (Full Article)
iconTroy3