SAINT LEO, Fla. – Saint Leo University has selected Austin Hensley as the new head men's and women's tennis coach for the Saint Leo Lions, announced by Director of Athletics, Wellness, and Recreation Marcal Lazenby. Hensley comes to Saint Leo following a number of years coaching at the Division I level most recently spending three seasons at the University of Cincinnati as an assistant for the women's tennis team.

"I've been a great admirer of Saint Leo from afar and all of it's accomplishments across all sports," said Hensley. "This position is a destination and I cannot wait to get started. I want to thank Marcal for giving me an opportunity to take these programs to new heights. Both programs have had tremendous success over the last few years and I'm here to build upon that success. I'm not here to shy away from high expectations. Our goal every year is to get better and to compete into late May. Go Lions!"

Hensley joined the Bearcats staff in the fall of 2021 as an assistant coach. During his three seasons in Cincinnatti, the Bearcats totaled 32 wins including 16 in the first season before making the move to the Big 12 Conference. Hensley's student-athletes earned a combined 26 ITA Scholar-Athlete honors.

Before Cincinnatti, he spent a season as the assistant coach for Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. During his tenure with the Redbirds, Hensley played a crucial role in recruiting, overseeing the budget and managing travel expenses. He also contributed significantly to running drills, practices, agility, and weight workouts, maintaining the facility, and raising funds for the Miami University Indoor project.

"Austin brings a wealth of knowledge to Saint Leo with experience at the Division I level and his passion for the sport will help him succeed here," said Lazenby. "Our tennis programs have a history of success and I am confident that Austin will continue that success and help us bring home some titles."

Prior to his stint at Miami University, Hensley served as an assistant tennis coach for the University of the Pacific. His responsibilities included managing the tennis budget, recruiting, and working closely with student-athletes to prepare them for competitions.

Hensley's coaching career also includes serving as an assistant men's and women's tennis coach at UNC Asheville from 2017 to 2019 and as the Junior Program Director at Kenwood Country Club from 2015 to 2017.

In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Hensley has been the Director of Tennis for the Basin Harbor Resort since 2017, where he provided instruction for athletes of all levels.

Hensley, a native of Milford, Ohio, graduated from Xavier University in 2018 with a Bachelor's degree in Marketing. His playing career is marked by numerous accolades, including the 2018 Southern Intercollegiate Doubles Title, the 2018 ITA Carolina Regional Doubles Title, the 2018 ITA Fall National Doubles Championship Title, and being part of the #1 Doubles Team in the nation. Notably, under his coaching, Henry Patten earned a Main Draw bid into the ITA All-American in Tulsa, and Klara Kosan was ranked #65 in the nation.