When faced with two college softball scholarships, Lanae Holaway Kaney had a tough decision to make. “I chose Faulkner because I could play ball with my high school pitcher and teammate, Hew Miller Thigpen,” she said. “I would get more playing time sooner, and I liked that it was a Christian university.”
“The next four years proved that it was the best decision,” she reflected, sharing some of her favorite memories. “I loved the excitement of walking across campus to our game on a beautiful spring day. During my freshman year, it started raining hard at one practice. Coach Wynn let us have sliding practice in the mud. It was the best practice ever! I also enjoyed playing in the Regional Tournament in my hometown of Decatur, Alabama. We laughed so much and made so many memories on the bus rides to the games. There were five of us who played together for four years. We had a special group, and our team was consistently ranked in the top 25 nationally.”
In addition to softball, Kaney and her friends had a love for basketball. She recalled a memorable trip in 2001 when the basketball team made it to the NAIA National Championship finals. “Coach Wynn let us miss practice, and a few of us made the 14-hour drive to Tulsa We watched our Eagles win the tournament, then made the 14-hour drive back! So much fun!”
Academics and campus life also played a significant role in her decision to attend Faulkner. “I loved my math professors, Mrs. Paulk and Dr. Turner,” she said. “My favorite Bible class was Christian Evidences with Dr. Parker. He brought so much information and encouraged questions from everyone. My favorite chapel services were when we sang ‘God is Love.’ So beautiful.”
During her time at Faulkner, Kaney earned numerous honors, including All-Conference recognition three years, Academic All-American four years, the Math Department Award, and Salutatorian in 2001. She completed both an associate degree in science and a bachelor’s degree in science.
After graduation, she became an actuarial assistant, then taught high school math and coached softball. She earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Samford University in 2011 and works as a pharmacist.
Kaney met her husband, Joseph Kaney, at the wedding of her college roommate and teammate, Erin Sormrude Hool, and the couple married in 2008 and have two children, Joseph Jr. and Emily.
In 2017, she returned to campus for the Marketplace Faith Forums and was honored with the College of Arts and Sciences’ Distinguished Alumni Award for Math, Science, and Computer Science.
In 2024, she returned to Faulkner once again when she was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame. “It was truly an honor to be considered for the award,” she said. “It was great catching up with my teammates. I enjoyed being able to show my kids where I went to college and played softball. We attended the Homecoming football game the following day, and that was a real treat! The atmosphere was exciting, and it was amazing to see all the improvements and progress made at Faulkner.”
