As the soccer season is coming to a close so is the career of the Pipers fifth-year senior and double-sport athlete Corinne Henning, who played both women’s soccer and women’s hockey at Hamline.

“She’s fantastic,” junior Brook Pigg, women’s soccer midfielder, said of Henning. “She’s one of the hardest workers on the team. She constantly has the best attitude and she’s overall just a fantastic teammate.”

Henning’s journey to Hamline started in 2011 after transferring from Northeastern University (Boston) where she played one year of Division I hockey. Last winter, Henning was named to the MIAC All-Conference team for women’s hockey. This fall, she returned to play out her final year of eligibility for women’s soccer.

Henning grew up playing both soccer and hockey since she was a toddler. She played both sports year-round until she came to Northeastern where she was locked into playing only hockey.

Henning decided to transfer from Northeastern after one year because she said she wanted to come back to her hometown. She went to a boarding school in high school and after being away for five years, she wanted to come back to St. Paul. She said she chose Hamline because she was looking for a smaller school setting and she would be able to play hockey for the Pipers and have the possibility of playing soccer.

Women’s hockey head coach Steve DeBus said when he first met Henning one of the things she asked was if she would have an opportunity to play soccer. DeBus connected her with women’s soccer head coach Ted Zingman.

Zingman said Henning came to him a week prior to tryouts. Although Zingman knew little about Henning, he gave her the greenlight to try out for the squad.

“Our first practice in preseason we always run our fitness test…a very challenging test that not all the players pass,” Zingman said. “Corinne came right out and passed the fitness test.”

Zingman said from there is when he saw the potential.

“That really caught my eye right away, of ‘wow, okay. We got ourselves an athlete here,’” Zingman said. 

Henning said overall she was glad to be able to play soccer again.

“I did miss soccer when I only played hockey,” Henning said. “It was kind  of refreshing, almost, that I’ve taken that break because it made me really appreciate [soccer] that much more.”

Henning also emerged as a player to look out for on the ice during her first year at Hamline as she received an honorable mention on the MIAC All-Conference team for the 2011-2012 season.

“She’s going to be that player whether she’s on the soccer team or the hockey team that you can count on come game time,” DeBus said.

Zingman said she is the most reliable defender for the Pipers.

“If a team has one really dangerous player who I feel is giving us problems, Corinne is the person I’ll put on her,” Zingman said.

DeBus said one of the things he enjoyed about watching Henning play was her natural skill set.

“I always thought there was small little things that she’s always brought to the game, that you can’t teach, you just kind of got it,” DeBus said.

Henning finished her final collegiate hockey game by scoring two goals in the final period.

“It was a nice note to go out on, but obviously when anything ends it’s kind of bittersweet,” Henning said.

DeBus said one of the things he admired about Henning beyond her playmaking ability was her team player mentality. 

“She may not have the points but it’s all the other things that you do,” DeBus said. “She was a, what we call, a quote unquote ‘five tool guy,’…she could do many things out there.”

DeBus said Henning was also a good leader by example.

“She’s got more to offer than what she realizes,” DeBus said. “She may not stand up in the locker room and give this big rousing speech, but I think she’s going to demonstrate; lead by going out and playing hard.”

Henning said she is still connected with the women’s hockey team and is considering rejoining the team after soccer season, this time as an assistant coach.

“I’d love to have her back and I know the players would love to have her around,” DeBus said. “She’s got a lot of useful insight; I think she’ll be good at it.”

Henning said she enjoyed the atmosphere of playing on both teams and the relationships she’s built with both squads was like having “two big families.”

“The biggest thing I’ll take away is the relationships I’ve built with people,” Henning said. “The big wins stick with you but also the little memories: bus trips, funny locker room stories.”

As Henning heads into the final three games of her soccer career, she said overall she’s proud she made the decision to transfer to Hamline.

“I’m proud to have played here, being able to balance the two sports. It’s nice to see both the hockey and soccer programs going in the right direction. Just hoping you leave a positive mark on the program and I hope they continue to experience success,” Henning said. 

Henning offered some advice to other student athletes.

“Just have fun with it and work hard…you only have so much time in your collegiate career and I was lucky to get one extra semester to extend mine,” Henning said. “Do the little things because they add up…you don’t want to be looking back and wish you could have done something. Just give it your all when you can.”