Belmont Fills Women's Soccer Coach With New Hire

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Belmont has hired Heather Henson as its new women's soccer coach two months after the former coach was let go with her players saying it happened because she told them she was expecting a child with her same-sex partner.

Neither Lisa Howe nor Belmont have said why the coach left Dec. 2. Belmont called her departure a mutual decision, and Howe declined comment through her attorney. Belmont students and a prominent booster called for Belmont to re-hire Howe and resulted in a protest.

Henson becomes the sixth head women's soccer coach at Belmont. She has spent the past 12 years coaching at East Tennessee State where she lead the Lady Bucs into the postseason seven times with four years at High Point.