Division III Week Student Spotlight – Jenna Rimensnyder

This week is NCAA Division III Week and member institutions across the country are celebrating the third-year event.

Division III Week, which runs from Monday through Sunday, is intended to recognize the academic and athletic accomplishments as well as the campus leadership and community service efforts of Division III student-athletes.

As part of Huntingdon College's participation in Division III Week, five student-athletes will be featured this week. Huntingdon senior Jenna Rimensnyder is today's featured student-athlete.

Name: Jenna Rimensnyder

Year: Senior

Hometown: Pinellas Park, Fla.

Major: Communication Studies

Career Goals: Accepted a position as an Account Executive for Cumulus Broadcasting

Sport: Softball                                    

Athletic Accomplishments: Rimensnyder is a four-year starter for the softball team and has appeared in 140 games. She has been part of three teams that reached the conference tournament championship game, including the 2012 team that won the conference and advanced to Huntingdon's first NCAA Regional. An All-Conference outfielder in 2013, Rimensnyder leads Huntingdon with 27 runs and 23 stolen bases and is second on the team with three home runs this season. She is fourth in the USA South Athletic Conference in stolen bases.

Campus and Community Activities: Rimensnyder has been on the Dean's List and was an Academic All-Conference selection as a junior. She is a member of SAAC and a member of Lambda Pi Eta Society, a communication studies honor society.

What made you feel like Huntingdon was the right place for you? "The small-school atmosphere was one of the first things. It's nice to be able to know most of the people on campus and not just be lost in the crowd. My coaches and teammates were also a factor in choosing Huntingdon. I liked the coaches and there was a tight bond between the players."   

What has made your Huntingdon experience unique? "Probably the biggest thing is that Huntingdon provided me with the opportunity to compete in softball at the collegiate level, pursue a major in communications studies and earn a job opportunity with Cumulus Broadcasting."

How has Huntingdon challenged you academically and athletically? "With all of the expectations placed on student-athletes, you have to learn to manage your time and prioritize what has to be done. This season, in particular, has led to many study sessions on the bus as we've traveled to conference doubleheaders around the southeast. Athletically, the softball program has high expectations. Competing for a conference title is a goal for us each season and we have pushed ourselves to reach our expectations."   

What has been your biggest highlight as a Huntingdon student-athlete?  "Winning the conference championship my sophomore year and advancing to our first NCAA Regional. That was a special group. We worked hard on the field and we hung out and had fun off the field. That bond we had made the things we accomplished even more memorable."                               

As a student-athlete, what is your impression of Division III now compared to your first season? "Now that we have moved into a new conference, the competitiveness of Division III has changed dramatically from my first three seasons. There is a higher level of difficulty and tougher competition in the USA South. The new conference has brought new challenges and has made us intensify our work ethic to meet those challenges. As I near the end of my senior season, I wouldn't trade the experience of playing Division III softball."