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.

NCAA portal limiting opportunities for Chattanooga prep basketball players

by Gene Henley ·July 5, 2023

Hobie Brabson was once an 8-year old kid begging a coach to let him play basketball.

Staff photo / Tyner boys basketball coach E'Jay Ward has seen the frustration of high school athletes grow as they try to find opportunities at the college level, opportunities that have decreased in recent years due to the NCAA transfer portal.

Chattanooga talent, including Mize sisters, central to Lady Red Wolves’ success

by Gene Henley ·June 30, 2023

Life has come full circle for Sophia Mize.

Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / The Chattanooga Lady Red Wolves' Zoey Mize, on ground, goes all out on the attacking end during a USL W League match against South Georgia Tormenta on Friday night at CHI Memorial Stadium in East Ridge.

Former Cleveland basketball star Grant Hurst looked to future with transfer to Tennessee

by Gene Henley ·June 22, 2023

Grant Hurst saw he had gained a new Twitter follower but didn't think much of it.

Former UTC basketball star Malachi Smith ready to prove people wrong again

by Gene Henley ·June 21, 2023

Malachi Smith is no stranger to being doubted.

Chattanooga Red Wolves, team captain take calm cue from coach in midst of struggles

by Gene Henley ·June 15, 2023

Ualefi Rodrigues Dos Reis has been with the Chattanooga Red Wolves since the beginning.

UTC football: Five spots where transfers could make big difference in 2023

by Gene Henley ·June 2, 2023

UTC football players recently returned to campus to start preparing for the team's 2023 season, which begins Sept. 2 at North Alabama.

Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / UTC defensive back Jeremiah Batiste gets a lead on a receiver during a Feb. 15 practice at Scrappy Moore Field. Batiste is a former Tyner Academy standout who transferred back home to Chattanooga this year after beginning his collegiate career at Miami (Ohio), where he played receiver.

UTC men’s basketball roster looks different again after latest busy offseason

by Gene Henley ·May 27, 2023

And just like that, Demetrius Davis is the senior-most returning member of the UTC men's basketball team.

Staff file photo by Olivia Ross / Demetrius Davis started all 35 games as a junior this past season, his first at UTC, and he'll be counted on as a voice of experience for a largely inexperienced group of Mocs entering the 2023-24 schedule.

Walker Valley’s Ensley Collins, other Chattanooga-area tennis players fall one win short of state titles

by Gene Henley ·May 26, 2023

For the first time since 1995, Chattanooga-area tennis programs departed the Spring Fling without a state champion in doubles or singles.

Staff photo by Robin Rudd / Walker Valley's Ensley Collins concentrates on a forehand in her Class AA singles state final against Farragut's Riley Cassity on Friday at the Adams Tennis Complex in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Collins lost 6-2, 6-4 on a disappointing final day of the TSSAA Spring Fling for the Chattanooga area, which failed to produce an individual state champion in tennis for the first time since 1995.

Ethan Porterfield leads CSAS boys’ return to prominence with return trip to singles final

by Gene Henley ·May 25, 2023

Ethan Porterfield has become part of the solution.

Staff photo by Robin Rudd / Arts & Sciences junior Ethan Porterfield hits a forehand to Cannon County's Bode Davenport in the TSSAA Class A singles state quarterfinals Wednesday at the Adams Tennis Complex in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Porterfield beat Davenport 6-0, 6-3, then defeated Gatlinburg-Pittman's Skyler Floodquist 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals to reach Friday's title match.

McCallie rallies to earn fourth consecutive DII-AA tennis team title

by Gene Henley ·May 24, 2023

Gabe Getz let out a loud "Let's go!" before being mobbed by his McCallie teammates. Moments later, the junior was crumbling to the tennis court.