This week, former Troy University softball star Kate (Benton) Stump resigned from her position as head softball coach at Enterprise High School. 

Stump spent six years as the head coach at Enterprise, and led EHS to a 149-84-1 record during that time with four regional appearances and two state tournament appearances. She spent the previous three years as an assistant coach at Enterprise. Her final four teams at Enterprise won 28 games or more in each of those seasons. 

Stump is a Dothan native who was an All-State athlete at Northview High School before starting her college career at Shelton State Community College. After earning JUCO All-American honors at Shelton State, and becoming one of the top infielders in all of JUCO Softball, she transferred to Troy. 

Stump held a career .364 batting average at Troy with four doubles, three triples, 22 RBIs and 95 runs. She also earned a staggering 67 stolen bases, which ranks fifth in school history despite her playing just two seasons with the Trojans. She earned All-Sun Belt honors as a senior.

Her 41 stolen bases in 2016 is the most in school history. Her .411 batting average in 2016 is the best single season mark in school history and her career batting average also tops all players in Troy history. Her 52 runs in 2016 also ranks second most in Troy history. 

Benton told The Dothan Eagle that she was stepping down from her position not because of taking a position elsewhere but she was going to be focusing on her children. Stump has two children with her husband, Tyler Stump, a fellow coach at Enterprise High School. 

“I don’t want my kids to live my life, I want to be a part of their lives,” Stump told The Eagle. “That’s truly the only reason. If I didn’t have two kids, I could do this until the day I die, but when you have kids, priorities change.

“I have always prided myself in being the best at whatever I chose to do in life, and it becomes difficult when kids come into the mix. I have two girls at home that miss their mom. It is tough doing both, but it is time to be the best mom I can be. I feel if I step down that allows me the opportunity to do that. For me and my family, that is most important thing right now.”