Melanie Henkes

2004 SEC Academic Honor Roll
2005 SEC Academic Honor Roll

Outlook
Returns after missing half of the season due to shoulder injury and surgery … Most seasoned pitcher on staff … Enters the season with 255 career strikeouts and ranks ninth all-time among Gamecock leaders.

2005
Went 10-4 in 2005 and posted a 1.98 ERA … Pitched 1.2 innings in the Georgia game on April 5 before a shoulder injury sidelined her for the remainder of the season … Finished the season with 10 wins in 21 appearances … Led the team in wins despite playing only half a season … Threw nine complete games in 18 starts and 21 appearances … Has 38 career wins, which ranks tenth all-time among Gamecock pitchers … Recorded a season high eight strikeouts against Arkansas on 3/9 … Lead the team with 81 strikeouts on the season … Recorded her 200th career strikeout on 2/18 against SE Louisiana … Threw nine complete games and posted four shutouts, a team high … Named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll for the second year in a row.

2004
Was the team[apos]s leading pitcher with nine wins … Had 17 starts in 22 appearances … Picked up her 20th career win in game one over UNC (2/8) … Recorded a season-high 10-strikeouts against Arkansas on 3/16 … Also pitched a season high eight innings … Struck out seven in game for season high vs. an SEC team this year … Recorded her fourth career NCAA victory with win over Centenary, most NCAA wins on current pitching staff.

2003
Led the team in wins (19) and shutouts (6) … Pitched a team leading 14 complete games … In 35 appearances, made 27 starts … Recorded a career high 11 strikeouts in game against Furman (4/23) where she also pitched a one-hitter … Recorded an ERA of 2.46 and in SEC play posted a 2.30 ERA … Earned the game one win against Alabama … First SEC win came against Arkansas … Second on the team in strikeouts with 105 … Recorded two saves: Florida and Ole Miss.

High School
Graduated from South Aiken … Named 2002 Miss Softball Player for South Carolina … Division 3 AAAA Player of the Year … Four-year varsity letterman for softball … Two-time all-state selection … Two-time South Aiken H.S. Softball MVP … Four-time all-region selection … Also lettered in volleyball and basketball at South Aiken H.S … Played five years for the Carolina Dynamites.

Personal
Full name is Melanie Anne Henkes … Was nominated for Wendy[apos]s High School Heisman award … Majoring in Sport Management … Born on Oct. 12, 1984 … Parents are Yvonne and the late Harley Henkes … Brother, Kenneth is a Citadel graduate.

Extra-Innings With Melanie…

What is your goal for the team this season? To make it to the World Series

What is one thing you have always wanted to do? Skydive
How would you describe yourself? Independent, silly, mature when I have to be, southern, mellow sometimes, witty and ALWAYS punctual (That is a joke!)
What song pumps you up before a game?
AC/DC[apos]s ‘Back in Black’
What is the best gift someone could ever give you? Abs that never went away no matter what I ate.
If you had your choice of one automobile, what would it be? A classic convertible Mustang.
When I am not playing softball, I am …
Studying.
What have you learned from softball you would like to pass along to others? It hurts just as much to get hit by a softball as it does a baseball.
What is the best advice you were ever given? You will meet plenty of people in your life, but only a few of them will become your true best friends.
^TMTM