-= NMSU PANORAMA - Summer 2005 =- Aggie Sports: Honors Pour in for Retired Basketball Coach Lou Henson

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This department contains multiple stories. Please make a selection:
› A New Era for Aggie Athletics
› Honors Pour in for Retired Basketball Coach Lou Henson
› Three Join the Citizen's Bank/NMSU Athletics Hall of Fame

Honors Pour in for
Retired Basketball Coach Lou Henson

By Rachel Gallagher

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson came to Las Cruces in February to announce the renaming of Highway 28 to "Lou Henson Highway" in honor of Henson's achievements as NMSU head men's backetball coach. Henson retired in January.

Retiring after a 41-year coaching career isn't easy and no one knows that better than Lou Henson, who retired as head men's basketball coach in January after a long illness left him partially paralyzed.

"I have always been a very demanding coach. I expect my players to give 100 percent or they come out of the game. I can expect no less of myself," Henson said in announcing his retirement. "So because I am physically unable to give my all, I am taking myself out of the game."

Henson is noted for his 779 career victories, making him the sixth all-time winningest coach in Division I history. He is one of only 11 coaches to lead two programs to the NCAA Final Four: NMSU in 1970 and the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign in 1989. His teams have made 19 NCAA appearances and four NIT appearances. He is a member of the NMSU, Illinois and Hardin-Simmons halls of fame.

"We are losing a part of who we are as an institution, but at the same time we get to celebrate Coach Henson's great accomplishments," says Athletics Director McKinley Boston. "His legacy will always be part New Mexico State."

Henson earned his bachelor's degree in secondary education in 1955 and his master's degree in educational administration in 1956, both from NMSU. He first returned to his alma mater as head coach from 1966-1975, leading the Aggies to six NCAA appearances, including five consecutive bids from 1966-1971. In 1975, he left NMSU to coach at the University of Illinois. During the next 21 seasons, Henson led the Fighting Illini to 12 NCAA appearances, including his second trip to the Final Four, before retiring in 1997. Soon after, NMSU called on Henson again to be the Aggies' head coach.

Retired men’s basketball coach Lou Henson (right) and his wife, Mary, were the honorary degree recipients at the Spring Commencement ceremony. At left is President Michael Martin.

In 2002, New Mexico State honored Henson by naming the Pan American Center's parquet floor "Lou Henson Court." Henson was honored as "an icon in sports" by New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who traveled to Las Cruces in February to announce the renaming of Highway 28 to "Lou Henson Highway."

Henson and his wife, Mary, have been among NMSU's most active supporters on and off the court. Their commitment to excellence in academics and athletics was demonstrated with their $100,000 donation to help establish the Lou and Mary Henson

Endowed Scholarship Fund in honor of their late son, Lou Jr. The fund supports deserving student-athletes at NMSU.

"Lou Henson has made enormous contributions to athletics and he has served as a role model to people in all walks of life," says NMSU President Mike Martin. "While achieving enormous success, Lou has always maintained a great sense of humility. Lou is an icon in the basketball world and he is a citizen of the first order, not only at our university, but also in the community."

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