Gene Henley

Gene has covered sports in the Chattanooga area since 2008 and has ascended from covering preps to colleges in his time. He primarily covers UTC athletics, a job he's held from 2013-18 and again since 2020, having spent two seasons covering Tennessee pre-pandemic. Gene played four seasons of college basketball and has a 20-year son named Judah who plays at Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri.

Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com.

UTC women ride dominating defense to another SoCon victory

by Gene Henley ·January 10, 2026

Two games into SoCon play, the UTC women's basketball team has played the type of defense Deandra Schirmer was hoping for all along this season.

Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / UTC's Kalifa Ford (34) and Izzy McPherson, right, close in on Furman's Clare Coyle as she tries to push past during a SoCon game Saturday at McKenzie Arena.

UTC women dominate on defense, win SoCon opener vs. Wofford

by Gene Henley ·January 8, 2026

The UTC women's basketball team was in action Thursday night for the first time in more than a week, and for just the second time since Dec. 19.

Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / UTC's Kalifa Ford shoots against Wofford's Toni Warren during Thursday night's game at McKenzie Arena. It was the Southern Conference opener for both teams.

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UTC’s Falon Bedke puts rodeo career on hold to hoop it up with Mocs

by Gene Henley ·January 7, 2026

Growing up in Oakley, Idaho, Falon Bedke's family sport was not basketball. It was rodeo.

Staff file photo / UTC junior Falon Bedke (21) joined the Mocs as an offseason transfer from Southern Idaho and the junior college basketball ranks, bringing the former high school rodeo standout across the country from her hometown of Oakley, Idaho.

Home at last, UTC men still struggle in double-digit loss to Furman

by Gene Henley ·January 7, 2026

The midseason struggles that had marked a five-game road swing for the UTC men's basketball team continued Wednesday evening at McKenzie Arena.

Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / Furman point guard Alex Wilkins, left, battles for a loose ball with UTC's Tate Darner during a SoCon game Wednesday night at McKenzie Arena.

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Former Silverdale Baptist Academy standout and UTC walk-on Holland ‘staying ready’ for Mocs

by Gene Henley ·January 6, 2026

A season ago, Houston Holland prided himself a part of the "Stay Ready" crew of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's basketball team.

Staff File Photo by Robin Rudd / UTC's Houston Holland, a former Silverdale Baptist Academy standout, passes inside during the team's win over Oakwood University Ambassadors at McKenzie Arena on Dec. 9.

Notre Dame rides dominant Lee effort to Best of Preps girls’ title

by Gene Henley ·January 5, 2026

Notre Dame High School girls' basketball head coach Jason Hill said Monday that early in the season guard MiMi Lee was a bit resistant to the idea of playing point guard.

Staff Photo by Matt Hamilton/ Notre Dame's MiMi Lee puts up a shot during the Lady Irish's Best of Preps championship win at Chattanooga State Community College on Monday. Lee scored 35 points to earn tournament MVP honors.

UTC wrestles to top-10 finish at Southern Scuffle with four medalists

by Gene Henley ·January 4, 2026

The hallmark of Kamdyn Munro's UTC wrestling career so far has basically been his availability.

UTC photo by Ray Soldano / UTC 174-pound wrestler Kamdyn Munro, right, locks up with Ohio State's Carson Kharchla in the Nov. 9 dual at McKenzie Arena. Munro placed seventh in his weight class at the Southern Scuffle over the weekend, while the host Mocs finished ninth as a team.

Mocs fall to 0-2 in SoCon play with first loss to VMI since 2022

by Gene Henley ·January 3, 2026

The UTC men's basketball team finished first in the Southern Conference standings last season despite a 1-2 start to league play.

Staff file photo by Matt Hamilton / Tate Darner, with 16 points, was one of two UTC scorers in double figures during the Mocs' 79-71 loss at Virginia Military Institute on Saturday to fall to 0-2 in SoCon play.

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What will football Mocs lose, need as NCAA transfer portal opens?

by Gene Henley ·January 1, 2026

The NCAA transfer portal opens Friday for college football players, who will have a 15-day window of opportunity to officially make themselves available for other programs.

Staff file photo / UTC football coach Rusty Wright, center, will continue the process of building a roster for the 2026 season in the coming weeks as the NCAA transfer portal opens Friday.

UTC men falter late, lose SoCon opener at UNC Greensboro

by Gene Henley ·January 1, 2026

For the second season in a row, the UTC men's basketball team dropped the first game of its Southern Conference schedule.