Bruce Henderson

Head Coach
Office Phone: (503) 370-6132
E-mail: blhender@willamette.edu

Bruce Henderson is in his third year as head coach of the Willamette University women’s basketball team. He is a graduate of Willamette, who received a bachelor’s degree in Economics in 1984.

Henderson has 24 years of coaching experience, including work at the NCAA Division I, NAIA and high school levels before joining Willamette as a head coach in 2005-06. He arrived at Willamette after serving as assistant coach and director of operations for the Oregon State University women’s basketball team. Previously, he was an assistant coach with the women’s basketball team at Portland State University from 1998 until 2004.

Henderson originally arrived at WU as a student in 1981. He grew up in Hawaii, and later went back to his home state to coach at the high school level.

He returned to the Willamette campus to serve as assistant men’s basketball coach from 1990-94 under current Head Coach Gordie James. While assisting with the WU men’s team, he helped the Bearcats achieve a 89-33 (.730) record, including the 1993 NAIA Division II National Championship.

From 1993-94 until 1996-97, Henderson served as an assistant coach for the WU women’s basketball team. In 1995-96, the Bearcats qualified for the NAIA Division II Tournament. Henderson went on to assist Kathy Adelman at Portland’s Jesuit High School. The Crusaders captured third place at the OSAA Class 4A Tournament at the end of the 1997-98 season.

Henderson is married to Nikki Binnie-Henderson, who was honored last year as the Willamette softball team’s Distinguished Alum for 2006. Binnie-Henderson played softball and basketball when she was a student-athlete at Willamette. She started on both teams all four years at WU. The Hendersons live in West Salem.

Sara Hedgepeth

Assistant Coach

Sarah Hedgepeth joined the Willamette women’s basketball coaching staff during the 2005-06 season and is starting her third year with the Bearcats. She is a graduate of Portland State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications in 2004.

While playing basketball at PSU, she received Big Sky All-Conference honors as a junior and a senior. During her senior year, Hedgepeth averaged a double-double per game. She also led Portland State in scoring, rebounding, and field goal percentage.

At Willamette, Hedgepeth is involved with gameday responsibilities, plus practice and various administrative tasks. Last year, she was a professional basketball player in Finland. Hedgepeth is single and lives in Springfield, Ore.

Anne Lapray

Assistant Coach

Anne (McShane) Lapray is in her third season as an assistant coach at Willamette. She also was a starting forward on the WU women’s basketball team that qualified for the 1995-96 NAIA Division II National Tournament. In high school, she was the 1989-90 Gatorade Player of the Year for her efforts as a player at Oregon City High School.

Lapray played basketball at Oregon State University until a knee injury sent her to the sidelines. Later, she played at Portland State, where a second knee injury almost ended her career.

At Willamette, she was selected Honorable Mention All-NWC as a senior. She received her degree from WU in 1996.

Lapray and her husband, John, live in West Salem. They are the parents of three daughters, Jane, Maggie and Mary.

Sara Brooks

Assistant Coach

Sara Brooks joins the Bearcat coaching staff this year, after playing for Willamette University the past two seasons. During her two years with the Bearcats, she played in 41 games with 41 starts. She scored a total of 225 points, while grabbing 150 rebounds and achieving 133 assists. In 2006-07, she scored 17 points at Whitworth on Feb. 16 and recorded six rebounds and eight assists against Pacific on Jan. 5.

She transferred to Willamette following two seasons at Chemeketa Community College. She earned All-Conference recognition while playing for the Storm at CCC. At WU, she majored in History, with a minor in American Ethnic Studies.

Brooks graduated from Willamette this past summer. She lives in Salem.