Aaron Henderson is stepping down as director of athletics to joining a full-service farm management company that services California and Oregon. Henderson has a background in agriculture and looks forward to this new journey.
“I am thankful for the opportunities that Fresno Pacific University has provided me over the past 15 years. This institution has played a special role in my life and I have grown tremendously because of it,” Henderson said. “So many staff and faculty have supported me, mentored me and encouraged me from my time as a student to my current role. It has been a pleasure to serve this community and to help enhance the student experience. I will always remember and cherish the relationships made here and I wish the best for Sunbird Athletics in their future endeavors.”
Henderson was named to the post in August of 2015. During his tenure he has overseen the hiring of multiple head coaches, upgraded several facilities, reintroduced the Sunbird women's tennis program and added the school's first fulltime strength and conditioning coach. Also under his leadership, FPU has seen more than 100 all-academic honorees each season, posted a department GPA above 3.0, received the PacWest Make-A-Wish Award and the PacWest Community Engagement Award multiple times, and been named a finalist for the NCAA Division II Award of Excellence.
Under Henderson’s leadership, multiple programs made an immediate impact on the NCAA Division II landscape. This included PacWest championships in men’s soccer and women’s cross country, two NCAA tournament appearances by the men’s soccer program, multiple top 10 NCAA team finishes by the swimming & diving programs, including a final four finish by the women's team in 2018, FPU’s highest conference finishes in women’s water polo and women’s soccer, the university’s best women’s basketball season in 20 years, and perennially nationally-ranked track & field programs that broke numerous records.
An FPU graduate, Henderson previously served from 2006-2013 as assistant athletics director for event operations as well as lead assistant coach for the men’s basketball program. As an assistant A.D., he was part of the administrative team that successfully transitioned the university from the NAIA to NCAA Division II.
Henderson’s last day with the university will be Monday, March 1. Associate Athletics Director Jeremiah Wood will serve as interim director of athletics while the university conducts a national search.