Nearly one day after UTSA’s American Athletic Conference tournament loss, the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced that head coach Steve Henson will not return to the program. Refusing to extend his contract, UTSA parted ways with Henson after an eight-year tenure.
Posting winning records in just three of his eight years, Henson continuously struggled to build a winning program. With the announcement of his dismissal, Roadrunner men’s basketball will now look to rebuild and revamp their entire culture.
Beginning his head coaching career in 2016, Henson came to UTSA as an assistant from the University of Oklahoma. Highly touted by his coaching staff and peers, Henson’s hiring in 2016 looked to be very promising for the Roadrunner basketball program. Though his hot start was incredibly promising, his UTSA career proved disappointing in the long run.
Finishing his career at the university with a record of 110-144, Henson did little to elevate the men’s basketball team to new heights. Despite winning 20 games in his second year at UTSA, the coach ultimately failed to string together multiple winning seasons. Playing in Conference USA for most of Henson’s career, the coach was unable to create records over .500, posting three consecutive losing seasons in his last three years.
Switching to the AAC this past season, the Roadrunners (11-20, 5-13) finished with the worst record in the conference. Though individual stars shined offensively throughout the year, Henson failed at corralling his team and creating multiple win streaks. Their recent 11-win year marked a third straight losing season for Henson, as UTSA has averaged only 10 wins in the past three years. Winning only 32 games in those three years, a majority of the blame for the Roadrunners’ struggles has been placed at Henson’s feet. His inability to create defensive schemes and offensive gameplans has made the coach the leading scapegoat during his UTSA tenure.
Dismissed from the program after his eighth season, the Steve Henson era at UTSA has officially come to an end. Releasing a statement this past Thursday regarding his firing, Henson remained positive in his exit from the university. The former coach thanked the staff and numerous players for being grateful for UTSA and the Roadrunner basketball program.
With Henson’s departure, the university will look to revamp its basketball program and build a new culture.
