June 27, 1997
Stephenie Henderson Named Softball Assistant Coach
NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- Stephenie Henderson, assistant softball
coach at Lake Michigan College since 1996, has been named assistant coach
of the Notre Dame softball team, according to head coach Liz Miller.
Henderson replaces Gillian Boxx, who resigned following the 1997 season
after serving as assistant coach for one year. Henderson, a South Bend,
Ind., native, and 1992 graduate of LaSalle High School, will begin her
official duties immediately. Henderson joins Deanna Mays as the newest
additions to Miller's coaching staff. Mays replaced Kathy Speybroeck who
retired following the 1997 season.
At Lake Michigan College, Henderson's primary duties included
instruction of all offense, the defensive corner players and outfielders.
She also handled the planning of practice, fundraising and recruiting.
Prior to her time at Lake Michigan College, Henderson coached the junior
varsity team at Mattawan High School for the 1995-96 school year. Her
coaching experience also includes staffing Miller's Notre Dame softball
camps since 1993 and the Lake Michigan softball camps since 1991.
Henderson starred at Western Michigan in 1994 and 1995, earning
all-mideast region honors both years after transferring from Lake Michigan
College where she was a two-time All-American in 1992 and 1993 and led her
team to the NJCAA national championship. She hit .432 in 1994 at Western
Michigan which still stands as the highest single-season batting average in
Broncos history. Her .380 career batting average is also a school record.
Henderson hit 13 doubles in 1994, second on the all-time single season
list.
Henderson played against Notre Dame three times during her time at
Western Michigan with the Irish winning all three games. In a 1994
doubleheader, she went 2-3 with a double and two RBI in Notre Dame's 5-3
win and struck out against All-American Terri Kobata with the bases loaded
to end the game. In Notre Dame's 3-0 win in game two, Henderson exacted a
bit of revenge by breaking up Kobata's no-hitter with Western Michigan's
only hit of the game with her fourth-inning single. She was 0-2 with a
walk in a 4-0 Irish win in 1995.
Notre Dame is coming off a 35-25 season after winning the BIG EAST
South Division title for the second consecutive year but fell short in its
bid for a fourth straight appearance in the NCAA championship.
