NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Junior Daniella Henderson (Palo Alto, Calif.) has been elected captain of the Yale women's cross country team for the 2026 season. She was chosen via a team vote and introduced as captain at the season-ending banquet Dec. 5.
 
Henderson is part of a rising senior class that also includes Hebe Chadwick (Delft, Netherlands), Priya Gangadharan (Austin, Texas) and Kalista Villatoro (San Diego, Calif.). The Bulldogs have made dramatic strides during that class' time here, rising from sixth at the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships in 2023 to third in 2024 and second in 2025. The team's fifth-place finish at NCAA Regionals this year was its best since 2021 and represented a six-place improvement from 2024. 
 
For Henderson, that progress is a reflection of the team's culture.
 
"Being a part of this team is something I will cherish forever," said Henderson. "This group of women is not only the most hardworking, intelligent, and dedicated, but also deeply kind, wholeheartedly supportive, and, above all, my best friends. The culture we have cultivated is truly special, and I cannot wait to continue showing the younger generations of our group what it means to be a part of this team." 
 
Yale's second-place finish at Heps this past October – the Bulldogs' best Heps finish since 2016 – was particularly memorable for Henderson. 
 
"One of my favorite moments with the team was taking second place at Ivy League Championships this year," said Henderson. "Though we knew we were in a position to do something special, watching a long-term goal become reality was incredible. I will never forget the hug I shared with my teammates on the finish line the moment we heard of our second-place finish; my exhaustion was immediately replaced with overwhelming pride and joy (and maybe a tear or two). Seeing summer training, practices in the heat, and battles with illness come together on that day will forever be one of my favorite memories." 
 
Henderson's fastest time this year came at the Princeton Fall Classic, where she ran a 21:05.5 6K. Her best finish on the team (third) came at Lehigh's Paul Short Run, where her time was 21:17.0. She finished in Yale's top seven at each of the five races she competed in, including Heps and the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships. She has competed at Heps and Regionals in each of the past two seasons, and she earned Yale's Coaches' Award for the 2024 season.
 
Henderson is one of four runners from this year's NCAA Regional seven who will return next year.
 
"This year showed only the beginning of what this amazing group is capable of," said Henderson. "We are a talented group of women with extraordinary depth, and I'm excited to continue watching each member of this team grow both on and off the course. Going into next year, we will continue to train with intention, trust the work we put in, and move as one. Our culture is truly special – the dedication, drive, and love we have for the sport and one another is apparent, inspiring each of us to be the best teammate we can be. With the foundation we've built this year, I no doubt expect to see some special outcomes. It is an incredible privilege and honor to lead such an exceptional group, and I look forward to the continued growth and success we will build together next year."
 
Henderson has served as a student-athlete mentor at Yale since February of this year. An ethics, politics and economics major, she spent last summer as a product management and marketing intern at Monsoon, Inc., an ecommerce software company. She also was selected as a D-League Fellow for the Make A Play Foundation, where she competed individually against more than 200 other college athletes in weekly mock interviews and collaborated with a team of peers to rebrand a U.S. Heinz product and develop a full-cycle strategy to engage new customers with a limited-edition release.
 
Henderson is a graduate of Castilleja School, where she competed in cross country and track and field. She was a four-time California state qualifier and a three-time all-league selection. She also competed in swimming.