Hall of Fame
Success on the field during her tenure at Benedictine has driven Amy Trench, continuing involvement in sports beyond the conclusion of her career.
"I am who I am because of my time at Benedictine," Trench said. "The people, my coaches, my instructors were all top notch. They cared about be and motivated me to be the best version of myself. Coach (Deb) DiMatteo, Coach (Dave) Swanson made sure I was reaching my potential, not just on the court and field but in the classroom and in my life. I received a top notch education and a stellar athletic career at Benedictine. I grew in every way a person can grow. I became a coach and teacher because of the great coaches and teachers that influenced me throughout my life, many at Benedictine. Personally, I made lifelong friends at Benedictine."
Trench was a three-time all-region selection and added a pair of All-American honors in 1993 and 1994 from the NFCA. Trench, who also earned four all-conference awards, played with current head coach Kate Heidkamp and was a member of two teams that currently hold the school record for winning percentage. The 1993 and 1994 teams both finished an impressive 34-5 for a win percentage of .872. The 1994 squad set a single season record for doubles that was broken in 2011 and is still listed among the single season leaders in nearly every category including batting average (.386), still the best in program history. Trench doubled 15 times individually in 1994, tied for fourth most in single season program history.
"I have so many great memories, but the best for me was just being on the field with my team," Trench said. "Especially that 1993 team. We were impenetrable and everyone we played knew it. We gelled, fought like crazy for every out, and were ranked #1 all season long. We qualified for nationals and made it to the final four. Then we're in the top three, it felt like we were walking on a cloud. All our hard work came full circle. And that was the greatest softball team in our school's history.  Our 1993 team went 34-5, finished 3rd in the nation, with 3 All Americans,10 All American nods and 14 All Region nods. More than the success and the wins and the recognition was the laughter! We truly had a blast out there."
IAHPERD's Young Professional of the Year 2008, Trench has worked in education for 17 years, the last 14 of which at Hillcrest High School. She spent 16 years coaching volleyball and softball at the collegiate and high school level, assisting at the College of DuPage and serving as head coach at Trinity Christian College. Trench was an assistant on two NJCAA national championship teams.
Trench was chosen for the 2017 class, but per policy deferred for a year.
"To say being inducted into the Hall of Fame is an honor is a huge understatement," Trench said. "There really are no words. To join my amazing pitchers and teammates Kate Enochs (Heidkamp) and Bridget Kilpatrick and be recognized is a massive accomplishment. I am humbled. To be able to share this honor with my dad, who is the heart of my heart, means the world to me. His support has been unwavering. I've played this game since age five and I cannot remember a time he wasn't right there with me telling me to choke up on the bat, or hit a certain gap. To share this with my wife, Liz, and sons, Tyler and Joey, is just so incredibly special. I am grateful to Benedictine for allowing me this incredible honor."
