FSU

Ferris State Soccer Tabs Longtime Coach Greg Henson To Head Coaching Post

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University women's soccer program, which reached the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen last year and is coming off the most historic season in school history, has found a new head coach to continue the program's championship climb as Greg Henson was appointed to the post today (July 9) in an announcement made by FSU Athletics Director Perk Weisenburger.

A St. Louis native, Henson most recently has served as the head coach for the past six years at Concordia University in Nebraska, leading his program to an impressive 83-28-16 overall record with three conference championships and two National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Tournament appearances.

Henson will take over for former head coach Andy McCaslin, who departed for another opportunity late this spring after leading FSU to its first NCAA Tournament appearance a year ago.

"Coach Henson was extremely impressive throughout the entire search and evaluation process," said Weisenburger. "He brings considerable success as a head coach to a program and a team that is eager to build off what they did last year. His student-athletes have not only been highly-successful on the field, but they've also been outstanding in the classroom. We look forward to having Coach Henson lead our program and believe he's the perfect fit as our new head coach."

Under Henson's guidance, Concordia has posted the five winningest seasons in program history over the last five years. During that time, the Bulldogs have gone a combined 73-19-15 with two Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) tournament titles (2014, 2016), one outright conference regular-season championship (2017), two national tournament trips, five-straight conference championship game appearances and a national ranking as high as 16th in the country.

"I am extremely grateful to Perk Weisenburger for the wonderful opportunity to lead the women's soccer program at Ferris State," Henson said. "I am eager to get on-campus and start preparing for the fall season as we look to build upon the strong foundation of success that has been established both on and off the field. I am very grateful, honored and exited to start this next journey in my coaching career.      

"I would also like to thank the entire Concordia community for their unwavering support over the past six years," he added. "Specifically Devin Smith, Angela Muller and all my assistant coaches and players past, present and future for believing in the vision I had for the women's soccer program."

While at Concordia, Henson's teams have set program single-season records for wins (16), shutouts (12), goals against (14), longest winning streak (8), longest unbeaten streak (15), most conference wins (9), best goal differential (+47) and second-most goals in a season (67). He's coached a total of 45 all-conference selections, nine all-region performers and an NAIA All-American. A total of 51 players have also claimed NAIA Scholar-Athlete recognition with four chosen as Academic All-Americans.

In 2017, Henson earned GPAC and United Soccer Coaches Plains Region Coach of the Year honors and his teams have also performed extremely well in the classroom, earning NAIA Scholar Team and United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award laurels for six consecutive years. His squads have also posted a team grade point average of at least 3.4 each academic year. His 2013 team led the NAIA in number of scholar-athletes and topped all women's soccer programs nationally (NAIA and all NCAA divisions) with a combined 3.75 GPA.

Prior to Concordia, Henson served as the head girls varsity soccer coach for three years at Lutheran High School in St. Charles, Mo., where he earned 2011 and 2013 Archdiocesan Athletic Association (AAA) Coach of the Year honors. In total, Henson has nearly 20 years of soccer coaching experience at the collegiate, high school and club levels.

As the head coach at Lutheran High School, Henson guided the Lady Cougars to the state tournament quarterfinals and the school's second most victories in program history in 2013 during a 17-7 campaign that included Lutheran's first-ever Class 1 District 7 championship and first AAA Conference championship. Following the remarkable season, Henson was named Class 1 Central Region Coach of the Year.

Henson's coaching background also includes experience on the NCAA Division II level where he served as the assistant women's soccer coach at Lindenwood University in St. Charles for two seasons (2011-12). In this role, he contributed in virtually all aspects of the program, including training, game planning and recruiting. He also instructed Freshman Orientation, a two-credit course at Lindenwood.

Prior to his time at Lindenwood, Henson enjoyed a successful tenure as the head men's soccer coach at St. Louis Community College in 2009 and 2010. He directed the Highlanders to the 2010 Midwest Community College Athletic Conference title and was named the league's Coach of the Year after leading the squad to its first winning season and league title in more than a decade.

Henson holds a United States Soccer Federation National "B" License and Level III Goalkeeping Diploma from the United Soccer Coaches Association. He coached at the club level in the St. Louis area from 2001-10 and has held positions as a staff coach for the Missouri Olympic Development Program, assistant coach for the St. Louis Lions of the Premier Development League, assistant tournament director for the St. Louis College Showcase and tournament director for the annual Highlander Futsal Classic.

In addition to his main role as head women's soccer coach, Henson also served as director of intramurals and taught classes within the health and human performance department at Concordia. He holds a bachelor of arts degree in human resource management from Webster University (1998) and a master of arts in sports management from Lindenwood (2013).

Ferris State finished the 2018 season ranked 10th in the country in the final United Soccer Coaches National Rankings. The Bulldogs wrapped up the campaign with a school all-time best 17-4-3 overall record en route to a D2 Sweet Sixteen finish. Ferris State was also the runner-up in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) regular season and made the program's first appearance in the GLIAC Tournament Championship game.

FSU, which returns the bulk of its roster this fall, will open the 2019 regular-season at home against Truman State (Mo.) at the Bulldog Soccer Field on Friday, Sept. 6, starting at 4 p.m. (ET).