Eli Henson comes off Manchester state title to take over at Tippecanoe Valley

Tippecanoe Valley has hired a winning veteran to coach its boys basketball program.

He will replace the winning veteran coach that just departed.

Manchester won the 2A state championship in Eli Henson’s fifth year at the helm. Henson will now take over the Vikings program with his 200^th win looming. Henson is 193-139 overall in 15 years that includes stops at North White and Whitko.

Eli Henson is following in his family's history. His grandfather, Floyd Henson, taught and coached high school basketball for 33 years in Indiana and Illinois. He coached at Montezuma 1948-1950, Tolono, Ill., 1950-1953, at Effingham, Ill., 1953-1956, Odon 1956-1959, Linton 1959-1963, Akron 1963-1974.

Floyd Henson was the first Tippecanoe Valley High School coach, 1974-1978.

He retired in 1982. He was Caston girls baskteball coach from 1983-1985.

He served in the U.S. Army during World War II in Newfoundland. A member of the Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame, he gained notoriety as a Paris (Ill.) High School player. 

Henson fills the vacancy left by Joe Luce.  Luce left Tippecanoe Valley after three seasons and a 54-21 record. The Vikings closest run for postseason hardware during those three seasons ended in this season’s sectional championship, a 45-43 overtime loss to Columbia City.

Luce’s first season at Wawasee will be his 25^th as a head coach. He’s eight wins shy of 400.