'Harry' will make her pitch
Daily Hampshire Gazette

University of Massachusetts fans remember a different Danielle Henderson. They remember a tall, slightly wild, considerably shy freshman who had the makings of a good pitcher.

They remember when people actually called her Danielle, before her nickname, Harry, caught on.

Five years later, the shyness has all but disappeared and now everyone knows her as Harry. But it turned out she had the makings of a great pitcher, so much so that she will pitch in Sydney, Australia, as a member of the United States Olympic softball team.

While she's pitched well for the American squad, she said representing her country still gives her goose bumps.

"It does. I don't think that it will stop," Henderson said this summer, when she was in Worcester with her team for a game. "Every time I hear the national anthem before the game, I think about what it's going to be like in Sydney and what it's going to be like on the medal stand."

Henderson will be part of a five pitcher rotation that includes Lisa Fernandez, a player Henderson grew up idolizing.

"It's been a great learning experience. Every day I sit here and watch her compete. It's a dream come true," Henderson said. "She's a tough competitor. She goes out there and plays hard every day. She's very intense and focused. You can learn a lot just by watching her. Just talking with players, you learn stuff every day, seeing how they just go at every batter and have a presence out on the mound."

The Americans are among the gold medal favorite in the event, but should draw a stiff challenge from the host Aussies. Like everything in this Olympics, softball won't always be shown live on NBC, CNBC or MSNBC, which are broadcasting the games.

According to www.nbcolympics.com, softball will be featured almost daily on MSNBC. Play begins Sunday.

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If Henderson is looking for familiar faces from her college days Down Under, there will be a few around.

Briana Scurry is back for her second Olympics on the women's soccer team, but this one promises to draw her a little less attention both on and off the field.

Scurry made national headlines after the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, when she honored her promise to run naked through Athens, Ga., after the Americans won the gold medal.

The Australians will get no such view of Scurry, who is the backup goalie to Siri Mullinix, after she suffered severe shin splints.

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Scurry won't be the only ex-Minutewoman goalie in red, white and blue, but field hockey keeper Hilary Rose will salute the Union Jack instead of the Stars and Stripes in her second Olympiad playing for Great Britain.

Great Britain narrowly missed the Bronze medal in 1996, and will be a medal favorite in Sydney.

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Crew will feature three participants with UMass connections in the rowing competition. Minutewoman coach Jim Dietz is coaching the women's lightweight boat, while former UMass rowers Sarah Lauritzen (women's quad) and Sarah Jones (women's eight) will represent Denmark and the U.S., respectively.

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If you've never heard of synchronized diving, you're not alone, but ex-UMass diver Angelique Rodriguez will compete in the event for Puerto Rico. She'll also take part in the 3- and 10-meter dives.