Lou Henson retires Saying 'Goodbye' to a friend

Over the past few weeks, Lou Henson's retirement spawned a flood of
articles honoring his accomplishments and chronicling his career. The
common theme in all the reports is that in his 21 years as the UI's head
basketball coach, Lou Henson has made his mark on the university and the
Champaign-Urbana community.

At the Fan Appreciation Day ceremonies March 9, Henson joked that to get so
many kind things said about you, a person has to either retire or die.

Henson leaves his coaching position with accolades from the likes of Gov.
Jim Edgar, Big 10 Commissioner Jim Delany, UI Chancellor Michael Aiken and
UI President James Stukel. He will stay on at UI part-time as assistant
athletic director, but also has the option of travel and golf, thanks to
some gifts at Fan Appreciation Day.

One of the most remarkable things about Henson is that he had the career
longevity to retire as coach, no small statement about what he brought to
the UI.

Photos that date from his earliest years at the UI offer a perspective of
the inimitable Lou Henson throughout his career. He leaves his coaching job
with warm regards from the community and a big thank you for all the
memories.