MANHATTAN, Kan. Kansas State head men’s basketball coach Bob Huggins tapped into the program’s proud past on Tuesday, as he selected Kansas native and former Wildcat letterman Brad Underwood as his director of basketball operations.
“We’re extremely excited about welcoming Brad back into the K-State family,” said Huggins. “He brings a wealth of basketball knowledge and has great contacts throughout the state of Kansas. I have known Brad for the last 15 years and I have always been impressed with his work ethic and knowledge.”
In his position as director of basketball operations, Underwood will assist in coordinating recruiting activities for the program, running the Bob Huggins Basketball Camps and organizing K-State coaching clinics. In addition, he will coordinate all team travel and oversee special projects for the basketball office.
Underwood brings over 18 years of coaching experience to Kansas State, including two stints as a head coach at the junior college level at Dodge City (Kan.) Community College (1989-93) and Daytona Beach (Fla.) Community College (2003-06). In between those head coaching stints, he was the top assistant to head coach Jim Kerwin at Western Illinois from 1992-2003.
Underwood joins the Kansas State coaching staff after spending the past three seasons as the head coach at Daytona Beach Community College in Daytona Beach, Fla. He helped guide the Falcons to a 70-24 (.745) overall record, including three consecutive 20-win seasons, and two Mid-Florida Conference Championships from 2003-06. Underwood was twice selected as the Mid-Florida Conference Coach of the Year following the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons. He saw 14 players go on to receive scholarships at four-year programs, including Travis Aikens (Marshall), Demetrius Green (Middle Tennessee State), David Lawrence (College of Charleston), Solomon Jones (South Florida) and Blake Young (K-State). Jones was an honorable mention All-BIG EAST selection this past season for USF.
This past season, Underwood guided Daytona Beach to a 25-5 overall record and a runner-up finish in Mid-Florida Conference play with a 12-3 mark. He helped six players earn Mid-Florida Conference honors, including two first team all-league selections, as well as conference player of the year Blake Young. Young went on to earn honorable mention All-America accolades from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and first team Region VIII accolades. Young and Demetrius Green were both rated among the top 25 players in the country by JucoJunction.com.
Underwood guided the Falcons to back-to-back Mid-Florida Conference Championships in 2003-04 and 2004-05. His 2004-05 squad produced a 24-10 overall record and runner-up finish in Region VIII. Six players earned all-conference accolades, including four first team selections. David Lawrence was also selected to the NJCAA All-Region VIII first team as well as the Florida Community College Athletic Association (FCCAA) All-State team. Underwood’s first team collected a 21-9 overall mark and produced one NJCAA All-Region VIII first team selection.
“I am just ecstatic about returning to Kansas State,” said Underwood. “I think anyone would relish the opportunity to return to their alma mater. Plus, I get to do it with a guy that has created such a buzz for basketball at the school in Bob Huggins. He is someone that I have known for a long time. I am very fortunate to be in this position.”
Prior to his stint at Daytona Beach, Underwood spent 10 years as an assistant coach at Western Illinois under head coach Jim Kerwin. The Leathernecks produced a 135-174 (.437) overall record from 1992-2003, including a 79-97 (.449) mark in Mid-Continent Conference play. The team advanced to the finals of the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament three straight seasons (1995, 1996, 1997) and achieved five consecutive seasons of winning at least 16 games. Underwood helped coach 12 all-conference players, including four first team selections, and four named to the All-Newcomer Team.
After a rocky first couple of seasons, Underwood helped Western Illinois to one of its most successful three-year periods as the Leathernecks posted a 56-30 (.651) overall record and three consecutive second-place finishes in Mid-Continent Conference play. In 1994-95, the team registered a 13-win improvement en route to posting just the school’s ninth 20-win season and its first in 12 years. The Leathernecks lost the first of three tournament championship games in triple overtime to Valparaiso.
Underwood earned his first head coaching position in 1988 at Dodge City Community College in Dodge City, Kan. He spent four seasons as the program’s head coach, guiding the Conquistadors to a 62-60 (.508) overall record from 1988-92. His 1990-91 squad compiled a 23-9 record and were ranked as high as No. 4 in the nation.
Underwood earned his first coaching job at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, as he spent the 1986-87 season as a graduate assistant.
Underwood, 42, earned his bachelor’s degree in radio and television communications from Kansas State in 1986. He was a two-year lettermen and guard for the Wildcats from 1984-86 under the legendary Jack Hartman. He averaged 2.7 points on 37.2 percent shooting (35-of-94) during his two-year career with 0.9 assists and 0.8 rebounds in 39 games with eight starts.
Underwood transferred to K-State from Independence Community College in Independence, Kan., where he helped the Pirates to a 30-9 record and a runner-up finish at the 1984 National Junior College Tournament. He earned NJCAA All-Tournament team honors after scoring a season-high 30 points in the first round. He began his playing career at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, where he averaged 6.3 points and started six games as a true freshman in 1982.
A native of McPherson, Kan., Underwood is a 1982 graduate of McPherson High School, where he was a three-year standout in basketball. He averaged 25.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists as a senior en route to being named first team Class 5A and most valuable player of the Ark Valley League.
Underwood is married to the former Susan Price. The couple has one son, Tyler (9), and two daughters, Katie (5) and Ashley (4).
Underwood joins a coaching staff that already includes assistant coaches
Frank Martin and
Dalonte Hill, strength and conditioning coach
Scott Greenawalt and video coordinator
Andy Assaley. Huggins still has one position to fill on his staff a third assistant coach and will do so at a later date.
