Brittany Henderson is in her first season as an assistant coach with the FPU volleyball program.
A four-year starter and two-time national champion as a player at Fresno Pacific from 2005-2008, Henderson returned to her alma mater in 2016 to join head coach Tracy Ainger-Schulte’s staff.
Prior to joining the FPU staff, Henderson spent three seasons as the head coach at Clovis North High School where she amassed an overall record of 71-40, including the best finish in the school’s history in 2014 when she led the Broncos to a 27-7 record and a trip to the Valley championship match.
Henderson came to Clovis North after spending one season as the head coach at Sanger High School where she orchestrated a remarkable program turnaround. After inheriting a team that had gone 8-19 the previous year, Henderson led the Apaches to their first County Metro Athletic Conference championship in more than 10 years and was named CMAC Coach of the Year.
Prior to becoming a head coach at the high school level, Henderson spent three seasons as an assistant at Fresno City College under Ainger-Schulte, helping lead the Rams to conference titles in all three seasons.
As a player, Henderson (formerly Pierce) starred locally at Clovis High School where she spent four years on the varsity team, establishing herself as an elite talent and garnering numerous high-level awards. As a senior she was named the Fresno Bee Player of the Year while also taking home two of Clovis High’s most coveted honors: the Sassano Blanket award and the Tim Simons sportsmanship & character award. During her high school career she was named to the all-conference team three times, earning TRAC MVP honors as a senior before being named MVP of the City/County All-Star Game.
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After completing her high school career as one of the top prep players in the state, Henderson went on to play collegiately at FPU where she was instrumental in establishing the Sunbirds as one of the top volleyball programs in the nation at any level. Henderson started at outside hitter all four years, playing in 137 matches and amassing career totals of 1,329 kills, 1,122 digs and 114 service aces.
During her four seasons on the team the Sunbirds posted an incredible 146-5 record (.967 win percentage), four conference championships and back-to-back NAIA national championships. With Henderson as team captain, the team had a combined record of 72-2 during her last two seasons, winning the national title both years (2007 and 2008) and beginning a string of what would become four consecutive national titles for the program. Â
She earned numerous individual awards including FPU freshman of the year, GSAC Player of the Week and was a three-time recipient of the program’s coaches’ award. She still ranks among FPU’s all-time leaders in kills and digs.
Henderson holds a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies and a master’s in kinesiology with an emphasis in physical education, both from Fresno Pacific University.
In addition to her coaching duties, Henderson also served previously as a physical education teacher at Clovis North and Sanger, and was the co-director of Central Cal volleyball club. She is currently a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).
She and her husband Aaron reside in Clovis with their daughter Taylen.
