Bonnie Henrickson is the head women's college basketball coach at the University of Kansas

University of Kansas

The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...

. She was born in Willmar, Minnesota, and attended St. Cloud State University

St. Cloud State University

St. Cloud State University is a four-year public university founded in 1869 on the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States. The university is the largest member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system which is the largest single provider of higher...

 where she graduated in 1986. She earned her master's degree from Western Illinois University

Western Illinois University

Western Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became...

, where she also served as a graduate assistant
Prior to becoming the head coach at Kansas, she was the head coach at Virginia Tech, where she led the Hokies to a 158-62 record, including 7 Post-season appearances. In every season, Virginia Tech won 20 or more games. She also served as an assistant coach at the University of Iowa.

Biography

Bonnier Henrickson is a native of Willmar, Minnesota. She has four siblings. She graduated from St. Cloud State University in 1986. When playing at SCSU, she helped win three Northern Sun Conference championships and advance to three NCAA Division II quarterfinals. In her four years SCSU had a 97-25 record, including a 31-4 record in her sophomore season. She has records at SCSU in total points scored (4th - 1,731), rebounds (3rd - 995), free throws (1st - 507) and free throw percentage (4th - .790). She also was named to the All-Conference Team three times. Henrickson was a team captain her junior and senior years. She earned her Master's degree in Physical Education in 1988 from Western Illinois University while holding the position as a graduate assistant coach with the women's basketball team.

As a leader

• 2005 Carol Eckman Award Winner
• 2004-05 Kansas City Star honorable
mention consideration for Big 12 Coach of
the Year
• 2004 Virginia SID Coach of the Year
• 2003 Head Coach USA Jones Cup Team
(Gold Medal)
• 1999 National Coach of the Year finalist
• 1999 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year
• 1999 Asst. Coach USA World University

Under her leadership

• 8 postseason appearances
• Average 21 wins per season
• 2 conference championships
• 1 NCAA Sweet 16
• #9 AP Top 25 ranking

Under her guidance

• 3 WNBA draftees
• 14 all-conference performers
• 3 Academic All-Americans
NCAA APPEARANCES
1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004

Team

Virginia Tech 1997-2004

Henrickson was head coach at Virginia Tech for seven years. From 1997-2004, she led the Hokies to a record of 158-62 record and seven post season appearances. Under her leadership Virginia Tech reached twenty plus victories each season. She also led the Hokies to five NCAA tournament and two WNIT appearances. A major turnaround occurred in 1997 during Henrickson’s first basketball season with VT. After coming off a 10-21 record the previous year, she led the Hokies to their first Atlantic 10 conference title and NCAA second round appearance. She ended the season with a 22-10 record. In the 2003-2004 season with the Lady Hokies, Henrickson led her team to a 23-8 overall record, with a record of 10-6 in the Big East conference. For the second straight year, Virginia Tech made the second round of the NCAA tournament

NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship

The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...

. After establishing a great career at Virginia Tech, Henrickson left to coach at the University of Kansas.

2004-2005

In 2004-2005, Kansas established its most wins, twelve and four Big 12 conference

Big 12 Conference

The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...

 wins, in four seasons. The Jayhawks also placed eighth in the Big 12, which was their best ranking in five years. In 2005, Henrickson earned the Carol Eckman Award

Carol Eckman Award

The Carol Eckman Award is an award given annually since 1986 to the women's college basketball active coach who "best demonstrates the character of the late Carol Eckman, the mother of the collegiate women's basketball national championship"...

 given by WBCA

Women's Basketball Coaches Association

The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is an association of coaches of women's basketball teams at all levels.The organization was formed in 1981, with the goal of addressing the needs of women's basketball coaches.The mission of the WBCA is:...

. This award recognized her for having spirit, integrity, and character through sportsmanship, commitment to the student-athlete, honesty, behavior, courage, and dedication to purpose.

2005-2006

Kansas showed a tremendous turnaround in the 2005-2006 season. The post season ended with a birth in the WNIT

WNIT

WNIT is the PBS member television station for South Bend, Indiana. Its studios are located in South Bend. WNIT broadcasts on digital channel 35 ....

, which was Kansas’s first appearance since 2000. Henrickson guided the Lady Jayhawks to a 17-13 overall record, which was Kansas’s first winning season in six years. In addition, Henrickson guided the Jayhawks to their most consecutive wins, twelve, to start the season, which broke the school a record. Kansas also broke the drought of a thirty-six game losing streak against ranked opponents by beating number 23 Texas.

2006-2007

The 2006-2007 would be a challenge to Henrickson, as she brought in seven freshman with only two seniors. Kansas won their last five out of seven games. Freshman Kelly Kohn and Danielle McCray

Danielle McCray

Danielle McCray is a forward for the Connecticut Sun of the WNBA. McCray was born November 8, 1987 in Boynton Beach, Florida. McCray was selected 7th overall in the 2010 WNBA Draft. She played collegiately for the Kansas Jayhawks where she was named a second-team All-American during her senior season...

each received Big 12 Newcomer Awards. Kohn also picked up New Comer of the Week (Dec 17 2006). McCray earned herself the honor as a member of the Waco Tribune-Herald Big 12 All Freshman Team.

2007-2008

Her Jayhawk squad in 2007-2008 posted a winning record of 17-16. While sophomore guard-forward Danielle McCray received All-Big 12 Honorable mention by the league coaches. A freshman Krysten Boogard was also honored that year by making the Big 12 All-Rookie Team. Under her guidance, the Jayhawks advanced to the post play by appearing in the WNIT. Henrickson’s second time in the WNIT in her four years coaching at Kansas.

2008–2009

The 2008–2009 season marked one of the most successful seasons Kansas has had in women's basketball. The Jayhawks opened the season with an 11–2 record against non-conference opponents. Although they struggled in the beginning of conference play, Henrickson and her dedicated team won four of the five conference games, including victories over number 23 Iowa State and number 5 Baylor. The Jayhawks ended regular season placing seventh in the Big 12, with a 6–10 record in conference play, the most wins in Henrickson’s career at KU.

Junior guard Danielle McCray also had a breakthrough season. McCray was placed on the Big 12 First Team. She was also All-American Honorable Mention by both The Associated Press and State Farm. McCray also earned three Big 12 Player of the Week awards. At the end of her junior she was selected as All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year. McCray was also a gold medalist for the USA Olympic team in Serbia.

The post-season was a big step in the program. Kansas won four straight games in the WNIT including wins against Arkansas, New Mexico, and Illinois State. Although falling to South Florida in the finals, Henrickson and the Jayhawks set a new attendance record. When KU hosted South Florida in the WNIT finals they set a record in attendance for women's basketball with 16,113 people. KU also finished the season ranked in the top 25 on the NCAA attendance chart.

External links

• http://kuathletics.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/henrickson_bonnie00.html - profile from Kansas
• http://www.hokiesports.com/staff/henrickson.html - profile from Virginia Tech