Youngest Hall of Fame Inductee Coaching What She Learned as an All-America Athlete
4/28/2023 12:59:00 PM | Tulsa Hurricane, Volleyball, Hall of Fame
Tulsa Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday
TULSA, Okla. –– The newest class of inductees to The University of Tulsa's Athletic Hall of Fame will be honored Saturday night in induction ceremonies at the Lorton Performance Center on the TU campus.
The class includes a football team, the 1922 squad, that is the last to go undefeated, four All-Americans – football's Rick Engles, cross country/track's Alex Becker, tennis's Arnau Brugues, volleyball's Tyler Henderson – and football student-athlete, Ray Rhodes, who went on to become a successful NFL head coach.
A few years after becoming the most successful volleyball player in University of Tulsa history, the youngest of this year's class, Henderson, found her way back to the sport, and she hasn't left it.
Henderson coaches in the Dallas area, serving as a significant role model to the 13-year-old girls on her team. They often find her highlights on the Internet and are floored by her accomplishments.
"They like to ask me a lot of questions about how I did it, what my process was," Henderson said. "I try to give them as much feedback and encouragement as I possibly can, but it makes me happy that they are so excited to learn about me."
A three-time All-American who played for the Hurricane in 2009-12, Henderson led TU to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Her records that are still standing include 2,525 kills and a .328 career hitting percentage.
Henderson's No. 7 jersey has been retired, and she will be among Saturday's inductees into the prestigious TU Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the 2023 class.
"To come back and get recognition for all my accomplishments, it's a pretty big deal," she said. "I'm still processing it because I'm kind of still in shock."
A decade removed from her playing career, Henderson is remembered for a fierce competitiveness on the court and a sweet, quiet nature off it. She fell in love with volleyball while growing up in Oklahoma City, where she won four Class 4A state championships at Heritage Hall.
Despite being a coveted player for TU out of high school, Henderson was admittedly a little intimidated when she initially arrived on campus.
"My first practice, I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I don't know if I'm really cut out for this,'" she said. "When you're a freshman, it's very scary and you don't know what to expect from anything.
"But I knew this is something that I really wanted to do, and I knew I needed to at least try it out before I made any big choices. Eventually it started to catch on, and I was able to feel more comfortable in what I was doing."
Henderson didn't need long to settle in. She was Conference USA and AVCA Midwest Region Freshman of the Year, then was selected as the C-USA Player of the Year for her final three seasons. Henderson also was a four-time AVCA all-Midwest Region first-team selection.
In her most memorable performance, Henderson recorded 45 kills against SMU in 2010, when TU went a program-best 31-3 with a 20-0 mark in Conference USA.
"That game is still one of my highest accomplishments," she said. "I just must have been on fire that day."
Asked what else she will always remember from her storied career, Henderson didn't hesitate.
"I think my best memories from my years at Tulsa are basically all the friendships that I made with my teammates," she said. "I'm very close with all of them still to this day."