Laurence Manning Academy has announced two new leaders for its volleyball program, naming Alexus Carter as head coach of the varsity team and Elize Hensley as head coach of the junior varsity team.
Carter, a familiar face to the LMA volleyball program, has served as the B-team coach for the past two years. A native of the Shiloh area, she graduated from East Clarendon High School in 2012. Carter began her college career at Charleston Southern University, where she played volleyball for one semester before transferring to Clemson University. While at Clemson, she played club volleyball for three years and earned a bachelor’s degree in wildlife and fisheries biology.
Her coaching experience includes working with junior varsity teams during college, two years at Sumter Junior’s Club Volleyball, and four years as assistant coach for JV and varsity volleyball at East Clarendon. Carter said she is passionate about coaching and mentoring, and looks forward to helping the program grow.
“I am excited for this opportunity and to see how this program can grow over the coming years,” Carter said.
Joining Carter on the coaching staff is Hensley, who will lead the JV team. Originally from Charleston, Hensley played four years of high school volleyball at West Ashley High School and also competed in club, sand, and grass volleyball tournaments. She went on to attend Winthrop University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in athletic training while continuing to play intramural and club volleyball.
After college, Hensley returned to coach at her high school club program, spending four years with the Charleston Volleyball Club. She said her coaching philosophy centers on creating a positive, competitive environment where players can develop their skills while emphasizing teamwork, sportsmanship, and respect.
Hensley and her husband, Andrew, moved to Manning in 2018 to be closer to family and enjoy life on the lake. They have two young children.
As Carter and Hensley step into their new roles, the school thanked former coach Amy Marshall for her dedication and contributions to building the volleyball program over the past several years.
“We are excited to see these coaches continue to build and grow our programs,” the school said in a release.
