Buena Vista University

As a Beaver student-athlete, Jeannie (Demers) Henningsen ’87 earned All-America, All-Region, and All Iowa Conference accolades in basketball and softball. Playing third base as a freshman, Henningsen helped the softball team earn a national championship in 1984. She later earned National Small College Player of the Year honors in softball.

On the basketball court, Henningsen set the record for points among NCAA student-athletes, finishing her career with 3,171 points, an NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball record that stands to this day. She was a three-time First-Team All-American and helped guide the Beavers of Coach John Naughton ’50 to a league championship in 1985. She also earned Academic All-American honors having fashioned a perfect 4.0 GPA in the classroom.

In 2024, Henningsen retired as Principal of the Alta-Aurelia Community School District, capping a 34-year career in education. As an educator, Henningsen served multiple sports as a coach, including softball, basketball, and volleyball. She celebrated winning her 500th match on the volleyball court as a head coach in 2022.