A former San Benito High standout and current setter for the
West Valley Vikings, Jenny Denton’s love for the game of volleyball
has resulted in some big accolades
Hollister’s Jenny Denton loves to play the game of volleyball. Weather it’s in the gymnasium in front of hundreds of people or on the beach with a few friends, she’s there.
Her resume speaks volumes as to her passion for the sport. Denton was a first-team all-league selection in both her junior and senior years as a Haybaler. She was awarded the team’s aces award as well as the coach’s award.
As a freshman for the West Valley Vikings this past season, Denton was an All-Tournament selection in the Merced Tournament before being named MVP of not only her team, but of the entire Coast Conference as well.
The honors don’t end there. Denton was named to the All-Nor-Cal team as well as the All-State team.
To top off her stellar season at West Valley, Denton was selected as a second-team All American. She missed the first team by just a single vote.
As a freshman.
West Valley head coach Jason Dupler didn’t even have to think about it when asked what Denton meant to his squad.
“She was the heart and soul of the team,” Dupler said. “Getting her on the team made all the difference in the world for us.”
Going into the 2004 season, the Vikings, a somewhat inexperienced team, weren’t expected to make a lot of noise in the conference. Their 1-6 start to the campaign seemed to reinforce that. But the team got on track, thanks largely to Denton’s play, and went on to take the conference crown.
While Denton’s list of personal accomplishments and awards continues to expand with each passing season, she has managed to keep one very important thing constant throughout her career on the court: The team comes first.
When Jenny was a freshman on the San Benito High volleyball squad, she had the chance to play the final game of the season with the varsity team. This was a special opportunity because her three sisters were all playing on that team.
But Denton couldn’t do it. She chose to stick with the group of girls that she had been playing with all season long, a freshman team that was on the brink of wrapping up an undefeated season.
So, Denton put varsity glory on hold and passed up a shot to compete alongside her sisters. Instead, she took the court with the rest of her freshman teammates and put the finishing touch on a perfect regular-season record.
“I didn’t think it would have been fair to my team if I hadn’t played,” said Denton. “They were my team. I wanted to finish out the season with them. I would have loved to have played with my sisters but, no big deal.”
That’s just how it is for Denton. The focus is always on contributing, as it should be given the fact that a setter in volleyball is equivalent to the quarterback position in football.
And Denton’s career is far from over. Following her sophomore season at West Valley, she will no doubt be headed to a major Division I program. From there, the sky’s the limit. She could go to Europe and get paid to play volleyball or she could stick around and coach the sport to aspiring all-american setters. Then again, maybe a career in filmmaking or cosmetology will be what she decides on.
Wherever Denton’s path takes her, she’ll always have the game she grew up with, along with all of the awards and memories it has provided her.
“I love it, it’s my passion,” Denton said. “I can’t wait for next season.”
