University of Tennessee Athletics
2022 Softball Roster
Roster
C
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballUT
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballC/OF
/ SoftballP
/ Softball1B
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballC
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballP
/ SoftballP
/ SoftballP
/ SoftballUT
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballP
/ SoftballP
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
Jersey Number 6
Samantha Bender
- Position:
- Pitcher
- Class:
- Redshirt Senior
- Height:
- 5-8
- B/T:
- R/R
- Hometown:
- Chambersburg, Pa.
- High School:
- Chambersburg Area Senior
CAREER HIGHS
- Innings Pitched: 7.0 (2x), last vs. Bowling Green (3/1/20)
- Strikeouts: 6 vs. Howard (3/3/18)
- Batters Faced: 30 (2x), last vs. Toledo (3/7/20)
- No-Hitters: 1 vs. Northern Kentucky (2/28/21)
CAREER HONORS
- 2022 Easton/NFCA Scholar Athlete
- 2022 Spring SEC Academic Honor Roll
- 2022 NCAA Women's Enhancement Graduate Scholarship Recipient
- 2021 Easton/NFCA Scholar Athlete
- 2021 SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll
- 2019-20 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll
- 2019 MAAC All-Academic Team
2022 - REDSHIRT SENIOR
- Made five appearances with 6.0 innings pitched and a pair of strikeouts
- Completed her bachelor's degree in kinseiology in May 2022
- Pitch 2.2 scoreless innings of relief vs. Mississippi State (4/2)
- Came on in relief vs. No. 5 Washington (2/18), throwing 1.1 innings with one strikeout
- Made her season debut vs. No. 6 Florida State (2/17), tossing one inning of relief
2021 - REDSHIRT JUNIOR
- Made 13 appearances in the circle with three starts
- Recorded 17 strikeouts and owned a 2.75 ERA in 35.2 innings pitched
- Posted a 1-2 record and also logged a pair of saves
- Made her third start of the season vs. Tennessee State (4/14) and did not allow a run in 2.0 innings pitched
- Fanned a season-high four batters in 2.0 innings of relief vs. Campbell (3/7)
- Tossed her first career no-hitter vs. Northern Kentucky (2/28), using just 55 pitches to retire 15 of 16 batters faced in the 8-0 victory
- Recorded her second consecutive save vs. Central Michigan (2/27), throwing one scoreless inning to close out the 9-0 win
- Made her first appearacnce of the season with three hitless innings of relief and three strikeouts to earn the save vs. Ohio (2/22)
2020 - JUNIOR
- Made 13 appearances in the circle, starting six times
- Finished with a 2.77 ERA and a 5-1 win-loss record
- Pitched 43.0 innings and threw two complete games
- Fanned 14 batters and gave up 13 walks
- Pitched three strikeouts and gave up one earned run in 4.2 innings vs FIU on Feb. 21
2019 - SOPHOMORE (AT IONA COLLEGE)
- MAAC All-Academic Team selection
- Made six appearances, getting the start three times
- Was 0-3 with a 3.15 ERA across 20 innings pitched
- Allowed 26 hits and struck out nine batters
2018 - FRESHMAN (AT IONA COLLEGE)
- Made 18 appearances and started eight games
- Finished season with a 1-8 record, 6.36 ERA and 50.2 innings pitched
- Recorded four saves; the single-season record for Iona and also ranked atop the MAAC
- Ended season tied for first all-time in program history in saves (4)
- Ranked 49th nationally with four saves
- Threw seven shutout innings against Marist (Apr. 22)
PERSONAL
- Daughter of Mark and Candace Bender
- Completed her degree in Kinesiology in May of 2022
- Transferred to UT because of the competitive atmosphere, academic professionalism and good people
- Swam and played volleyball in high school
SB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Nebraska (5.25.25)
Sunday, May 25
SB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Nebraska (5.24.25)
Saturday, May 24
SB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Nebraska (5.23.25)
Friday, May 23
SB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Ohio State (5.18.25)
Sunday, May 18
