Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame
Bender, Jenny
Jenny Bender
- Induction:
- 2025
- Class:
- 2003
A stand-out in the circle and a threat at the plate, Jenny Bender ’03 made an immediate impact during her first year in the Brown and White and that impact never faded over her four-year Mountain Hawk career.
As a first-year player, she appeared in all 43 games – 41 as a starter. She hit .408, leading the Patriot League in triples. As a pitcher, she held a team best 6-5 record. The season culminated with Bender being named first team All-Patriot League as a designated player.
She earned that honor another three years as well as second team honors as a pitcher in the 2002 and 2003 seasons. Bender finished her career as the first Lehigh softball student-athlete to be named first team All-Patriot League four times.
In 2001, Bender was named Patriot League Tournament Most Valuable Player. She helped lead the team to a win over Seton Hall in its first NCAA Tournament appearance. Bender was named an ECAC Second Team All-Star and first team NFCA All-Region.
In her junior year, she was a 2002 ECAC Honorable Mention player. As a senior in 2003, Bender added first team ECAC All-Star honors along with first team All-Region laurels and was recognized as a third team Academic All-American by CoSIDA.
Over her Lehigh career, Bender had a .394 batting average and 145 runs batted in. In the Mountain Hawk record books, she sits at number three for hits (248) and number four for hits in a season (71).
Bender came to South Mountain from Flemington High School where she earned a number of accolades, including the Express-Times Player of the Year.
She now calls the Manasquan-area home where she works as an art educator at Manasquan Elementary School. Her husband, Brian, is a special education teacher at Manasquan High School. Both remain active with a variety of activities as well as their daughter, Edie, who takes after her parents as a softball and soccer player.
“When I received the call that I was being inducted into the Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame, I immediately thought of my family, Coach Troyan, and the players I shared the field with,” says Bender. “For the teammates I played with, I share this award with them. The time I spent on and off the field with them competing, learning, and supporting each other is irreplaceable and one of the great honors of my life.”
“I am incredibly fortunate to have been raised by two supportive and loving parents, and an encouraging brother,” she says. “I am now blessed to share this honor with my husband, Brian, and my daughter, Edie.”
As a first-year player, she appeared in all 43 games – 41 as a starter. She hit .408, leading the Patriot League in triples. As a pitcher, she held a team best 6-5 record. The season culminated with Bender being named first team All-Patriot League as a designated player.
She earned that honor another three years as well as second team honors as a pitcher in the 2002 and 2003 seasons. Bender finished her career as the first Lehigh softball student-athlete to be named first team All-Patriot League four times.
In 2001, Bender was named Patriot League Tournament Most Valuable Player. She helped lead the team to a win over Seton Hall in its first NCAA Tournament appearance. Bender was named an ECAC Second Team All-Star and first team NFCA All-Region.
In her junior year, she was a 2002 ECAC Honorable Mention player. As a senior in 2003, Bender added first team ECAC All-Star honors along with first team All-Region laurels and was recognized as a third team Academic All-American by CoSIDA.
Over her Lehigh career, Bender had a .394 batting average and 145 runs batted in. In the Mountain Hawk record books, she sits at number three for hits (248) and number four for hits in a season (71).
Bender came to South Mountain from Flemington High School where she earned a number of accolades, including the Express-Times Player of the Year.
She now calls the Manasquan-area home where she works as an art educator at Manasquan Elementary School. Her husband, Brian, is a special education teacher at Manasquan High School. Both remain active with a variety of activities as well as their daughter, Edie, who takes after her parents as a softball and soccer player.
“When I received the call that I was being inducted into the Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame, I immediately thought of my family, Coach Troyan, and the players I shared the field with,” says Bender. “For the teammates I played with, I share this award with them. The time I spent on and off the field with them competing, learning, and supporting each other is irreplaceable and one of the great honors of my life.”
“I am incredibly fortunate to have been raised by two supportive and loving parents, and an encouraging brother,” she says. “I am now blessed to share this honor with my husband, Brian, and my daughter, Edie.”
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