Kenna Raye Dark

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

Major: Exercise and sports science

Accolades:

AS A JUNIOR (2025)

Made 37 appearances and 31 starts
Threw a team-high 178 innings, finishing with a 3.34 ERA
Had seven complete game shutouts ranking second in the ACC and seventh in the nation
Finished third in the ACC with 15 complete games
Struck out 134 batters, ranking top five in the ACC
Had a career-high 11 strikeouts against Princeton (2/14/25)
Threw a complete game shutout against back to back days against Maryland and Queens (2/22/25-2/23/25)
Threw her first career no-hitter against Saint Joseph’s (3/2/25)
Threw a complete game shutout in the ACC Tournament against Notre Dame (5/7/25)
Pitched 12.2 innings in the ACC Tournament without allowing an earned run

AS A SOPHOMORE (2024):

Appeared in 29 games, making 18 starts both at the plate and in the circle
Made 27 appearances and 17 starts in the circle
Led the Tar Heel pitching staff with a team-high 109.2 innings pitched and 11 complete games
Finished the season with an 8-7 record, tied for most victories on staff, a 2.94 ERA and 54 strikeouts
Had both of Carolina's saves: vs. UNCG (2/21/24) and at Liberty (4/17/24)
Pitched back-to-back complete game shutouts: vs. Mount St. Mary's (2/25/24) and vs. Oakland (2/28/24)
Tallied a career-best eight strikeouts vs. Mount St. Mary's (2/25/24)

AS A FRESHMAN (2023):

Appeared in 33 games, making 13 starts, both as a pitcher and at the plate
Made 28 appearances in the circle with 11 starts
Recorded first career hit, a double, in first career game vs. Cal Baptist (2/9/23)
Earned first career victory in the circle vs. NCCU (2/21/23), allowing just one hit with five strikeouts in five innings of work
Recorded a season-high six strikeouts vs. Charlotte (4/26/23)
Tallied first conference win at Boston College (3/24/23), throwing a complete-game shutout, allowing just three hits
Threw three complete games
Finished the season with a 4-7 record and 3.53 ERA in 87.1 innings pitched with 49 strikeouts
At the plate, hit .188 in 16 at-bats with three hits, all doubles, and three RBIs

HIGH SCHOOL:

A four-year letterwinner at Eastern Alamance High School, playing for coach Daniel Lee Way
Helped lead the Eagles to a 2022 3A State Championship title and was named Championship MVP
The 2020 North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year, Dark finished her junior year with 2020 3A All-State and NC Fastpitch team honors
A four-time all-conference honoree, Dark was named the 2019 Midstate Conference Player of the Year after helping Eastern Alamance to a 3A State Championship
in 2019, she had a 19-2 record in the circle with a 0.92 ERA and 289 strikeouts, while recording a .435 batting average, 10 home runs and 30 RBIs
Has earned Midstate Academic All-Conference honors every season

TRAVEL:

Dark played travel ball with the Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier 18u under coach Rock Thompson
2022 PGF Premier National 18u Champion
With the Thunderbolts, Dark helped her team to the 2020 USA Gold National 18u Championship title and a third-place finish in the PGF Nationals in 2021

PERSONAL: