Renee Abernathy will go from UK softball to medical school to Navy

Renee Abernathy heads to home plate after her home run against No. 1 Oklahoma this season. (Vicky Graff Photo)

Renee Abernathy has loved playing softball at Kentucky and coming off an impressive junior season had more confidence than ever going into this season. However, she already has a set career path once her softball career ends — and she hopes that is in the College World Series.

Abernathy will be joining the Navy and attending medical school.

“Going into medical school is expensive. An option for that is obtaining a military scholarship and I have chosen the Naval branch. They would pay for my medical school and I would go into the Navy as a doctor and serve back my time that they paid for medical school,” said Abernathy,  a .357 hitter in 2021 with 13 home runs when she started 58 of 59 games.

Since medical school is a four-year commitment, Abernathy would have to serve four years doing residency in the Navy.

“Then I can choose to stay in for the 20 years and then retire from the Navy but still practice as a doctor or after those four years when I have paid them back, I can leave. It just depends on how those four years go,” she said.

She joked her father “really liked the idea” of having the Navy pay for medical school. She has family members who have served in the Army and National Guard, but none in the Navy.

“It’s not like a family tradition but I have always been surrounded by military. I love serving our country. I love America. It’s a good option for medical school,” Abernathy said. “I don’t know what kind of doctor I want to be. No clue on the speciality actually. I am hoping medical school opens my eyes to that.”

She would not have to attend traditional basic training since she would graduate medical school as an officer.

“It would be more learning about the Navy and leadership type stuff than the traditional basic training. I would have to pass a physical test. Push-ups, mile and a half (run), but I think I would be fine,” she said.

She certainly exploded on the UK softball scene last year when she drove in 48 runs with her 61 hits and made just one error in the outfield in the 59 games she played.

“Last year is gone. What I did last year doesn’t really matter for this year. I worked on a lot of things during the fall and preseason. I have just focused on what I can do for the team and not worry too much about what I did last year because it doesn’t matter,” she said. “It did give me some confidence for this year but I did not want to put pressure on myself.”

Abernathy has learned how to keep a positive perspective after dealing with a COVID-19 season and then having an ankle injury last season.

“I learned my whole softball career can end at any moment. Injuries are possible, COVID possible … you just never know. So playing every game, every pitch like it is my last and leaving it all on the field is something I  pride myself in,” Abernathy said.  “I made that a goal to do this year so I can look back and say I gave it my all no matter how much I play.”

Abernathy has been a vital player again this year and got her moment on national TV when she blasted a solo home run against No. 1 and unbeaten Oklahoma in front of 2,117 fans, a regular-season record crowd, on March 22. She is hitting .352 in 30 games this season with eight homers and 32 runs batted-in.

The senior had a week to remember last week with home runs in four straight games, including a walk-off three-run homer against Auburn. She drove in six runs in the series-opening win over Auburn.

“I don’t think I have ever hit home runs in four straight games before,” Abernathy, who had two of UK’s four hits in a 3-0 loss to Ohio State Tuesday, joked after the game-winning homer over Auburn on Sunday.

Abernathy had to juggle medical school interviews with scholarship applications and more with her preseason softball work but was able to stay “prioritized” on each task.

“It’s tough to juggle but I have been preparing for all this the last couple of years,” Abernathy said.

Abernathy has fallen in love with Kentucky. She’s from Springfield, Ill., but enjoys being at Kentucky and that’s obvious watching the smiles when she plays or the way she interacts with fans.

“Kentucky is my home. This atmosphere, the softball team, the BBN, and the athletic department at this school is unbelievable,” Abernathy said.  “It is truly a family atmosphere and I could not be happier playing here for Kentucky and being surrounded by these people every day.

“Truly there is not a bad person in this athletic department and I just love this school. I love playing for this school and Kentucky truly is home.”