Around the Horn with Jennifer Wright
3/18/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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Alabama senior pitcher Jennifer Wright was born into an athletic family; her father played professional football and baseball. Her cousin played major league baseball. Her younger sister played softball at Tennessee. It was only natural that she would be involved in sports in some form or fashion. The Brentwood, Tenn. native began playing softball at the age of four and she has been playing ever since.
"I was involved in a lot of things when I was younger but I stuck with softball because I enjoyed playing it more," Wright said.
Jennifer got her start as a pitcher at an early age as well, even though she wasn't exactly pitching.
"I have played a lot of other positions besides pitcher, but when I first started, it was coach pitch, but I was playing pitcher defensively so it just developed from there."
Wright went on to star in high school, leading Ezell-Harding Academy to five straight state championships from 1997 to 2001, earning all-state in each of those years and finishing her high school career with a 107-9 won-loss record.
Her accomplishments on the field helped her achieve the opportunity to pitch at Alabama where she is leaving her mark on the record books, ranking fourth in all-time wins and in the top five in almost every career pitching category.
Her most memorable game came in her first appearance against Alabama's biggest softball rival.
"My most memorable game I would say was when we beat LSU 3-2 my freshman year in Columbus, Ga. (at the NFCA Classic) and I got the start. I was pretty heavily recruited by LSU and I thought it was kind of neat, especially because of the rivalry and it was against (former LSU All-America) Britni Sneed."
The two-time Academic All-SEC will take a lot memories and lessons learned with her when she finishes at the Capstone in June.
"I've met some really good people since I have been here. The lessons that you learn moving away from home for the first time, it's something you can take with you forever because if you have been through hard times you know you can get through it through what you have learned."
Even though her time left at the university is short, the public relations major will always be around the game she loves.
"I'll always be involved in some way. I have cousins who play and I teach lessons. I'll always be around it."
Who knows, but Wright could also be on her way to starting an athletic family of her owns some day as she got engaged to former Florida and current Furman quarterback Ingle Martin last December.
