Nola Henry, a former team captain and two-year starter for the Charleston Cougars, has advanced in her basketball career from player to head coach. Henry, originally from Willingboro, New Jersey, played for Charleston between 2015 and 2017. During her time with the Cougars, she helped the team achieve 20 wins and recorded 215 points, 184 rebounds, 182 assists, and 41 steals. She started in 52 games out of a total of 59 appearances.
Reflecting on her experience at Charleston, Henry said: “I’m very proud to be a Cougar. Charleston will always have a special place in my heart. I graduated from CofC and I had the honor to be a team captain my senior year. Being a captain was a privilege that gave me confidence and taught me how to be a leader.”
After graduating from Charleston, Henry began her coaching career as a graduate assistant in 2017. She later joined the Connecticut Sun as an intern in 2020 under Head Coach Curt Miller. Her responsibilities included player development, video coordination, and team operations.
“I’ve had pretty humble beginnings,” Henry said. “I started as an intern in Connecticut, and I had opportunities to be a part of high-level conversations, whether from a coaching standpoint, high-level games, or whether we were in the WNBA Finals in 2021. All of those experiences have prepared me to take the next steps in my career.”
When Miller moved to coach the Los Angeles Sparks, he brought Henry along as one of his top assistants. She also served as interim head coach during the Sparks’ 2024 season before joining the Dallas Wings as an assistant coach in 2025.
In January 2025, Unrivaled Basketball League was launched by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart with goals of providing players with ownership equity and better compensation through its unique format featuring primarily WNBA athletes alongside top prospects.
Leveraging her WNBA connections, Henry became one of six head coaches in Unrivaled’s inaugural season for Rose BC. Her team included Angel Reese, Lexie Hull and Chelsea Gray; they won the league’s first championship.
“It’s an honor to be a part of an incredible new league, and to win the first ever championship is something that I’ll remember forever. I’m just grateful that I get to be one of the first and I’m grateful for everyone who has helped me get to where I am today.”
Henry continues her roles with both Rose BC and Dallas Wings.
Meanwhile, Charleston women’s basketball has secured at least a share of its first-ever CAA Regular Season Championship for Division I after clinching enough wins this season. The Cougars can claim sole possession of the title with another victory in their remaining two games.
Charleston will host Stony Brook on Thursday March 5 at TD Arena; tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m., with streaming available via FloCollege through links on cofcsports.com’s women’s basketball schedule page. Senior day celebrations will honor Sophia Tougas and Marissa Brown prior to tip-off.
For more updates on Charleston women’s basketball activities follow @CofCWBB on X or Instagram.
