RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
Catcher Kennedy Marceaux was ranked in the Top 10 of the 2024 Extra Elite 100 that came out exactly a month ago today and the #3-ranked backstop in the current junior class has also finalized where she will play at the next level.
Kennedy—who Head Coach Nate Nelson of the Hotshots club organization described in her bio as having “great physical tools”—calls Kaplan, Louisiana, home but will be heading about 6 ½ hours by car to the Northwest when she becomes a member of the Alabama Crimson Tide in two years.
Selected as one of three catchers to play in the PGF All-American Futures Game this summer, the future SEC player remembers knowing for a surety where she was going to sign during her visit to Tuscaloosa.
“I just knew in my heart that this was the place and the people I wanted to be surrounded by in my college choice,” she recalls.
Kennedy has been on the national radar since her explosive freshman campaign at Kaplan High when she compiled a .630 batting average with 18 home runs and 52 RBIs in 108 at-bats and only struck out once all year!
Here’s more on this talented player and her decision to play for the Tide’s Head Coach Patrick Murphy…
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Name: KENNEDY MARCEAUX
Hometown/ST: Kaplan, Louisiana
Grad Year: 2024
Position(s): Utility/ Catcher
Club Team: Hotshots 18U – Nelson
High School (City/ST): Kaplan (La.) High
GPA: 3.7
College: Alabama
Top Honors/Accomplishments:
2022 Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year nominee, two-time All-District, Parish and All-State; District and Parish MVP. In two years of high school play is hitting .655 with 40 home runs, 38 doubles, eight triples, 128 RBI, only three strikeouts in 212 at-bats.
Preferred College Major: Business/Sports Management
We hear you’re Bama bound… congratulations! When did you tell the Tide coaches you were committing and how did you do it (In person? By phone? Zoom call?)?
Thank you! I’m so, so excited and beyond grateful for this opportunity. I actually committed in person right before the Bama football game during my visit on September 24th! It was an emotional and exciting time that can’t easily be put into words.
What other universities did you visit or were in the running?
It was such a memorable experience to receive all the calls and texts at midnight on September 1 from several different DI programs. However, I narrowed it down to Louisiana Lafayette, Ole Miss, and LSU before ultimately choosing Bama U!
Was there a stop-you-in-your-tracks moment when it just hit you that Alabama was the place to go? If so, can you describe that experience?
On the Friday night of my visit, I absolutely could not sleep and I just knew in my heart that this was the place and the people I wanted to be surrounded by in my college choice. I’m telling you that there is just something really special about this place!
That has to be a big weight off your shoulders, yes?
I wouldn’t say it was a weight on my shoulders, except for knowing I would eventually have to turn down some great programs and coaches that were in my top 5. I felt really blessed to have been given these opportunities and that part was not easy by far.
When did you visit the campus and what stood out to you the most?
My family and I visited the campus on the weekend of September 23-24 and everything was just a wow factor! The campus and facilities were impressive and, from the time I met President Bell and the players, it was easy to see the tradition, pride, and passion they all share for Bama U.
Coach Murphy, Coach Ally and their entire staff are genuine people. I know they have the ability to not only make me the best player I can possibly be, but the best person as well.
Going into the recruiting process, did you have specific areas or aspects you were focused on that were really important to you, like program success, comfortability with the players and coaches, high level play, academics, distance, etc.?
I used to think I may want to play farther away, but as I got older, I realized that it was important to me to be closer so that my family and friends will be able to take road trips to watch games. Also, my connection to the coaches during calls and the types of players that they recruited was something that I paid attention to. I wanted to be at a university that felt like home.
Now that you’ve gone through the process, what advice would you give to an upcoming freshman or sophomore who is starting to get recruiting?
I would just say enjoy it all, every single bit of it. There is the perfect place for everyone. Sometimes, I feel like, we as players can get caught up comparing ourselves on the physical level, but oftentimes it’s the intangibles that make you that special player. You just have to find the right coaches that see your value inside and out.
What is it about softball that you fell in love with that made it so important in your life?
That is a pretty easy one. It’s the people that I was able to connect and build relationships with along the way. Anyone that knows me, knows that I’m as competitive as anyone sometimes even to a fault (big grin)!
But, from the moment I started playing this game at nine years old, it’s been as much about the connections. When I think about the many special people that believed in me and played a part in this process to help get me here, it’s truly humbling.
It’s funny, because I think the game was just the avenue that God used to place these people into my life!
You’ve been a Top 10 player in the 2024 Extra Elite 100 for multiple years in part because of your great all-around athleticism… to whom do you attribute your natural talent?
I’m pretty sure I’m an All-American at taking a butt chewing and definitely not afraid of criticism. That takes talent, right? Coach Nathan (Nelson) and Coach Mel (Dumezich) of the Hotshots org coach hard and take pride in being a blue-collar organization. I know for myself and so many Hotshot girls that have impacted the game that this has made a huge difference in my developing as an athlete.
When you were being recruited by college coaches, what did they say they liked about you enough to pursue you?
This must be the brag question (laughs)! Coaches talked about my mechanics, throwing speed and swing, but what impressed them as much was my ability to deal with adversity and to come up with big hits. Let’s face it -we all have ailments or things we are dealing with at times, but it’s the ability to not make excuses, embrace the hard, and fight through it.When you’re not afraid of the results or failing, big moments really aren’t anything more than a great opportunity to help your team!
Have you set personal goals for yourself for this year? Or in general?
My goals have been the same for a while now and you would think I’m crazy if I told you, so I’ll just keep them to myself, for now! But, honestly it’s to continue to work just as hard and to be the best player and teammate I can be. This is a beginning, not an end.
Do you have any softball superstitions?
Well… I believe I have superpowers when I do my nails before a tournament. At least that’s what I tell my parents to get them to pay for them (laughs)!
If you could change one thing in softball to improve the game, what would it be?
Strategy is part of the game and the purpose of the game is to compete, so, I think it would be cool to do away with the intentional walk.
If you had to describe yourself in one word, what would it be on-field? Off the field?
On the field: Relentless.
Off the field: Trustworthy.
What’s your favorite softball item (like preferred bat, glove, etc.)?
My A2000 custom glove!
Favorite item(s) in your closet:
My Lululemon collection!
Favorite school subject:
U.S. History.
What would you like to do for a career post-playing days?
My dream is to be a General Manager of an MLB organization.
Best way to unwind is…
Snack on Boudin and Cracklins! I’m a Cajun! What can I say?
What makes you laugh the most?
I absolutely love watching TikTok’s of small kids doing and saying funny things!
On the flip side, what scares you the most?
I have a phobia of sneezing when a ground ball is hit to me.
What’s playing in your ear pods right now?
Well, lately Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” has been on repeat, but I actually love all genres of music.
Celebrity you’d like most to talk to…
Serena Williams without a doubt, because she’s such an inspiration and incredible athlete who has overcome unbelievable odds.
Calories aside, what food could you eat and never get sick of?
Close race. Steak or Beef tongue which is hands-down the best Cajun delicacy.
What have you learned most about yourself over the last year or two?
That your mental strength and ability to deal with adversity are no doubt the key to growth.
What do you want your legacy to be when you finish playing softball?
I hope that when the day comes that I can no longer play the great game of softball that little kids will remember me as the girl that always wore a smile on the field. I hope to leave the game better than I found it in some small way.
To think I’ve been given an offer of a scholarship to play a game I love is mind blowing! Don’t tell Coach Murphy this, but I would have paid him to wear BAMA across my chest (laughs)!
Roll Tide!