Much like the vice president of the United States is just one step away from the presidency, Jermaine Henderson quickly discovered the same is true in his role as associate head coach of the Miami University men's basketball program. Henderson, who has been a part of the Miami program as a player and a coach for 15 years and has spent 10 years as a full-time member of the Miami coaching staff, has served as head coach Charlie Coles' right-hand man for several years and been a vital member of the staff during his tenure.

His long-term dedication and loyalty to the program over the years proved critical as he stepped in to guide the RedHawks over the final three weeks of the 2007-08 season as Coles tended to health matters. With Henderson leading the charge down the stretch--closely assisted by assistant coaches Ryan Pedon and Jason Grunkemeyer and administrative assistant Jimmy Lallathin--the RedHawks did not miss a beat.

Consistently emphasizing to the team and the public that the RedHawks were simply carrying out the lessons they had been learning all year under Coach Coles, Henderson's approach to the lead position further demonstrated Coles' belief when he promoted him to the title of associate head coach that Henderson is a rising star in the profession.

In his first game stepping in for Coach Coles, Henderson guided the RedHawks to an inspired 73-49 win over Ohio on March 1. Henderson stepped into the lead role again at Kent State before being named interim head coach on March 8, one day prior to Miami's final regular-season game against Bowling Green, when it became clear that Coles would most likely be unable to return to the sidelines for the remainder of the season.

Miami closed out the regular season with a 75-59 win against the Falcons and captured hard-fought wins against Buffalo in the Mid-American Conference Tournament first round and against Ohio in the quarterfinals. Miami dropped a grueling two-point game to Kent State in the semifinals but earned a berth in the College Basketball Invitational to make its fourth-straight postseason appearance. Henderson finished with a 3-2 record in the interim role.

"Jermaine has been involved in all facets of the program and does an outstanding job," said Coles. "He has been a vital part of our success over the years, especially our recent success, and his dedication to the betterment of our players and this program is unparalleled."

After a four-year playing career with the Red and White and one year as a volunteer assistant, Henderson joined the RedHawk coaching staff in a full-time capacity in 1998 and has enjoyed a 15-year tenure at Miami as a player and coach. Henderson spent seven seasons as an assistant coach before being promoted to associate head coach in June of 2005, becoming the first associate head coach in program history.

In addition to his work on the court, Henderson spearheaded the effort renovate the basketball offices. He also has served as a guest speaker at several events and has been a motivational speaker for Business Week for the school of business at Miami University for several years.

"Jermaine has a great love for this school, which he shares with our players on a daily basis," said Coles. "He was a part of a great string of success as a player here at Miami and knows how to win. Because he has been a part of the tradition of success at Miami, he strives to motivate our players to reach that level and build on what those before them have accomplished."

Henderson was a senior on Charlie Coles' first Miami squad in 1996-97, which advanced to the NCAA Tournament after seizing the Mid-American Conference Tournament title. Henderson joined Coles' staff after serving as a volunteer assistant in 1997-98. The Columbus, Ohio, native earned his bachelor's degree in physical education in December of 1997.

In his 15 years as a player and coach with the RedHawks, Henderson has compiled a 273-183 overall record and 172-94 Mid-American Conference mark. He also has enjoyed jaunts in the postseason nine times during his Miami tenure, including NCAA Tournament appearances in 1998 and 2007, back-to-back National Invitation Tournament berths in 2005 and 2006 and an invitation to the inaugural College Basketball Invitational in 2008.

During his four-year playing stint, the Red and White manufactured an 84-35 (.706) overall record and a 53-19 (.736) MAC mark. A four-year letterwinner at Miami, Henderson concluded his career ranked eighth on the school's all-time three-point field goal list (86).

He served as team co-captain as a senior and is one of only eight players in Miami history to participate in four postseason tournaments (1995 and 1997 NCAA, and 1994 and 1996 NIT tourneys) and was a member of the Mid-American Conference regular-season in 1994-95 and 1996-97 and MAC Tournament Championship team in 1996-97. He concluded his career as a two-time recipient of one of Miami's most meaningful postseason awards--the Jamie Mercurio Award. The honor is given for courage and perseverance.

Henderson prepped at Columbus East High School, averaging 22.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game as a senior and earning Street & Smith All-America recognition over his final two seasons. He was a third-team all-Ohio and honorable mention all-Ohio selection as a senior and junior, respectively, and was a two-time first-team all-city, all-conference and all-district pick.