{{short description|American racquetball player}} {{Infobox sportsperson | headercolor = | name = Laura Fenton | image = | image_size = <!--Only for images narrower than 220 pixels.--> | caption = | birth_name = | fullname = | nickname = | nationality = American | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|6|28}} | birth_place = Lincoln, Nebraska | death_date = | death_place = | height = 5'9" <!-- {{convert|}} (yyyy) --> | weight = <!-- {{convert|}} (yyyy) --> | website = | country = | sport = Racquetball | event = | collegeteam = | team = | turnedpro = | coach = | retired = | coaching = | highestranking = No. 4 (1996-07, 2001-02) | worlds = | regionals = | nationals = | olympics = | pb = | show-medals = yes | medaltemplates = {{MedalCompetition | Racquetball World Championships}} {{MedalGold | 1994 Mexico | Doubles}} {{MedalGold | 2006 Santo Domingo | Doubles}} {{MedalBronze | 2002 San Juan | Singles}} {{MedalCompetition | Pan American Games}} {{MedalSilver | 2003 Santo Domingo | Singles}} {{MedalBronze | 1999 Winnipeg | Singles}} {{MedalCompetition | Pan American Racquetball Championships}} {{MedalGold | 2001 San Pedro Sula | Doubles}} {{MedalGold | 2002 Cochabamba | Singles}} {{MedalGold | Santo Domingo | Singles}} }}
'''Laura Fenton''' (born June 28, 1962) is an American racquetball player. She won two World Championships in doubles, and finished in the top 10 on the Women's Professional Racquetball Organization rankings seven times in her career.
==Professional career==
Fenton did not play professional racquetball until age 30,<ref name="pitchcom">[http://www.pitch.com/kansascity/queen-of-the-court/Content?oid=2160488 Queen of the court] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303230958/http://www.pitch.com/kansascity/queen-of-the-court/Content?oid=2160488 |date=2016-03-03 }}. Cody Howard, 2000-06-08. Pitch.com</ref> but she finished in the top 10 of the Women's Professional Racquetball Organization rankings seven times in her career, first in 1993-94 and last in 2005–06. She was ranked No. 4 twice in 1996-97 and 2000–01.
Fenton was a WPRO finalist three times but never won an event.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fenton Bio |url=http://lindamojer.com/04web_bkup/ladiesproracquetball/bios/fenton.htm |publisher=USRA}}</ref>
==International career==
Fenton won the [http://www.internationalracquetball.com International Racquetball Federation (IRF)] World Championships in women's doubles twice. In 1994, Fenton and Jackie Paraiso won the title in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, defeating Canadians Vicki Shanks and Debbie Ward in the final. Then twelve years later in 2006, Fenton and Aimee Ruiz won the title in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, beating Angela Grisar and Fabiola Marquez of Chile in the final.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.internationalracquetball.com/racquetball/recordbook/irf-recordsbooks/match-results.aspx |title=IRF Recordbook |author=International Racquetball Federation |access-date=2 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606112356/http://www.internationalracquetball.com/racquetball/recordbook/irf-recordsbooks/match-results.aspx |archive-date= 6 June 2012 }}</ref>
Fenton and Paraiso also won doubles at the Pan Am Championships in 2001.
Fenton twice won the Pan Am Championships in 2002 and 2003. In 2002, she defeated Canadian Josée Grand'Maître in the final.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sirc.ca/news_view.cfm?id=1994 |title=Canadian Women are #1 |author=Racquetball Canada |date=April 2, 2002 |publisher=SIRC |access-date=2 December 2011}}</ref>
Fenton played in two Pan American Games. In 1999, she was bronze medalist in women's singles, and in 2003 she was silver medalist in women's singles, losing a tie-breaker to Cheryl Gudinas in the final.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=20030810&id=MoMfAAAAIBAJ&pg=4570,4223916 |title=Pan Am Capsules |agency=Associated Press |work=August 11, 2003 |publisher=The Tuscaloosa News |access-date=2 December 2011}}</ref>
Fenton was also a member of Team USA at the 2002 World Championships and got a bronze medal in singles, losing to Jennifer Saunders in the semi-finals.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.racquetball.ca/en/tournaments/world/2002/week_summary.html |title=Results Summary |publisher=Racquetball Canada |access-date=2 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110828044352/http://www.racquetball.ca/en/tournaments/world/2002/week_summary.html |archive-date=28 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==US Championships==
Fenton won the US National Championships in doubles four times: in 2006 and 2005 with Aimee Ruiz, 2000 with Jackie Paraiso, and 1993 with Michelle Gould.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://usaracquetball.com/RecordBooks/DoublesChampions.aspx |title=USA Racquetball Records |publisher=USA Racquetball |access-date=2 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071205215942/http://usaracquetball.com/RecordBooks/DoublesChampions.aspx |archive-date=5 December 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Fenton was second in singles at the 2003 US National Singles Championships, which qualified her for the 2003 Pan Am Games team.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chron.com/sports/article/Two-earn-Pan-Am-racquetball-bids-2118605.php |title=Two earn Pan Am racquetball bids |date=May 25, 2003 |publisher=Houston Chronicle News Services |access-date=2 December 2011}}</ref>
==Personal life==
Fenton was raised as a Seventh Day Adventist, so she was not allowed to compete in sports on the weekends, when tournaments are usually held.<ref name="pitchcom" />
Fenton has a B.A. from Union Adventist University and a master's degree from Western Michigan University in biomechanics, kinesiology and exercise physicology. Currently, she is an associate professor of Health and Exercise Science at La Sierra University in Riverside, California.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lasierra.edu/index.php?id=628 |title=La Sierra Health & Exercise Faculty|publisher=La Sierra University |access-date=2 December 2011}}</ref>
Fenton has one daughter, Jennifer.
==See also== * List of racquetball players
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fenton, Laura}} Category:1962 births Category:Living people Category:Union College (New York) alumni Category:Western Michigan University alumni Category:American racquetball players Category:Racquetball players at the 1999 Pan American Games Category:Racquetball players at the 2003 Pan American Games Category:Medalists at the 1999 Pan American Games Category:Medalists at the 2003 Pan American Games Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States in racquetball Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists for the United States in racquetball