Brad Underwood

Brad Underwood is the acclaimed head coach for the Illinois men’s basketball team. He has had an extensive coaching career, serving as head coach at various institutions. Underwood’s coaching has been incredibly instrumental in bringing success to the Illinois basketball program over recent years.

Underwood’s coaching journey began as a graduate assistant at Hardin-Simmons in 1986-87 and he later went on to lead Dodge City Community College with a 62-60 record from 1988 to 1993. He also served as an assistant coach at Western Illinois for 10 years before transitioning to head coach at Stephen F. Austin in 2013. During his tenure at Stephen F. Austin, Underwood achieved success by winning the Southland Conference regular-season championship in his first season with a perfect 18-0 conference play record. He was even named Southland Coach of the Year and led the team to a remarkable victory over VCU in the 2014 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament. In 2016, Underwood was hired as the head coach of Oklahoma State, where he led the team to an impressive 20-13 record in his first season as head coach. He then transitioned to the University of Illinois in 2017, where he continues to make a huge impact.

Underwood’s coaching career has been marked by success on the court and a commitment to making a positive impact off the court for his philanthropic efforts. He recently won the 2023 Coaches vs Cancer Champion Award for his significant and sustained contributions to improving the lives of people affected by cancer. Underwood is also seen as a leader in the community and regularly updates his tens of thousands of followers on Twitter with his invaluable insights and sports commentary.