West Burlington, IA- No matter who Southeastern Community College picked to be the new head coach for the men’s basketball program, it was going to be large shoes to fill after Lorenzo Watkins resigned with nearly 200 victories, three-time Region IX champions, and two Region IX DI Coach of the Year honors. Still, the Blackhawks found an excellent replacement in Steve Henson.
Henson makes the trip north from Texas after most recently being an assistant coach at the University of Baylor, following eight years as the head coach at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), which was highlighted by a Conference USA Coach of the Year award in 2018 when the Road Runners won 20 games and made a postseason appearance.
Along with his experience at Baylor and UTSA, Henson has held coaching positions at Oklahoma, UNLV, South Florida, Illinois, and the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. SCC athletic director Joe O’Brien is excited about the new leader of the program,
“Steve Henson has excelled at every level of basketball, and we’re excited to welcome him to SCC. His experience developing student-athletes and building successful programs makes him an outstanding fit for Blackhawk basketball.”
Along with an extensive coaching career, Henson was a four-year starter and First Team All-Big Eight Selection at Kansas State University as a standout point guard. Additionally, he was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 44th overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft and went on to play professionally in the NBA and overseas.
“Steve’s reputation for student-athlete development makes him a great fit for SCC,” said SCC President Dr. Michael Ash. “He brings seasoned leadership to our athletics program, and we look forward to the positive impact he will have on our student-athletes and campus community.”
As head coach, Henson will oversee all aspects of the Blackhawks men’s basketball program, including recruiting, player development, practice planning, and game strategy. His experience at the NCAA Division I and professional levels brings a wealth of knowledge to SCC and provides student-athletes the opportunity to learn from a coach who has competed and coached at the highest levels of the game.
“I am honored to join Southeastern Community College as the next head coach of men’s basketball,” Henson said. “The history of Blackhawk basketball, the support from the fans, and the pride surrounding this program made SCC the right place for me. I look forward to developing our student-athletes and building a culture of accountability, hard work, and excellence.”
Henson starts on July 1.