Peninsula College’s Olivia Henderson will continue her basketball career just 120 miles down U.S. Highway 101 in Olympia.

The sophomore guard signed her letter of intent to play at Evergreen State College earlier this spring.

Henderson, originally of Juneau, Alaska, played point guard for the Pirates for two years, and started in that position as a sophomore.

She represents a pipeline of Alaska athletes who have played for P.C. head coach Alison Crumb at Peninsula, including a number of outstanding players from Juneau-Douglas High School. Henderson averaged six points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals in 30 minutes per game. She will be graduating with her Associate of Arts Degree with a 3.22 grade-point average.

The elementary education major served as a peer mentor at P.C. this year and has helped with numerous events in the community as well as being a Pirate Pal to the Olympic Avalanche Youth Basketball team during the 2013-2014 season.

“Olivia is one of the rare student-athletes that does not need coaching off the floor,” Crumb said. “She has never been late to a practice, meeting or event. She has never complained or showed negativity in the entire two years that she has been here. This is why she is a great point guard, along with her incredible speed and court awareness.”

Crumb added, “She is dependable and her teammates trust her. As a coach, you could not ask for a better person and player to be involved in your program. I do not think she even knows how much this school and program will miss her leadership, her character and her competitiveness.”

Henderson said she’s looking forward to playing at the next level.

“I’m really looking forward to transferring on and continuing to compete and I hope to gain more growth as a player and as a person,” Henderson said. “I hope that my experience there will be just as amazing as playing at P.C. I wouldn’t trade coming here for anything. Coming to P.C. really helped me grow as a basketball player. I learned my strengths and weaknesses and learned how to be a better leader because that’s what point guards do. P.C. also helped me grow as a person. I learned the power of leadership, the importance of communication and teamwork, and how to be a positive role model. I have really appreciated all that my coaches and this school has done for me in these past two years.”