Coach charged with sexual battery
Henning had led the Ridgeway Roadrunners to four state titles
Wesley Henning, a longtime coach and teacher at Ridgeway High School in Memphis, was arrested and charged Friday with the alleged sexual battery of a former student.
The alleged sexual battery took place in the 2000 block of Ridgeway, the same block as the high school, according to the police arrest affidavit. The woman told police she was there to assist the 59-year-old Henning on April 17 when he came up behind her, started massaging her shoulders and pressed himself against her. When she walked away, he followed her and asked if he could touch her, she said. And even though she said no, he laughed and “purposefully touched her on her thigh several times” as he walked by.
Shelby County Schools released a statement saying Henning – who is no longer listed as a staff member on Ridgeway’s website – had been placed on administrative leave:
Wesley Henning, Ridgeway HS teacher, was placed on administrative leave on April 22, 2020, pending the outcome of an investigation for an allegation of inappropriate contact with a former student. Due to an ongoing police investigation, we cannot provide further comment.
Henning was arrested May 22 after declining to give a statement to police and charged with sexual battery, a class E felony. He was released on his own recognizance and is scheduled to make an initial appearance in court Tuesday.
A familiar face to fans of high school sports, “Wes” Henning led the Ridgeway Roadrunners to four state titles, most recently in 2008, making him one of only three Memphis-area boys basketball coaches to win four or more titles. Henning, who graduated from the University of Memphis, began coaching the Roadrunners in 1991.
After winning the state championship in 2000, a Tennessee General Assembly resolution sponsored by then-state senator (now Congressman) Steve Cohen called Henning “highly regarded” and said he had had taught his students “to be good citizens and role models both on the court and off.”
Attempts to reach Henning for comment have been unsuccessful.
Reach Ryan Poe at poe@commercialappeal.com.