2021 NFCA All-American Teams
2021 D2CCA All-America Teams

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Capping an impressive 2021 campaign in historic fashion, Academy of Art softball's junior catcher/infielder Lauryn Henderson was awarded All-American First Team honors by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association in a Tuesday announcement then All-America Second Team honors by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association on Wednesday. The second All-American in program history and the first to earn a First Team distinction, Henderson was selected in the position of designated player/utility for the NFCA and utility for the D2CCA after previously earning NFCA and D2CCA All-Region First Team and All-PacWest First Team honors.

Blending an extremely powerful bat with a patient eye, Henderson was the lone Urban Knight to bat over .400 by the regular season's send. She ranked first in the PacWest and top 40 in NCAA Division II in slugging percentage (.788), was tied for the lead in home runs (5) and second in triples (2) while logging the third-highest batting average (.425). The Game Development major's 19 walks were also third in the conference, her 25 runs scored ranked fourth, and her 23 runs batted in and 10 doubles were each fifth overall.

Henderson reached base in 26 of 28 games played, closing the regular season with that 26-game streak very much active. Additionally, she drove in a run in 14 of those contests and enjoyed a particularly memorable Mar. 27 doubleheader versus Dominican where she homered twice in a Mar. 20 doubleheader versus Holy Names with the second of those resulting in a walk-off win. One week later, the Gilbert, Ariz. native hit for the cycle over a Mar. 27 doubleheader against Dominican and earned her first of two PacWest Player of the Week honors as a result. Those performances opened a 13-game stretch that saw her drive in 19 runs, culminating in her second PacWest Player of the Week selection following ART U's second series against HNU.

"Lauryn has been our offensive machine all season long," said Head Coach Nikki Gentile. "She has this sense of ease and confidence that lets everyone know she's going to produce some damage. She did a great job hitting to all parts of the field this year and adjusting to change-ups. She's a fantastic hitter and I can't wait to see what she does in her final campaign next year."

Henderson is the second student-athlete in Academy of Art history to be named a NFCA and D2CCA All-American after Brooke Larsen was the first in 2018, but Henderson is the first student-athlete in program history on the First Team. She was also the lone NFCA First Team selection and only D2CCA First or Second Teamer from the PacWest.