SLU Hires Soderberg To Head Basketball Program

Brad Soderberg

ST. LOUIS-Saint Louis University president Rev. Lawrence Biondi and director of athletics Doug Woolard today introduced Brad Soderberg as head coach of the Billikens' men's basketball program. Soderberg becomes the 23rd head coach in the 86-year history of the program. Contract terms were not announced.

"We believe Brad Soderberg brings the right combination of experience, enthusiasm and integrity to keep the Billiken basketball program moving forward," Woolard said. "In the interview process, Brad's passion for the program, his plan for success and his positive energy elevated him to the position of our primary candidate."

"I appreciate the confidence and support that Father Biondi and Doug Woolard have provided to me," Soderberg said. "I'm convinced that the administration's support of the basketball program is significant and will more than satisfy our mission to run a program that challenges for the upper tier of Conference USA. Our team will compete, play hard and make our fans, alumni and the St. Louis metropolitan community proud."

Soderberg joined former head coach Lorenzo Romar's staff for the 2001-02 season and helped lead the Billikens (15-16 overall, 9-7 C-USA) to a fifth-place overall finish in Conference USA. It was the Billikens' best conference record since national Freshman of the Year Larry Hughes led the Bills to a 10-6 mark in league play in 1997-98.

Soderberg, who has a career record of 131-73 as a head coach, served as Wisconsin's interim head coach after Dick Bennett's retirement early in the 2000-01 season after the Badgers' magical run to the 2000 Final Four. He compiled a 16-10 record and became the first Wisconsin coach to lead the Badgers to the NCAA Tournament in his first season. He was just the fourth Badgers coach ever to win his Big Ten debut and the first since 1911 to win his first eight games.

Soderberg moved to Wisconsin in April 1995, after two seasons as head coach at South Dakota State. He guided the Jackrabbits to a 36-18 (.667) record from 1993-95, including a 21-15 mark in the highly regarded NCAA Division II North Central Conference.

Soderberg served as head coach at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, from 1988-93 and led the Duhawks to a 79-45 (.637) record during his five-year stint. Loras was runner-up in the 1992 National Catholic Basketball Tournament, and Soderberg was named tournament Coach of the Year. Soderberg served as assistant coach at Loras in 1987-88 before becoming head coach.

Prior to his arrival at Loras, Soderberg was an assistant coach at UW-Stevens Point (1984-85), graduate assistant at Colorado State (1985-86) and assistant coach at Fort Hays State (1986-87).

Soderberg is a 1985 graduate of UW-Stevens Point, where he was a guard and team captain for Bennett's 1984 NAIA national runner-up, a team that included Terry Porter, who now is with the NBA's Portland Trailblazers. Soderberg and Porter started all 32 games in the Pointers' backcourt in '83-84, and Soderberg was a first-team all-conference and all-NAIA District 14 selection. He earned the "Hustle Award" at the '84 NAIA Tournament.

A native of Stevens Point, Wis., Soderberg attended Pacelli High, where his father recently retired as head basketball coach. He has a bachelor's degree in physical education from UW-Stevens Point and a master's in physical education from Colorado State (1986).

The 39-year-old Soderberg and his wife, Linda, have two sons, Kramer and Davis, and a daughter, Daley.