BROOKINGS, S.D. – South Dakota State University men’s basketball head coach Eric Henderson resigned Friday from his position after accepting the same role at Drake University.
South Dakota State accumulated a 129-60 record with Henderson as head coach. His six-year tenure guiding the program saw the Jacks claim four Summit League regular season titles, along with two conference tournament championships which led to two NCAA Tournament appearances in 2022 and 2024. His winning percentage of .683 is the best among all-time SDSU men’s head coaches in over a century.
“I want to thank Eric for all of his contributions to the SDSU community,” said South Dakota State Director of Athletics Justin Sell. “Eric has been a tremendous leader for the student-athletes he’s coached and has built upon the foundation of a program with a rich tradition. We wish him, his wife Alicia and the entire Henderson family nothing but the best.”
Henderson spent a total of nine seasons as a part of the men’s basketball staff at South Dakota State. He initially joined the Jackrabbit staff when T.J. Otzelberger became the head coach of the program in 2016. Henderson was an assistant for two seasons before being elevated to associate head coach for the 2018-19 season. In those three years, Henderson helped the Jacks produce a pair of NCAA Tournament showings, two Summit League tournament trophies and another two regular season titles.
Henderson was named Summit League Coach of the Year on two occasions, including the memorable 2022 season that saw the Jacks record 30 overall wins and become the first Summit League men’s basketball team to complete an undefeated run through its conference schedule.
At Drake, Henderson will inherit a program that has won three consecutive Missouri Valley Conference tournament championships – making NCAA Tournament appearances in each season – and advanced to the Second Round of the national tournament this March.
A search for the next head coach of the SDSU men’s basketball program is underway.