Lea Henry played college basketball at the University of Tennessee where, as a point guard, she led them to three Final Fours during her four years. Henry played for the US at the 1981 and 1983 Universiade, helping them win gold in 1983. She also played on the 1980 and 1982 Jones Cup teams. After college Henry became a basketball coach, starting as an assistant at the University of Tennessee under her 1984 Olympic coach Pat Summitt. From 1985-90 Henry was an assistant at the University of Florida and then Stetson College. She became head coach at Mercer University in 1990 and moved on to George State University in 1994, where she was head coach for 16 years. In 2015 she was named head coach at Darton College. She also ran her own basketball camps, the L&G Camp of Champs.
United States