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’s Shawn Poppie receives national coaching award for first-season success

by Gene Henley ·March 29, 2023

Well, recruiting just got a little bit easier for UTC women's basketball coach Shawn Poppie.

Staff file photo by Olivia Ross / The Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced Wednesday that UTC's Shawn Poppie is the Spalding Maggie Dixon NCAA Division I Rookie Coach of the Year.

UTC’s Wharton recognized as being among top athletic directors at FCS level

by Gene Henley ·March 27, 2023

Mark Wharton remembers the low times.

Staff photo by Doug Strickland /
New University of Tennessee at Chattanooga athletic director Mark Wharton speaks during a news conference in the University Center on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Wharton comes to UTC from Penn State University, where he worked for four years as Associate Athletics Director for Development.

Chattanooga Red Wolves kick off 2023 season at home this weekend

by Gene Henley ·March 24, 2023

What's new for the Chattanooga Red Wolves in 2023? Quite a lot, actually.

Staff photo by Olivia Ross / Defender Aaron Lombardi, right, is among the returning players this year for the Chattanooga Red Wolves, who open their 2023 USL League One schedule Saturday night.

UTC women hope to follow through with more success next season

by Gene Henley ·March 18, 2023

The UTC women's basketball team started its first season under head coach Shawn Poppie short on expectations. The Mocs finished it full of hope.

Staff photo by Olivia Ross / UTC's Sigrun Olafsdottir passes during a SoCon game against East Tennessee State on Feb. 4 at McKenzie Arena.

How UTC coach Shawn Poppie unlocked point guard Addie Porter’s leadership

by Gene Henley ·March 16, 2023

To unlock another skill in Addie Porter's game, UTC women's basketball coach Shawn Poppie got mental.

AP photo by Kathy Kmonicek / UTC point guard Addie Porter (21) and first-year head coach Shawn Poppie, right, celebrate after the Mocs won the SoCon tournament on March 5 in Asheville, N.C. Porter and Poppie have worked closely together in his first season in Chattanooga, which will continue Friday when UTC visits Virginia Tech in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

UTC’s trust in Shawn Poppie quickly rewarded with NCAA tourney trip

by Gene Henley ·March 15, 2023

Abbey Cornelius and her UTC teammates had no choice but to trust athletic director Mark Wharton when it came to finding a new basketball coach.

Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / UTC women's basketball coach Shawn Poppie talks to his players during a November practice.

Former Bradley Central star in NCAA tourney with Tennessee Tech

by Gene Henley ·March 15, 2023

Not many people had a better first 11 days of March than Anna Walker.

AP file photo by John Amis / Tennessee Tech junior forward Anna Walker was a prep standout at Bradley Central and played her first college season at UTC before transferring. Walker and the Lady Golden Eagles will take part in an NCAA tournament First Four game Thursday night against Monmouth in Bloomington, Ind.

UTC women to face No. 1 seed Virginia Tech in NCAA first round

by Gene Henley ·March 12, 2023

First-year UTC coach Shawn Poppie is headed back to Virginia Tech. And this time he'll be trying to beat the Hokies instead of helping them win.

UTC Athletics photo by Ray Soldana / Members of the UTC women's basketball team react to finding out they will face Virginia Tech in the first round of the NCAA tournament Friday in Blacksburg, Va.

Former Christian Heritage star Solomon Locke steps up in UTC spring football game

by Gene Henley ·March 11, 2023

Regardless of everything happening around him, Solomon Locke never deviated from the plan.

Staff photo by Robin Rudd / Running back Solomon Locke goes for a long gain during UTC's spring football scrimmage Friday night at Finley Stadium.

UTC men became ‘a family’ during transition season

by Gene Henley ·March 7, 2023

A.J. Caldwell, Jamal Johnson and Jake Stephens sat in the media room of Harrah's Cherokee Center Monday night, dejected after their University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball team fell one game short of a Southern Conference championship after a 88-79 loss to Furman.