Carson Cunningham

Last updated
Carson Cunningham
Current position
TitleAssistant coach
TeamArmy Black Knights
Conference Patriot League
Biographical details
Born (1977-05-07) May 7, 1977 (age 46)
Ogden Dunes, Indiana, U.S.
Alma mater Purdue University
Playing career
1996–1997 Oregon State
1998–2001 Purdue
2001–2002 Gary Steelheads
2002–2003 Rockford Lightning
2002–2003 Kalev/Cramo
2004–2005 Rockford Lightning
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2007–2013 Andrean HS
2013–2018 Carroll (MT)
2018–2023 Incarnate Word
2023–present Army (assistant)
Head coaching record
Overall149–155 (.490) {college}
Tournaments5–3 (NAIA)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Frontier Conference (2016–17, 2017–18)
Frontier Conference Tourney (2016–17, 2017–18)

Carson Cunningham (born May 7, 1977) is an American basketball coach and author who is currently an assistant coach for the Army Black Knights basketball team. He is the former head coach of the Incarnate Word Cardinals men's basketball team. [1] [2]

Contents

Playing career

Cunningham was a standout basketball player at Andrean High School in Merrillville, Indiana, where he was a four-year letterwinner and a three-time first team all-area selection, as well as first team all-state selection and USA Today honorable mention All-American as a senior. [3]

Playing his freshman season of college basketball at Oregon State, Cunningham averaged 14.9 points per game, earning a place on the 1997 Pacific 10 All-Freshman team. [4] Cunningham would transfer back to the state of Indiana, enrolling at Purdue to play under Gene Keady and was part of the Boilermakers 1999 Sweet 16 and 2000 Elite Eight squads.

Upon graduation, Cunningham played in the Continental Basketball Association for the Gary Steelheads and Rockford Lightning from 2001 to 2005, while also playing abroad in Australia and Estonia. [5] While in Estonia, he led his club (Kalev/Cramo in scoring (21.5 ppg) and assists (4.8 apg). [6]

Coaching career

Cunningham got his start in coaching at the high school ranks, taking the helm of his alma mater, Andrean High School for five seasons, where he compiled an 81–39 record, winning four sectional championships before accepting the head coaching position at NAIA institution Carroll College in Montana. [7]

At Carroll, Cunningham inherited a Fighting Saints team that had won just two games, and in five seasons amassed a 107–52 record, including three-straight 20-win seasons, and two Frontier Conference men's basketball regular season and tournament titles, along with three trips to NAIA Men's Basketball Championships, and two quarterfinal appearances. [8]

Cunningham was named head coach at NCAA Division I institution Incarnate Word on March 22, 2018. [1] Following five straight losing seasons as head coach, Incarnate Word fired Cunningham in 2023. [9]

After his dismissal from Incarnate Word, Cunningham became an assistant coach for the Army Black Knights basketball team. [10]

Published works

Cunningham is the author of five books, which range from fiction to non-fiction on topics such as Olympic basketball, his experiences in the CBA, athletes who died in combat, the Chicago Cubs, and modern reimagining of Huckleberry Finn. [5] [11] [12] [13]

Head coaching record

NAIA

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Carroll Fighting Saints (Frontier Conference)(2013–2018)
2013–14Carroll 9–19 [14] 4–12N/A
2014–15Carroll 18–11 [15] 7–74th
2015–16Carroll 23–10 [16] 12–52nd NAIA Division I Elite Eight
2016–17Carroll 29–6 [17] 15–31st NAIA Division I Elite Eight
2017–18Carroll 28–6 [18] 13–51st NAIA Division I Second Round
Carroll College:107–52 (.673)51–32 (.614)
Total:107–52 (.673)

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

NCAA Div I

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Incarnate Word Cardinals (Southland Conference)(2018–present)
2018–19 Incarnate Word 6–251–1713th
2019–20 Incarnate Word 9–226–1410th
2020–21 Incarnate Word 8–145–98th
2021–22 Incarnate Word 7–253–118th
2022–23 Incarnate Word 12–196–12T–8th
Incarnate Word:42–105 (.286)21–63 (.250)
Total:42–105 (.286)

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

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References

  1. 1 2 "UIW Athletics Tabs Cunningham as Men's Basketball Head Coach – University of the Incarnate Word". University of the Incarnate Word.
  2. ↑ "Carson Cunningham Coaching Record". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com.
  3. ↑ "Carson Cunningham Bio :: Purdue University :: Official Athletic Site".
  4. ↑ "Carson Cunningham College Stats - College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com.
  5. 1 2 "Carroll College Athletics – 2015–16 Men's Basketball Coaching Staff". carrollathletics.com.
  6. ↑ "Kalev/Cramo Roster, Schedule, Stats (2002-2003)".
  7. ↑ Hanlon, Steve. "Andrean's Cunningham hired to coach at Montana college".
  8. ↑ "Carroll Men Capture Second Straight Frontier Conference Tournament Crown".
  9. ↑ https://www.expressnews.com/sports/colleges/utsa/article/uiw-fires-carson-cunningham-17891700.php
  10. ↑ https://goarmywestpoint.com/news/2023/6/7/head-coach-kevin-kuwik-announces-mens-basketball-staff.aspx
  11. ↑ "Carroll College coach pens book to honor athletes who died for their country".
  12. ↑ Nieto, Mike. "WHERE ARE THEY NOW?: Cunningham authors another book".
  13. ↑ "Carson Cunningham – Diversion Books". www.diversionbooks.com.
  14. ↑ "2013–14 Men's Basketball Schedule". Carroll College Athletes.
  15. ↑ "2014–15 Men's Basketball Schedule". Carroll College Athletes.
  16. ↑ "2015–16 Men's Basketball Schedule". Carroll College Athletes.
  17. ↑ "2016–17 Men's Basketball Schedule". Carroll College Athletes.
  18. ↑ "2017–18 Men's Basketball Schedule". Carroll College Athletes.
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