Once in line to play for one of the nation’s top junior college programs, Sequim High grad Claire Henninger is now headed to Bellingham to play for one of the top NCAA-Division II programs in the nation.

An All-Olympic League first team goalkeeper, Henninger signed her letter of intent to play last week for Western Washington University this fall, surrounded by her teammates and coaches at the SHS library on June 6.

“I’m very excited; it’s been my dream (to play there) since I was 5,” said Henninger, the future kinesiology major (pre-med focus).

A 5-foot 9-inch goalkeeper who earned a varsity letter all four years during her prep career, she was a team captain her junior and senior seasons at Sequim High. She also played club for Peninsula Soccer Academy in the North Puget Sound League.

Henninger recorded 28 shutouts during her prep career, including eight in 12 games during her senior season (2017). She was named to the All-Olympic League First Team three times and twice earned 2A Honorable Mention All-State honors. Henninger also received the WIAA Outstanding Scholastic Award three times. She was also selected the Peninsula Daily News’ All-Peninsula Girls Soccer MVP.

“Claire is a fantastic athlete with a huge upside,” Travis Connell, WWU’s head women’s soccer coach, said. “She has the right mentality to be a tremendous college goalkeeper.”

Western won the 2016 NCAA II national championship and are coming off another strong season in 2017, going 18-2 and playing in the NCAA II West Regional Championship game for the fifth time in the last six seasons.