Renee Abernathy knows not every major college softball coach emphasizes academic success like Rachel Lawson does. (UK Athletics Photo)
Senior outfielder Renee Abernathy became only the ninth Kentucky player to be named an academic All-American.
She hit .326 with 15 home runs and drove in 51 runs — all impressive numbers in SEC play. She also scored 38 runs and stole five bases. She also finished her four years with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average — she also made all A’s in high school.
However, Abernathy credits coach Rachel Lawson and her staff for enabling her to prioritize her studies so she could be an academic All-American.
“Some softball programs will not let you major in some things like science with labs where you have to miss class,” Abernathy, who will be entering medical school and then joining the Navy after medical school, said. “In the fall, she works practices around my academic schedule.”
“We prefer classes in the morning but it is not always possible. Lawson will work around that even if it means me practicing for an hour by myself after class. Not many coaches would do that.”
Abernathy said it is not unusual for players to set alarms to remind them when they need to leave practice early for class.
“She (Lawson) truly does not care if you have to leave. She wants you to go to class and learn,” Abernathy said. “That is something unique in our coaching staff. They truly prioritize academics and a lot of programs will not do that. That was a big reason why I came to Kentucky.”
