Playing softball the Texas way: Kayden Henry
From childhood ballparks to the Forty Acres, Kayden Henry's journey is just getting started.
Olivia McMurray
5/7/2025
Growing up, Kayden Henry was often described as a “ballpark baby.” The now–Texas Softball standout was immersed in the game from a young age. Her mother, Karena, was a catcher and outfielder at Abilene Christian University, and their shared love for the sport became a meaningful family bond. “I was always at the ballpark,” Kayden recalls. “It was just part of my life.”
When her family moved from Abilene to Dickinson, a suburb nestled between Houston and Galveston, Henry’s love for softball deepened into a fierce commitment to personal growth. Her passion fueled her ascension in the sport, earning national recognition and top recruiting rankings as the No. 3 overall prospect in Perfect Game’s Top 50 Class of 2023 recruit rankings and as the No. 5 prospect in Extra Inning Softball’s 2023 Extra Elite 100.
Henry’s recruitment journey included visits to schools like Mississippi State and Oregon, but it was her final visit to Texas that sealed her decision. Mike White was leading the Ducks when Kayden visited Eugene, but when the news broke that White was hired at Texas, the top prospect quickly made her decision to follow Coach to the Forty Acres. “It was the people,” she says. “The girls on the team, the coaches, the sense of family—it just felt like home.”
That sense of belonging has remained central to her Texas experience. “The team dynamic is everything,” she says. “We’re family. We’re sisters. We communicate openly, support each other through struggles, and celebrate every success together.” There certainly has been a lot to celebrate for Texas Softball, and in Kayden’s freshman year, she contributed to the program winning its first Big 12 Regular Season Championship outright since 2010 and was a part of the team that reached the Women’s College World Series Championship Series for the second time in the last three seasons.
Off the field, Kayden is equally driven. Henry is majoring in applied movement science and has her sights set on becoming a physical therapist. When asked about being a student-athlete who is a STEM major, Kayden explained, “The challenges are real, but I’ve learned to stay competitive in both areas,” she says. “It’s about finding balance and knowing that everything you’re working toward has a purpose.”
Support from the Longhorn Foundation has played a vital role in making that balance possible. From academic resources to world-class facilities, Kayden has the tools and mentorship needed to thrive. “It’s definitely a challenge setting the bar high for yourself in sports and academics,” she says. “But with the resources we have at Texas, I’ve been able to focus on both and achieve my goals. It makes all the difference in preparing for my future.”
The sophomore has been given a great blueprint from Mia Scott, the senior whom Kayden noted as one of her closest friends. Kayden credits Scott, who will be graduating with a degree in youth and community studies this weekend, for being a great friend and mentor throughout her playing career. “Mia really took me under her wing when I first got to UT. She’s one of my best friends going back to our travel ball days on the Bombers. I’m really sad to see her go, but am so happy for her to be graduating.” At the conclusion of this season, Scott will have exhausted her four years of eligibility, but Henry jokingly made the statement, “I’m going to find a way for her to come back.”
Kayden's determination has led to Texas-sized ambitions, and she knows the support from Longhorn Foundation donors will help propel her to accomplish her athletic and academic dreams. “The Longhorn Foundation cares about me as a person and not just a softball player. Without their backing, none of this is possible. Thank y’all for helping me academically and athletically, it’s made my future brighter.”
The Longhorn Foundation cares about me as a person and not just a softball player... Thank y'all for helping me academically and athletically, it's made my future brighter.Kayden Henry
Kayden Henry’s journey has always been driven by passion. She embodies what it means to compete and succeed in everything she does—she embodies what it means to be a Longhorn.
