she what?
Anyone shed more light. Any articles wrote about it?
Yikes...
Here it is:
www.fresnobee.com/sports/bulldogs/story/9267172p-10170536c.htmlFenton, Bulldogs' star player, leaves team
By Bryant-Jon Anteola
The Fresno Bee
(Updated Sunday, October 10, 2004, 7:18 AM)
Fresno State volleyball captain Kristen Fenton, the Western Athletic Conference's preseason player of the year, has quit the team halfway into her final season.
Fenton, a senior outside hitter, told the coaching staff of her decision Wednesday after informing them Monday she was thinking of quitting.
Fenton, an All-American, missed several games because of foot and leg injuries and was ineffective in others.
Fenton wasn't present Saturday for Fresno State's 30-20, 30-24, 21-30, 30-23 loss to Nevada at the North Gym and did not travel with the team for Tuesday's loss at Cal State-Northridge.
"The demands at this level are very high and Kristen indicated she gave all she could give. She just has different priorities now," Bulldogs coach Lindy Vivas said.
Messages left for Fenton were not returned. Her father, Bill Fenton, said she was out of town.
Fenton got married in December but twice had vowed to the coaching staff -- before and after she got married -- to finish her final year, assistant coach Ruth Lawanson said.
Bill Fenton said his daughter thought about quitting a month ago.
"She was definitely upset about something," he said. "She's gone a long way in volleyball and done a lot for Fresno State volleyball. To see it all end, it's really a shame. But she's a big girl and I stand by her decision."
None of the Fresno State players said they were aware Fenton was thinking about quitting.
Teammates didn't find out their captain had quit until Vivas told them Wednesday.
Messages left for Fenton by several of her teammates haven't been returned, players said.
The coaches said they were not surprised by Fenton's departure.
"She got married, it eventually was going to happen, sooner or later," Lawanson said. "It's difficult being an athlete, a student and be married, which is a huge commitment. That's an extremely tough juggling act."
Yet Fenton initially was determined to prove she could do all three.
"I made a commitment to the program five years ago and I'm going to see it through," Fenton said during an August interview.
Coaches said they became concerned when Fenton reported for spring workouts looking heavier.
Fenton entered summer workouts during August in better shape but still "wasn't at the desired weight conducive for all the jumping we do in this sport," Lawanson said.
Coaches said the added weight, which was estimated to be about 15 pounds more than last year, led to the injuries that hindered Fenton's production.
Fenton still was leading the Bulldogs with 4.56 kills per game, but her .238 kill efficiency was her lowest mark since hitting .178 her freshman season in 2001.
In her top form, Fenton averaged 5.21 kills per game and posted a .314 efficiency last season.
Fenton on several occasions denied being injured this season, only to later admit the injuries had taken a toll. Fenton said the most recent, a knee strain, occurred during Fresno State's loss to Hawaii at the Save Mart Center on Sept. 30.
The Hawaii match was the last Fenton played.
Fenton also was expected to provide leadership to a young team that's now playing as many as five freshmen and a sophomore at the same time.
Prior to the season, Vivas tried to help the quiet Fenton become a vocal leader.
Fenton, who is the only player on this year's team who has been in the program since 2000, wasn't close to any of her younger teammates and appeared uncomfortable in a leadership role, players and coaches said.
"I guess it got too tough," junior setter Robyn Keune said. "She was being asked to step things up and provide more leadership, which is natural given that she's a senior and more is expected from upperclassmen. And it was something ... she couldn't provide. She knows she let the team down."
Players and coaches said there is little chance Fenton could return to the team, even if she apologized.
"This is our team now," said sophomore Tuli Peters, who has switched back to outside hitter with Fenton gone after playing the right side for most of the year.
"I wish she would have talked to us about it. Maybe we could have fixed things and convinced her to stay. But that was her own personal decision, and we're moving on."
The Bulldogs (9-8, 2-3 WAC) have nine matches remaining in the regular season.
Fenton will remain on scholarship and is expected to graduate in May, Vivas said.
Fenton finishes her career with 1,353 kills -- third-best in Fresno State history -- and a 3.96 kills-per-game average. She falls 16 digs short of becoming just the fifth Bulldog with 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs.
Fresno State also lost junior middle blocker Lauren Howell, who quit following the Hawaii match.
Howell, a Bullard High graduate, was a 6-foot-2 walk-on who had transferred from Pepperdine and began the season as a starter.
She was averaging 1.63 kills and 1.43 blocks per game. Howell appeared in 35 of 64 games.
