NEW ORLEANS- The University of New Orleans women's basketball team finalized its staff for the upcoming 2016-17 season with the addition of former Division I head coach Kate Henderson as a Privateers assistant, head coach
Keeshawn Davenport announced Thursday.
Henderson brings a wealth of experience to the post with 16 years of coaching experience, including the last three at the helm of the University of the Incarnate Word – a fellow member of the Southland Conference. In her current position, Henderson will be responsible for the development of UNO's point guards while also serving as an active recruiter.
"I'm so excited about bringing Kate to the UNO because she's a veteran of the conference and she has so much experience," beamed Davenport. "Not only does she bring a familiarity with the Southland Conference, but she has experience at the junior college and DII levels. We're putting a puzzle together. Kate is an important part to that puzzle and she's going to help us take the program to the next level."
All told, Henderson spent a decade at Incarnate Word: as a graduate assistant from 2001-03, as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from 2007-12, as the associate head coach in 2012-13, as the interim head coach in 2013-14 and as head coach from 2014-16.
Henderson helped Incarnate Word win two Heartland Conference Tournament crowns in 2008 and 2009 with an appearance in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Tournament in 2009. As the Cardinals' interim head coach in 2013-14, Henderson steered the program through the difficult transition from Division II to Division I. During that season, Incarnate Word recorded the best start in the school's history winning the first five games out of the gate.
Under Henderson's direction, Rose Whitehead claimed All-Southland Conference honors by College Sports Madness and the Mora twins – Ify and Kosy – claimed SLC Women's Basketball All-Academic recognition. Both of the Mora's earned a spot on the Capital One Academic All-District VI Team and Ify was tabbed third-team Academic All-American.
"Keeshawn and I battled against each other, and now we get a chance to put our minds together and collaborate." Henderson said. "The fact that Keeshawn and her staff have recruited some good student-athletes and have built a strong foundation is one thing that drew me to this job."
In addition to her time at the San Antonio-based school, Henderson previously served as an assistant at Texas State in 2006-07 as well as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator stints at McLennan County Community College from 2004-06, Texas A&M-Kingsville in 2003-04 and Blinn College in 2000-01.
Henderson helped Texas State qualify for the 2007 Southland Conference Tournament and played a key role in guiding McLennan County CC to a pair of Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference Championships. The Highlassies won a combined 49 games in that two-year span, which was the most by MCCC in 20 years. While at Blinn, the Buccaneers earned a berth in the Region XIV Tournament.
As a student-athlete, Henderson played at Weatherford College from 1996-98 where she helped lead the Lady Coyotes to a pair of conference titles and an appearance in the 1997 NJCAA Final Four. From there, she transferred to Texas Lutheran for the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons.
A native of Corpus Christi, Texas, Henderson completed her bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Texas Lutheran in 2000 and earned her master's in education from Incarnate Word in 2003. She is a member of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches.
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