UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - Saginaw Valley State University Athletics resumes its 'Student-Athlete Spotlight' feature focusing on Cardinal student-athletes and what it means for them to be a part of the SVSU Athletics family.
The February 2013 installment of the 'Student-Athlete Spotlight' series highlights Jenison, Mich. native Jenna Holmes, a senior on the Lady Cardinals Softball team. Holmes is currently in her last semester at SVSU.
Holmes was a three-sport athlete at Jenison High School participating in softball, basketball and volleyball. She earned all-conference, district, area, region and academic All-State as a member of the Lady Wildcats Softball team.
At Saginaw Valley, Jenna is a .285 career hitter in 72 games played for the Cardinals. Holmes has recorded 39 base hits, including six home runs and 32 RBI's in her first three seasons. She was also a member of the historic SVSU Softball program that went all the way to the NCAA Division II College World Series in 2011.
Holmes, who will graduate this upcoming May, has also excelled academically as she has compiled a 3.825 grade point average with a double-major in Psychology and Spanish. She has earned recognized by several honor societies: the National Honor Society of Collegiate Scholars, Psi Chi (National Honor Society for Psychology), and Sigma Delta Pi (Spanish National Honor Society).
Holmes reflects, in her own words, on her experiences as a member of Cardinal Athletics and the SVSU Softball families:
"After the first time I visited Saginaw Valley, I knew that it would become my new home. From the wonderful people, to the beautiful campus, and the opportunity to play the sport I love - I knew SVSU was a going to be a great fit for me. When I moved onto campus my freshman year, I came here from West Michigan not knowing a single person, but I quickly became part of a family, my softball team. Together we've been through so much, with the everyday challenges of being student-athletes and also overcoming the adversity of having three different coaches in four years. Our hard work paid off when we went to the Division II World Series in Salem, Virginia in 2011. I am so blessed to have been a part of this unforgettable experience.
As I begin my senior season of softball, my team and I are working hard to continue our legacy of a winning program. It saddens me when I think that I won't be here next year, spending day after day with my teammates, playing the sport I've played since I was four. Although it hasn't always been easy, I have learned so many great life lessons through my coaches and the game of softball, and I am incredibly grateful that I was given this amazing opportunity to create so many memories and relationships playing a collegiate sport. My team truly is my Cardinal Family, which I know I will always be a part of, even when I'm an SVSU alumni." - Jenna Holmes
Stay tuned to www.SVSUCardinals.com next month for the March edition of the 'Student-Athlete Spotlight' presented by State Farm.
Click here to view previous Student-Athlete Spotlight segments