Virginia announces addition of transfer Savanah Henley

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia head coach Joanna Hardin announced the addition of Savanah Henley to the program on Tuesday.

A left-handed pitcher, Henley ((Mechanicsville, Va., Purdue) has signed grant-in-aid documents and will be eligible to compete for the Cavaliers in the 2021-22 academic year.

Henley joins the Cavaliers after playing her freshman season at Purdue in the spring of 2021.

“Savanah is a great addition to our pitching staff,” Hardin said. “She brings competitive fire to the circle and as a lefty, she provides a different look for us. As a Virginia native she is passionate about competing in her home state for the University of Virginia. We are excited for her to get to Charlottesville.”

In her one season with the Boilermakers, Henley appeared in 22 games and made 11 starts with 72.2 innings pitched. She posted a 3.18 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP in that that time, striking out 56 batters and walking 37 on the way to a 4-7 record. She turned in four complete games, including a shutout of Minnesota in which she struck out a season-high 13 batters. She also posted wins over Michigan State, Penn State and Indiana.

Prior to beginning her career at Purdue, Henley pitched at Mechanicsville High School (formerly Lee-Davis High School). She was a three-time All-Region selection and earned first-team All-State honors as a sophomore as she helped her team to the semifinals at the state tournament. As a freshman, she was a second-team All-State selection after helping the team to a runner-up finish. Henley did not compete as a senior due to COVID-19.