The daughter of Steven and Christy Henry has committed to study and play, starting in the fall of 2024, at Minnesota State University-Moorhead. Moorhead is located across the Red River from Fargo, N.D. MSU-Moorhead has an enrollment of 4,379 this fall. The Dragons, who compete at the NCAA Division II level, were one of five schools that expressed interest in Henry.
“MSU-Moorhead was the perfect fit for me as when I first stepped on campus it felt like home,” Henry said. “When I met the coaches and some of the players, I immediately felt comfortable and welcomed. I could see myself fitting in perfectly at Moorhead for the next four years.”
Henry is excited for life on and off the field in Minnesota.
“I am looking forward to continue playing the sport I love at an elite level,” Henry said. “The competition to come excites me. With competing against myself and other schools, I hope to learn and grow from the experiences and better myself from them. I am also excited to live the life of a student-athlete and meet many new friends along the way.”
She hopes to major in communication disorders. Her mother is a speech language pathologist. Henry said, “It is my dream to be like her and help improve the lives of the kids.”
Henry started playing softball at the age of five in Virden. She developed her game locally until moving to the Westman Magic program at the U12 level. Starting when she was in U16, Henry added in playing with the Saskatchewan-based 222s as well as the South Dakota Renegades.
Last summer she helped the Magic win the U17 Western Canadian Softball Championship. In an August interview Westman head coach Faron Asham praised Henry as a veteran presence at third base, the anchor of the defence, and a quiet leader. Of her offensive performance at the Western Canadian championships, Asham said:
“She led off for us in our batting order and gave us just that thump at the top of the order. Jessie is just a professional hitter. She’ll have quality at-bats. … She reached base over half the time, which is phenomenal.”
Throughout her softball career, Henry has had the support of her family.
“They have been a huge part of my successes, and I couldn’t thank them enough,” she said. “The support my family gives is endless, whether it’s from my dad who would drop everything just to help me get reps, or my mom to stand there and catch the balls at first base no matter the weather. My parents have also spent countless hours on the road taking me to practices in Brandon, camps in the states, and tournaments as far as 14 hours away. Their dedication and support doesn’t go unnoticed and I am so grateful that they have been here for me every step of the way.”
