2022 CTA Volleyball Player Profile: Lily Fenton (Greater Latrobe)
Back on August 6, Lily Fenton stood for a pose during the 2022 Cover Three Athletics and S.K.Y. Development Athletics Volleyball Media Day.
Source: Kelli Alderson | KA Visuals
LILY FENTON
School: Greater Latrobe
Position: S
Year: Senior
Height: 5-7
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LILY: Last season Lily was named First Team All-Conference and First Team All-WPIAL in 4A. She was able to help Wildcats finish third in WPIAL 4A Section 3 with a 9-3 conference record while also helping the team reach the WPIAL 4A Quarterfinals in which the team unfortunately lost to Shaler 3-0. This upcoming season, the Wildcats will move down to 3A as Lily will try to help her team win a WPIAL and PIAA title in its new classification.
COLLEGE TALK: Back in July, Lily verbally made a commitment to continue her academic and volleyball career at the University of Notre Dame. Her other top schools that she was thinking about attending were Saint Francis University (where her older sister Emma plays volleyball at) and Loyola University of Maryland.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS:
So, let's start off with your commitment to continue your academic and volleyball career at the University of Notre Dame. What helped you made your decision to commit to the school?
Lily Fenton: I leaned on my family and close friends a lot while making my decision, but at the end of the day it was a gut feeling. Notre Dame was perfect for me. It’s an amazing school academically and I couldn’t be more excited about the coaching staff, team culture and program they have.
Do you know what you plan on majoring at the University of Notre Dame?
LF: My plan is to pursue either mechanical or civil engineering with the goal of attending law school for patent law after undergrad school.
Last season, your team lost in the WPIAL 4A quarterfinals to Shaler, what did your team learn after that loss?
LF: I think we learned the importance of mental preparation. We easily let Shaler control that game. Shaler had an amazing team last year, we knew it would be a tough match. However, we didn’t play our best game because of the mental aspect of it and that killed us.
As a rising senior, how important do you think your role and your leadership will be to help the Wildcats to a deeper playoff run this season?
LF: As a setter, you have to control the court. It’s your job to know your opponent and run your offense specific to their weaknesses. I’ve been so lucky to play with amazing teammates who have named me captain since my sophomore year. Because of them I feel comfortable being a leader every time I step into the gym.
What have you tried to improve on during the offseason to improve your volleyball technique?
LF: With my club coaches Evan and Ellie Proskell (who coaches at North Allegheny) I was really able to focus on my defense. As a setter, sometimes that part of your game is thought of as not so important. So, I was happy Ellie and Evan really pushed me to be a better defensive player
So, how did you get into the game of volleyball in the first place?
LF: My dad [Neal Fenton] played basketball [Navy and Lehigh] and my mom [Sandy Fenton] played volleyball [Seton Hill] both collegiately so my siblings and I all grew up trying what they did. I’ve played a lot of sports but volleyball just stuck with me.
Your sister Emma plays college volleyball at Saint Francis University and your brother Reed plays college basketball at Lehigh University. What's it like growing up a house filled with athletes? Do you feel that they push you to be better?
LF: It was constant competition. Emma and I played on the same team since I was in 6th grade up until she graduated and I always loved watching my brothers play growing up. They were all huge role models. Now that we’re older, it’s just total support. Both of them were a huge part of my recruiting and decision process.
Also, your cousin Russell Fenton won a WPIAL Basketball Championship at Fox Chapel last season. How much would it mean to you to help the Wildcats bring a home WPIAL championship in volleyball?
LF: I was so proud of Russell. I watched their team a lot and was so happy for all of them. My family is familiar with WPIAL championships. My dad competed for one and my brothers had a close shot at it back when Reed was a freshman and Jack was a senior. There’s a lot of talk now that we moved down to 3A that we’ll have a good shot to compete for a WPIAL title and for me it would be huge to do that for my coach Drew Vosefski. He has a lot of wins, championships, and titles under his belt but not a WPIAL. It would be amazing if I could be a part of something like that with him and do that for him and our community.
If you could eat dinner with one celebrity in the world, who you choose?
LF: Michael Murphy. I’m a huge history person, I read Lone Survivor. My oldest brother Jack is in the Navy and I just think Michael would change my perspective on a lot of things (in a good way).
In your opinion, who is the best current football player in the WPIAL?
LF: Rodney Gallagher. I know him more as a basketball player because of my brother, but he’s just an insane athlete.
What is something that people would be surprised to know about you?
LF: I always knew I wanted to play a sport in college, but when I was younger I thought it would be basketball. It’s my favorite sport other than volleyball.
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