TTU Sports Hall of Fame to add softall pitcher Brandy Henry
During just two seasons in a Golden Eagle softball uniform, pitcher Brandy Henry Kleeman made an indelible mark on the Tennessee Tech program. Friday evening she will be inducted into the TTU Sports Hall of Fame as part of Homecoming festivities on campus.
Dinner and Induction slated for Friday evening
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – During just two seasons in a Golden Eagle softball uniform, pitcher Brandy Henry Kleeman made an indelible mark on the Tennessee Tech program. So well, in fact, that in May her name was placed on the Wall of Honor in centerfield at the TTU Softball Field.
Now, in even greater recognition of her Golden Eagle success, she is one of four people who will be enshrined into the Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Fame on Friday as the school honors its athletic legacy with the 36th annual induction ceremony.
The 2010 Hall of Fame Class will be honored during Homecoming weekend, Nov. 12-13. The induction will take place at the Hall of Fame Dinner Friday evening, and the group will also be recognized at the Homecoming football game Saturday against Eastern Kentucky.
A two-year starting pitcher for the Golden Eagles in 1999 and 2000, Henry was a dominant presence in the circle. She finished her career with the second-most wins in the program’s history at that time, and her 30 wins in 2000 marked the highest single-season total by a Golden Eagle.
The team’s top starter in both of her seasons at Tech, Henry helped Tech to a 40-win season as a senior in 2000 after pitching a record 284 innings. She led the Golden Eagles with a 1.43 ERA and 30 victories while notching 11 shutout wins. She struck out 161 batters and went the distance in a program-record 33 of her starts. A workhorse for the team, she handled the workload by earning 75 percent of Tech’s wins.
The previous season, Henry led the team with 17 victories and a 1.39 ERA to go along with 20 complete games and five shutouts in coach Tory Acheson’s first season at the helm.
She continued to mow down opposing hitters throughout the season and was recognized as the team’s Most Valuable Player and Pitcher of the Year. She also garnered first-team all-OVC accolades and was Tech’s first-ever all-region selection.
Her consistency was on full display during her senior campaign as she repeated as the team’s MVP and Pitcher of the Year. After earning three OVC Pitcher of the Week honors during the season, Henry was once again named to the all-OVC first-team. Along the way, Henry recorded her second career no-hitter when she held UT Martin at bay in a game during the heat of the OVC regular season title race.
Not to be lost in the mix was how Henry handled herself off the field. A two-time winner of the softball team’s President’s Award – the highest honor a Tennessee Tech student-athlete can receive – Henry appeared on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll in each of her four semesters at Tech. During her senior season, Henry joined six Golden Eagles before her when she was recognized on the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team.
She received her degree in Multidisciplinary Studies in 2001, and married former Golden Eagle baseball player Brad Kleeman in 2003. The couple has a two-year old son, Parker. Brandy began her career by teaching first and third grades for six years in the Georgia Public School system. She was an assistant principal for one year, and has spent the past three years teaching in the Georgia Cyber Academy, an online charter school.
She continued to be involved in her sport, spending one season as the pitching coach at Kennesaw State University. She has also coached high school softball, and has given private pitching lessons.
Joining Henry Kleeman in the Class of 2010 are Diane Seng Haynes, Steve Hawkins and Gene Palmer. With their induction, the Hall of Fame will grow to 154 since it was established in 1975.
Tickets to the Hall of Fame Dinner and the game are available by calling (931) 372-3940, or through the Athletics ticket office in Eblen Center. Reservations must be made for the dinner, and tickets are $25 each. Reservations may also be made online at TTUsports.com.
