Danielle Henderson

Danielle Henderson (born January 29, 1977) is an American, former collegiate All-American, medal-winning Olympian, retired professional All-Star softball pitcher who is currently the head coach at UMass. Henderson was a starting pitcher for the UMass Minutewomen softball from 1996 to 1999. Henderson also played professionally in National Pro Fastpitch from 2004 to 2007, where she currently ranks top-10 in career strikeout ratio (6.8). Along with numerous school records, she is the Atlantic 10 Conference career leader in ERA, shutouts, perfect games (3) and WHIP. Henderson represented the United States at the 2000 Summer Olympics and won a gold medal.

For the writer and blogger, see Danielle Henderson (writer).
Danielle Henderson
Henderson in 2019.
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamUMass
ConferenceAtlantic 10
Biographical details
Born (1977-01-29) January 29, 1977
Huntington, New York
Playing career
1996–1999UMass
2004Arizona Heat
2005–2007New England Riptide
Position(s)Pitcher
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2000–2003UMass (asst.)
2011–2012Ohio State (asst.)
2013Stanford (asst.)
2014UMass (assoc. HC)
2015–2021UMass Lowell
2022–presentUMass
Head coaching record
Overall118–163 (.420)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
Medal record
Women's softball
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney Team competition

Early life and education

Born in Huntington, New York, Henderson grew up in nearby Commack and graduated from Commack High School in 1995.[1]

College

In her freshman season of 1996, Henderson led the team in wins, ERA, shutouts and strikeouts.[2][1] Henderson threw her first no-hitter in the NCAA play-in opener against Marist Red Foxes.[1]

In 1997 as a sophomore, Henderson would earn her first National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American and Atlantic 10 Pitcher of Year awards, as well as tossing two no-hitters and breaking the UMass season records for strikeouts, innings pitched and strikeout ratio.[3] Her wins and shutouts were at the time both second best in school history. For the year, Henderson won her first pitching Triple Crown for the conference best in wins, strikeouts and ERA, while ranked in the NCAA top-10 for both ERA and strikeout ratio.

On April 26, 1997, Henderson struck out a then school and a career best 18 Fordham Rams in regulation, this was tied third all-time for an NCAA single game and now is tied fourth overall. The day prior on April 25, Henderson also began a 63 scoreless inning streak that endured until May 17 for a then career best. UMass qualified for the 1997 Women's College World Series.[4] However, Henderson was selected to the All-Tournament Team.[5]

Throwing five no-hitters (NCAA top-5 season tying record and one perfect game vs. the Fordham Rams on March 29, 1998) earned her all-season honors from conference and the NFCA in her junior season of 1998, moving from third to the second Team.[6] Henderson broke four school records with her wins, strikeouts, shutouts (still the record) and a strikeout ratio of nearly 12; along with her ERA, she won a second conference Triple Crown. In addition, she again cracked the top-10 NCAA Division I season records with her strikeouts (led the NCAA), shutouts and then second best all-time season strikeout ratio mark, which also led the NCAA that year.[7]

A return trip to the Women's College World Series ended by shutout as the Minutewomen lost their second game to Oklahoma State Cowgirls and would be Henderson's last appearance in the series.[8]

In her senior season of 1999, Henderson posted six no-hitters (another top-five tying NCAA season record), two perfect games and repeated all-season honors, including a First Team All-American highlight and her third straight Atlantic 10 Pitcher of The Year and pitching Triple Crown.[9] Henderson won 30 games, struck out a then school and conference record (total led the nation) and tied the best season ERA mark at UMass.[7] She had a career best WHIP and her strikeout ratio of 13.9, set a new NCAA season mark that is now 6th all-time. Her 105 scoreless innings streak from March 16 − May 2, 1999 remains the NCAA record.

Henderson closed her career at UMass with the best strikeouts, ERA, shutouts, wins, WHIP, innings pitched, strikeout ratio, perfect games and no-hitter numbers, of which she still owns the ERA, WHIP, perfect games and shutout crowns.[10] She holds the same career records for the Atlantic 10.[11] Finally, in the NCAA Henderson is tied 6th in no-hitters (14) and 5th in perfect games (3) all-time for a career.[12]

In May 1999, Henderson was awarded the Honda Sports Award as the best softball player in the country.[13][14]

After her playing career, Henderson served as a private pitching instructor and was an assistant coach with Ohio State and Stanford. She rejoined her alma mater UMass as associate head coach for the 2014 season and has been head coach at UMass Lowell since 2015.

Professional softball career

2000 Olympics

Henderson began playing for Team USA the summer after she graduated in 1999. On July 29, 1999, Henderson threw a perfect game defeating Colombia 9–0 at the start of the Pan American Games.

She competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney where she received a gold medal with the American team.[15] Her only game was a 3–0 win over Cuba.[16]

National Pro Fastpitch

Henderson began playing with the rejuvenated National Pro Fastpitch in 2004 with the now defunct Arizona Heat. She debuted on June 1, throwing two innings in a loss. Beginning on June 7-July 31, Henderson won a career best 7 consecutive decisions in 12 games, 5 complete. She struck out 55 batters and surrendered 35 hits, 30 walks and 9 earned runs for a 1.05 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. With the New England Riptide on June 5, 2005, she tallied a career best 13 strikeouts in a 3-0 shutout victory. She currently ranks top-10 in career strikeout ratio at 6.8. In 2005, Henderson made the All-NPF East Team.[17]

Although she did not play, Henderson also won a NPF Cowles Cup Championship with the defunct New England Riptide on August 28, 2006.[18]

Coaching career

Henderson had two stints as an assistant coach at UMass, first from 2000 to 2003 then as associate head coach in 2014.[19] In between these stints, Henderson worked as a private pitching instructor before returning to college softball as assistant coach at Ohio State from 2011 to 2012 and Stanford under John Rittman in 2013.[19]

On July 30, 2014, she was named head softball coach at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell.[19]

Honors

In 2001, while serving a second term as Assistant Coach, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst ceremoniously retired Henderson's #44 jersey.[20] In her last season with her the Minutewomen, Henderson was also inducted into the New England Women's Hall of Fame on September 24, 2002.[21]

On October 9, 2009, Henderson was honored with an invitation into the UMass Hall of Fame.[22]

Career statistics

College
YEAR W L GP GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER BB SO ERA WHIP
1996 23 8 33 30 24 11 0 197.2 124 56 27 76 113 0.96 1.01
1997 25 15 49 37 35 15 3 272.0 147 60 31 62 335 0.80 0.77
1998 30 8 42 35 33 23 2 256.0 112 38 26 84 430 0.71 0.76
1999 30 4 37 33 33 22 0 234.0 72 15 13 40 465 0.39 0.48
TOTALS 108 35 161 135 125 71 5 959.2 455 169 97 262 1343 0.71 0.74

Professional
YEAR W L GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER BB SO ERA WHIP
2004 8 4 14 9 2 1 94.2 62 32 22 49 83 1.63 1.18
2005 9 10 18 8 3 3 123.0 85 56 35 55 150 1.99 1.14
2006 7 4 14 3 1 1 82.0 83 41 33 53 64 2.81 1.66
2007 7 4 9 5 2 0 68.2 57 23 19 32 68 1.95 1.30
TOTALS 31 22 55 25 8 5 368.1 287 152 109 189 365 2.07 1.29

Head coaching record
Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
UMass Lowell River Hawks (America East Conference) (2015–2021)
2015 UMass Lowell 17–305–116th[23]
2016 UMass Lowell 11–393–146th[24]
2017 UMass Lowell 21–1912–52nd[25]
2018 UMass Lowell 21–2812–52nd[26]
2019 UMass Lowell 28–2015–31st[27]
2020 UMass Lowell 7–90–0[28]Season cancelled due to COVID-19
2021 UMass Lowell 13–189–74th[29]
UMass Lowell: 118–163 (.420)56–45 (.554)
UMass Minutewomen (Atlantic 10 Conference) (2022–present)
2022 UMass 19–3212–12T–6th[30]
2023 UMass 17–348–188th[31]
UMass: 36–66 (.353)20–30 (.400)
Total:70–116 (.376)

See also

References
  1. "Danielle Henderson". UMass Amherst. Archived from the original on May 4, 1999. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  2. http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/Softball%20Archived%20Stats/1996/1996%20DI%20SB%20final%20stats.pdf
  3. "1997 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America Teams". Nfca.org. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
  4. "1997 UMass WCWS Stats". Nfca.org. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
  5. "Division I Softball Championships Record Book" (PDF). Ncaa.org. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
  6. "1998 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America Teams". Nfca.org. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
  7. http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/Softball%20Archived%20Stats/1998/1998%20SB%20DI%20final%20stats.pdf
  8. "1998 UMass WCWS Stats". Nfca.org. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
  9. "1999 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America Teams". Nfca.org. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
  10. "UMass 2020 Softball Record Book" (PDF). Umassathletics.com. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  11. "Atlantic 10 Softball Record Book" (PDF). Atlantic10.com. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  12. "Division I Softball Records" (PDF). Ncaa.org. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  13. "Softball". CWSA. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
  14. "Danielle Henderson Softball Academy". www.daniellehendersonsoftballacademy.com. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
  15. "2000 Summer Olympics – Sydney, Australia – Softball". databaseOlympics.com. Archived from the original on 2008-09-07. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
  16. "Danielle Henderson Bio, Stats, and Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 2020-04-18. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
  17. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2011-03-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  18. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2011-03-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  19. "Danielle Henderson". GoRiverhawks.com. UMass Lowell. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  20. "UMass Magazine Online | Pitching for Victory". www.umass.edu. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
  21. "Softball Coach Danielle Henderson Inducted into New England Women's Sports Hall of Fame - University of Massachusetts Official Athletic Site". Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2011-03-15.
  22. "Six to be Inducted into UMass Hall of Fame - University of Massachusetts Official Athletic Site". Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2011-03-15.
  23. "2015 America East Softball - Standings & Leaders". americaeast_ftp.sidearmsports.com.
  24. "2016 America East Softball - Standings & Leaders". americaeast_ftp.sidearmsports.com.
  25. "2017 America East Softball - Standings & Leaders". americaeast_ftp.sidearmsports.com.
  26. "2018 Softball Standings".
  27. "2019 Softball Standings". americaeast.com.
  28. "2020 Softball Standings". americaeast.com.
  29. "2021 Softball Standings". americaeast.com.
  30. "2022 Softball Standings". atlantic10.com.
  31. "2023 Softball Standings". atlantic10.com.
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