The University of Arkansas is adding former Duke Assistant Coach Alex Henderson to its staff as a Graduate Assistant for the fall 2021-2022 season.
The University of Arkansas is a women-only program, led by head coach Neil Harper. Arkansas witnessed at least 12 swimmers transfer away from the program during the 2020-2021 season, as well as at least one recruit switch their commitment.
The University of Arkansas is a member of the SEC. The Razorback women placed 8th at the 2021 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships.
Henderson was an assistant coach at Duke from 2017 to 2018, working under Head Coach Dan Colella. During the season Henderson spent at Duke, the Duke women placed 6th at the 2018 ACC Championship. Meanwhile, the Duke men placed 7th at the 2018 ACC Championships.
After leaving Duke, he spent 2 seasons as an assistant coach working with TIDE Swimming in Virginia, which is a USA Swimming Silver Medal Club.
During this time, Henderson had the opportunity to work with NCAA All-Americans Alyssa Marsh, Kylie Jordan, Maddie Hess, Leah Goldman, and Melissa Pish, among others.
Prior to Duke, Henderson swam at NCAA Division I College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. There, Henderson helped William & Mary to three consecutive CAA team titles (2015, 2016, and 2017), earning All-CAA honors each of those seasons.
Prior to Duke, Henderson worked as a coach with 757swim, a USA Swimming club team in Williamsburg, Virginia. According to his profile on Duke’s website, Henderson also coached “three summer league swim teams in the Virginia area,” and worked as a coach for Club Kick Start Swimming School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
As an ex razorback swimmer, Neil Harper was the absolute worst thing to happen to my teammates and I. He mentally abused us every day and I still have not recovered from it. The University of Arkansas has shown that they do not care about their female swimmers at all. We have complained multiple times, had many meetings, and reached out to the NCAA/SEC/USA swimming and nothing has happened. He has a reputation of destroying his swimmers mental health wherever he goes. I have not met another one of his ex-athletes who can say anything nice about him. He needs to be permanently removed as a coach. I want to tell my story and actually be listened to.
Way to go Hendo!!!
So he still came knowing SafeSport is investigating Neil and Dale? And do they have a dive coach yet? What a mess.
I feel like as a grad assistant you take what you can get, any experience is good experience. Especially if he’s getting some money for school through this.
Where are you seeing on SafeSport that there’s an investigation?
Nowhere, the ArKarens are just out early this morning.
Arkansas didnt want to deal with it so SafeSport took it over. It’s better this way they r impartial and first priority is the student athlete.
Bnelson you seem kinda obsessed with arkansas commenting on all of their articles. Must be a fan? Lol, go get a job or something.
What Paul said…. Get a life Bnelson, and quit spreading stuff that is most likely false.
They have hired a diving coach, they just haven’t announced it yet.