BRISTOL, Tenn. - On Tuesday, King University director of athletics
David Hicks named
Sam Henley as the interim head swimming coach. Henley currently serves as a faculty member in King's Exercise Science program, as well as serving as a strength and conditioning coach for the Tornado.
"Sam is the perfect candidate to fill this role and bridge the gap until we find the right person to serve as our head swim coach on a permanent basis," said Hicks. "When it became apparent that we would not have a permanent head coach in place by the time classes started, Sam was my first phone call."
Henley first came to King in the fall of 2019 as a volunteer assistant with the swim program, while completing his Master's of Science degree in Sport Science and Coaching Education at East Tennessee State University. That season, he led the team's strength and conditioning program and assisted with all aspects of the training program.
"I look forward to serving the King University athletic department and swim team in my interim coach role," Henley said. "I have always wanted to coach college swimming; and I am grateful for the opportunity to assist these athletes in achieving their goals."
The 2019-20 season was one of the most successful in recent history for King swimming, with both the men and women finishing third at the Conference Carolinas Championships, the highest finish for the women in the five-year history of the Conference Carolinas Championship. The women also posted a 9-2 record in 2019 in dual meets, setting program records in both wins and winning percentage in the NCCA era, while the men posted a 6-3 record.
Following the 2019-20 season, Henley joined the Exercise Science faculty at King, and remained involved with the Tornado by serving as a strength and conditioning coach, along with his fellow faculty member, Emily Conner. In that role, he continued to work with the swim program in addition to other Tornado athletic teams.
"Sam's passion for King students is tremendous," Hicks continued. "As our strength coach, his commitment to excellence, as well as his knowledge, has made our programs better. He's the ideal coach for this period, as our swimmers are very familiar with him, and our swimmers are excited about his continued leadership."
In addition to his educational background, Henley is a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and brings extensive coaching experience on the club level, having coached multiple national ranked swimmers and junior national finalists during his 10 years with Barracuda Swim Club, Tennessee Aquatics, and Southeastern Swimming.
A national search for a permanent head coach will continue into the fall.
