2005: Dominating at the plate and in the outfield, Janessa Roening made 45 starts for the Tigers, her first coming Feb. 11 against Nicholls State in the Seminole Classic in Tallahassee, Fla. By the end of the season, Roening was among the top five in six categories, batting average (third-.341), slugging percentage (fourth-.601), runs scored (fifth-35), hits (fourth-47), home runs (fifth-eight) and total bases (fifth-83). Playing against then-No. 4 Texas A&M on April 30 at home, Roening's seventh inning single scored the game-winning run, while her seventh inning, game two single on May 1, brought in the game-tying run that sent the game into extra innings. Roening crushed her two triples of the season in Missouri's two game series against Texas Tech (April 9 and 10). Earlier in the season, Roening recorded two hits in Mizzou's Feb. 12 game against No. 10 Florida State, notched her first of three three-hit games March 13 at home against Drake and scored the Tiger's only run in the March 31 makeup game against Southern Illinois in Carbondale. Roening was 2-for-3 in Missouri's second game of the doubleheader against Iowa State on April 6 at home, pounding her fourth double of the season to center field. Roening smashed home runs in three consecutive games (April 30-Texas A&M, May 1-Texas A&M, May 4-Kansas), capped by her three-run homer against Kansas helping the Tigers to a 3-0 shutout of the Jayhawks. Competing in her first Big 12 Tournament, Roening was one of three Tigers to hit home runs in Missouri's first game against Baylor on May 14, scoring two runs in both games against the Bears. Roening proved strong in the outfield, finishing her junior campaign with a perfect fielding percentage including 35 putouts, one assist and no errors. Honors: All-Big 12 First Team, Big 12 All-Tournament Team, USA Softball National Player of the Week, Big 12 Player of the Week.
Lower Columbia College (2003-2004): A two-year member of the Lower Columbia Red Devils softball team, Roening earned All-America honors as a freshman (2003) and sophomore (2004), helping the team to back-to-back Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) championship titles. Led by Head Coach Tim Mackin, Roening was named to the NWAACC first team and secured Most Valuable Player honors for her roll in the 2003 Pre-Season and Post-Season Tournaments. As a sophomore in 2004, Roening was again named to the NWAACC All-Tournament Team, earning Most Valuable Player honors and Southern Division Most Valuable Player for her play in the outfield. Adding her name to the Lower Columbia record books, Roening stands atop the charts with 81 hits, 18 doubles, 66 runs and 38 stolen bases.
Strong at the plate, Roening recorded her first collegiate grand slam in the 2003 NWAACC semi-finals against Spokane on May 19. The hit helped propel the team into the championship game against Clackamas where Roening blasted a triple to drive in the teams' second of three runs. In all, Roening totaled nine homers on the season, the first coming in her first collegiate game on March 15 against Bellevue.
Roening started her sophomore campaign the same way she began her freshman year, with a home run. Helping the Red Devils to a 9-0 shutout over Blue Mountain on March 20, Roening closed her second year of action with the team's highest batting average (.555) totaling 81 hits in 146 at bats. By season's end, Roening recorded a team-high eight triples, 18 doubles, 66 runs and 55 RBI.
Port Angeles High School: A senior in 2002, Roening played in the outfield for the Roughriders of Port Angeles High School, earning first-team all-league honors as a freshman (1999) and again as a junior (2001) and senior (2002). As a sophomore, Roening was second-team all-league. In all, Roening earned eight letters, four from her time with the softball program and four while playing soccer. Strong academically, Roening was the recipient of business honors. A three-year veteran of the Impact club softball team in Port Angeles, Wash., Roening was coached by Jim Cheney.
Personal: Born July 5, 1984 in Port Angeles, Wash., Roening is the daughter of Dan and Jana Roening and has one sister, Danica (23). Roening is a business major with an emphasis in banking and financing.
