Stepping into the national spotlight

Kristen Fenton's talent on the court has her receiving national acclaim while still keeping focus on the important things off it

By Rebekah Herbert

Her talent is unquestioned and her achievements nationally known, but Kristen Fenton’s focus is clear on her understanding of where the talent is from.

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for my God-given ability,” Fenton said. “I think about that everyday. I am always just playing for an audience of one, even though I get all this recognition.”

Senior Kristen Fenton-Michaelis—she was wed last December—begins her final season as an outside hitter for the Fresno State volleyball team.

She got her start in fourth grade when she, along with some of her friends, thought volleyball would be fun, so they played with a recreational program put on by the local high school.

“It was good to hang out with [my friends] and I just decided to stick with it,” Fenton said.

She began to play competitively in the sixth grade and has done so ever since.

In her high school career at Marysville High School in Michigan, she led her team to four state championships.

At a tournament at UC Davis during high school, she was recruited to play for Fresno State.
“I had never heard of Fresno before,” Fenton said. “But I thought California would be cool. I thought of the beach.”

Her first season at Fresno State was not all she thought it would be.

Fenton suffered a shoulder injury and redshirted her first season. Not only was she unable to play, but she was homesick, as well.

“It was a really hard time and I wasn’t able to be home for Christmas,” Fenton said. “But my parents helped a lot and I had a better semester in spring, so I decided to stay out here.”

In 2001, she started 22 matches as a freshman.

In the next two years, Fenton began setting new school rally records. Her junior year in 2003, she was named honorable mention All-American, averaging five kills per game and tied the national record for kills in a match with 41 against Cal State Northridge.

Fenton said she wouldn’t want to be anywhere other than where she is now. She looks to the leadership of her coaches, including assistant coach Ruth Lawanson, who won a bronze medal for the 1992 Olympic volleyball team in Barcelona, Spain.

“My coach is a past Olympian and I feel that I get the best experience here. It is a great opportunity for me to learn,” Fenton said.

Head volleyball coach Lindy Vivas recognizes Fenton as one of the most valuable players to the team.
“She has excellent talent and experience,” Vivas said. “She is leader in a lot of ways, even ways we don’t expect—like her ball control.”

Gaining national recognition last year was “quite a thrill,” Fenton said.

Fenton hasn’t always known her talent as being exceptional. She just thought of herself as another volleyball player who enjoyed playing the game more than anything.

“After high school and knowing that I had a legitimate ability to get a full ride to a Division I school, I finally realized my potential,” Fenton said.

Looking back over all her accomplishments, Fenton never thought her fun game of volleyball would lead her to where she is now. But she gives much of that recognition to her family.

Fenton said her family members are her No. 1 fans through all her trials and triumphs.

“Both my parents are supportive of what I do,” Fenton said. “They were there through tough times and pushed me through. My parents try to come out one or two times a year to see me play.”

Fenton said her mom is her biggest role model.

“We have been through a lot together and we talk about anything and everything,” Fenton said. “My parents are divorced and seeing her being so strong has influenced me a lot.”

Volleyball is not the only thing Fenton thinks about.

When talking about her future, Fenton hopes to graduate in the spring, attend pharmacy school in San Diego and eventually raise a family. She also said coaching is definitely in her future.

But in the mean time, Fenton’s days of volleyball may not be over after college.

“If the opportunity comes up for a future in volleyball, I would really have to think about it,” Fenton said.

“I may get to play overseas somewhere—I don’t know—but if the opportunity came up, I would probably take it.

“After playing so long, I couldn’t just stop, I’d have to do something with it.”

But for now Fenton is focused on the present.

“I go through every game in my mind,” Fenton said. “I go through all the different scenarios and always play to the best of my ability. I get in the mindset that every game is a big game.”

The entire team has the same philosophy. Vivas installs that state of mind into all of her players and she knows her team’s potential.

“We’re good,” Vivas said.

Under Vivas’ leadership, the team has averaged 19 wins a season with opportunities to play at the WAC Championships.

The team is close; they spend a lot of time together. In preparation for each game, the women all share their individual goals. Whether it is improving their individual games or a glorified win for the team.

The women practice many hours a week. Fenton said her average practice time each week is 18 hours. But she said she doesn’t mind. When your game is your passion, excelling at it is automatic.