Gary Henderson - Head Coach - Staff Directory - University of Utah Athletics

Staff Directory

Gary Henderson

Title:
Head Coach
Phone:
801-581-8978

One of the most respected coaching figures in college baseball, Utah skipper Gary Henderson was named the 12^th head coach in modern program history on June 9, 2021. Henderson, the NCBWA 2018 National Coach of the Year, previously served as the Utes’ associate head coach in 2020 and ‘21.

A seasoned veteran in the coaching world, Henderson owns 38 prior years of experience, highlighted by stops at Florida, Oregon State, Kentucky and Mississippi State prior to coming to Utah. His 14 seasons as a head coach rank third-most of all Big 12 skippers and includes a 2018 run to the College World Series while with Mississippi State.

Well-known for his ability to produce Major League talent on the mound, Henderson has worked with 17 pitchers that have reached the big leagues since 2012. He also spent Summer 2015 as the pitching coach for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team; 10 arms from that club have since reached the big leagues.

The Utes have totaled five MLB Draft selections in the last two seasons. Among that group was a fifth-round pick in shortstop Core Jackson, who was taken by the New York Yankees in 2025. In addition to the five draftees, four other players have signed as undrafted free agents during Henderson’s time as Utah’s head coach.

Eight Utes have been named first-team all-conference with Henderson at the helm, most recently Jackson and right-hander Colter McAnelly following the 2025 season. McAnelly, the Friday night starter, led the Big 12 in the regular season with 92.2 innings pitched while striking out 92 batters—the most by a Utah arm since 2016 and ranking top-five in the league. McAnelly’s all-conference selection marked the third straight season that a Utah pitcher hauled in first-team laurels.

Jackson, meanwhile, headlined an offense boasting five bats hitting above .300. As a team, the Utes hit .294 to place fifth in the Big 12 while the team’s 122 doubles were fourth in the conference. Both totals set new Power Conference era program records.

The 2024 Utes made strides with one of the program’s top seasons in history. Utah’s 9-1 start was the best since 1980 as the team went on to win 33 games—tying the second-most victories all-time. Henderson’s club entered the national polls with a top-25 ranking from D1Baseball.com, the first time that the Utes had been ranked in any of the five current major college baseball polls.

It was a much-improved season in virtually every facet. On the mound, Utah native Bryson Van Sickle was named ABCA All-Region and Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year, the latter making Van Sickle the first in program history to win Pitcher of the Year. He headlined four All-Conference First Team honors, tying the most in the Utes’ Power Conference era. Fellow southpaw and All-Conference honoree Micah Ashman broke the Utah career saves record, serving as a lockdown closer for a pitching staff that lowered its ERA by more than two runs from 2023.

Ashman was taken by Detroit in the 11^th round of the 2024 MLB Draft, while Van Sickle went on to sign with Colorado.

Offensively, Utah set Power Conference era program records in batting average, runs scored, hits, total bases, slugging percentage, OBP and stolen bases. The Utes’ seven runs per game was the highest since 2006 and marked the third straight season that the team’s scoring average increased from the prior year. Four Utes hit over .300, including Kai Roberts—who reset the program’s single-season and career stolen base program records on the way to a seventh-round selection by San Diego.

On May 22, Utah defeated Oregon in the Pac-12 Tournament for Henderson’s 400^th career win as a head coach.

Ashman and fellow Utah native Zac McCleve earned postseason conference honors in 2023, with Ashman also landing on the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List. Ashman led the Pac-12 in saves for much of the regular season; the pitching staff as a group set a Pac-12 era program record in saves and struck out 451 batters—the most for a year in Utah history.

Following the 2023 season, three Utah arms signed professional contracts as Cam Day signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, McCleve with the Tampa Bay Rays and Blake Whiting landed with the Milwaukee Brewers.

The 2022 Utes laid a foundation for the future under Henderson, capped by ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove honors for first baseman Alex Baeza. It was the first Gold Glove in Utah history and seventh won by a player with Henderson at the helm.

Prior to Utah
Henderson arrived at Utah following two seasons at Mississippi State. After serving as the Bulldogs’ pitching coach in 2017, he was named the interim head coach for the Bulldogs just three games into the 2018 season. He would ultimately lead the program to the College World Series in thrilling fashion.

Though the club dropped its opening game in the 2018 Tallahassee Regional, Henderson’s squad answered with four straight wins to advance to the Super Regionals against Vanderbilt. Mississippi State advanced to the CWS when they took down Vandy in three games, and the Bulldogs went on to win their first two games in Omaha, before falling to eventual national champion Oregon State twice in the semifinals.

The success he had as interim coach at Mississippi State came as no surprise, as he had been one of the most successful coaches in the University of Kentucky's baseball history from 2004-08 as an assistant and 2009-16 as the head coach. The Wildcats won at least 30 games in five-straight seasons for the first time in school history. The team set the program record for wins on three separate occasions and rose to No. 1 in the nation for the first time in school history, holding the spot for three weeks in 2012. He was voted SEC Coach of the Year by his peers after the school's record-breaking 2012 season. In 2006, the program won its first SEC Championship in baseball with Henderson serving as pitching coach.

Henderson reached 200 wins faster than any head coach in Kentucky history. In his tenure with the Wildcats, 72 players were picked in the MLB Draft or signed as free agents.

Prior to Kentucky, Henderson spent five seasons as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Oregon State. The Beavers notched the school's first College World Series titles in 2006 and 2007, riding the arms of several players recruited by Henderson.

At Oregon State, Henderson coached nine Beaver pitchers who were drafted by major league teams, five of whom were selected in the top eight rounds. With the help of Henderson's recruiting efforts, the Beavers improved from 19 wins in 1999 to 31 in both the 2001 and 2002 seasons, finishing 31-24 and 31-23, respectively. In his time with the Beavers, two of Henderson's recruiting classes were ranked among the top 30 nationally. Meanwhile, his pitching staff led the Pac-10 Conference in complete games in both the 2000 and 2001 seasons.

Before Oregon State, Henderson served as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Florida from 1995-98. In that time, he helped the Gators to the SEC Championship and the College World Series in both 1996 and 1998. Collegiate Baseball awarded national rankings to all four of Henderson's recruiting classes at Florida, including a No. 4 spot in 1996. The 1996 season also saw Collegiate Baseball tab Henderson as the National Assistant Coach of the Year.

Prior to his stint with the Gators, Henderson made stops at Cal State Fullerton, Chapman University, Riverside City College and San Diego State, his alma mater.

Personal
Henderson, a native of Eugene, Oregon, earned a bachelor's degree in English from San Diego State and a master's degree in Sports Psychology from SDSU.

Henderson and his wife, Vicki, have two sons, Alex and their late son, Ty.

Gary Henderson • Coaching History
2022-present • Utah • Head Coach
2020-21 • Utah • Associate Head Coach
2018 • Mississippi State • Interim Head Coach
2017 • Mississippi State • Pitching Coach
2015 • USA Collegiate National Team • Pitching Coach
2009-16 • Kentucky • Head Coach
2004-08 • Kentucky • Associate Head Coach
1999-2003 • Oregon State • Pitching Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
1995-98 • Florida • Pitching Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
1994 • Pepperdine • Assistant Coach
1993 • Chapman • Head Coach
1991-92 • Chapman • Assistant Coach
1990 • Riverside CC • Assistant Coach
1989 • Cal State Fullerton • Assistant Coach
1988 • San Diego State • Head Coach (JV)

Gary Henderson • Awards and Accolades
• NCBWA Coach of the Year (2018)
• Perfect Game/Rawlings Coach of the Year (2018)
• SEC Coach of the Year (2012)