Latrobe grad Emma Fenton establishes herself as setter for St. Francis (Pa.) women's volleyball

As freshmen often do in college athletics, Emma Fenton spent a good part of her first season watching and learning. Then, last season, it was the Latrobe grad’s time to take center stage.

The spotlight wasn’t too bright for her. Fenton, a rising junior setter, recorded nearly 1,000 assists and helped the St. Francis (Pa.) women’s volleyball team to a 10-4 record (second place) in the Northeast Conference. Fenton earned second-team all-conference honors in an outcome that coach Sara Spielvogel said was close between Fenton and Sacred Heart’s Sarah Ciszek, who was voted the NEC Player of the Year as well as first-team setter.

Now approaching her second season as the Red Flash’s primary setter, Fenton will be the one who is watched by the new crop of young players. It’s a role Fenton will be more than happy to play as a way of giving back for the lessons she learned.

When Fenton arrived at the Loretto campus, Kimmy Sweeney was the established setter. In 2021, the senior Sweeney was second-team all-NEC (behind Ciszek again) and helped outside hitter Madi Tyus earn the conference’s player of the year honor.

Fenton, who played in only eight matches as a freshman, soaked it all in.

“She helped me tremendously just learn the (college) game,” Fenton said. “We run a pretty fast offense here at St. Francis, which was so new to me. She helped me a lot with that, and Kimmy was someone who is so unfazed.

“It’s 24-24? Doesn’t matter. It could be 0-0, and it’s the same situation. Composure-wise, she really helped me with that, and that really helped me get into the games (last) year knowing I saw Kimmy do it, so I can do it.”

Spielvogel, a former Cal (Pa.) player who is heading into her eighth season at the helm of the Red Flash, could see how Sweeney’s savvy rubbed off on Fenton.

“Just being able to watch Kimmy, practice with Kimmy, be on the opposite side of Kimmy during scrimmages, I think she picked up some of that decision making and the fast tempo we like to run,” she said. “Seeing what Kimmy was doing in certain situations, what’s working in certain situations and kind of developing the strategic side of the game.”

Fenton proved to be a quick study. Her 976 assists last season are the fifth-best single-season total in program history. Her 1,069 career assists already rank ninth in program history, and, if she stays on her current trajectory, she will leave in two years as the program’s all-time leader in assists.

As much as she was able to pick up from Sweeney, Fenton brought plenty of her own valuable attributes to the Red Flash gym.

First, she comes from a competitive, athletic household, with two parents who were college athletes and three siblings — older brothers Jack and Reed and younger sister Lily — who played volleyball and basketball at Latrobe. Lily is in her first season as a preferred walk-on with Notre Dame’s volleyball team.

Secondly, Spielvogel said, Fenton brings a natural knack for spreading the ball to all her hitters. She recognizes who has the hot hand but also knows when it’s time to give the defense a different look by feeding other hitters.

Finally, Fenton has a willingness to keep open lines of communication with all of her hitters, discussing what types of sets they like, at what location and how high.

“She is really great taking feedback from her hitters,” Spielvogel said. “She’s a setter the players aren’t afraid to communicate with and tell her what they need because they know she’s not going to take offense to it and will say, ‘OK, I got you on the next one. Let me make the adjustment.’ ”

Added Fenton: “It’s so important for a hitter to communicate with your setter. … Everyone jumps differently here. I always tell people every hitter has a different set for me that I have to adjust to, that I have to learn what they prefer. So keeping that communication line open is so important.”

Also important has been Fenton’s ability to play an all-around game. In Spielvogel’s 5-1 offense (one setter is used throughout all six rotations), her setter has to be able to do a bit of everything.

Fenton proved she was more than capable. She ranked third on the team with 34 aces, fourth on the team with 2.50 digs per set and, despite being only 5-foot-6, managed to be in on 23 total blocks.

In terms of blocking, Fenton referred to Sweeney again.

“Kimmy also was a shorter setter, so running that 5-1, she ran a 5-1, and I think I was a little timid going in and knowing I would have to be in that front row and block,” she said. “But, the same thing: Kimmy did it, so I was up for the opportunity.”

As to her all-around game, Fenton said, “This year, my serving was really important to me. Blocking also was very important because I am smaller compared to a lot of hitters. … My defense is just as important. My serving is just as important to the team.

“I could have a good set, but if I go back and miss my serve, what’s the point of that?”

With only a handful of seniors graduating from last season’s team, the Red Flash are anticipating another strong season.

They are hoping to correct their postseason slip-up from a year ago, when they were beaten by upstart Fairleigh Dickinson in the NEC semifinals.

FDU went on to win the conference and advance to the NCAA Tournament. That’s where Fenton and her teammates hope to go this year.

“I think last season we were a fairly new team,” she said. “A lot of us, it was our first season being on the court and being in tough situations. Having that season under some of our belts … we know we can handle it. I’m so excited to get into the gym with our team and our incoming freshmen.”