Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- coachcmsu@yahoo.com
One of the top all-around assistant coaching talents in all of collegiate basketball, Phil Cunningham begins his 11th season on Rick Stansbury's Mississippi State basketball coaching staff. He continues his association with MSU's 13th-year head coach after the two previously served together on Richard Williams' Bulldog coaching staff during the 1991-92 campaign.
During his second stint at MSU, Cunningham has taken on primary responsibilities in the areas of recruiting, player development with the Bulldog guards, scouting and on-floor coaching duties. The Bulldogs' last 11 recruiting classes have all been nationally recognized due largely in part to his relentless recruiting style, tremendous work ethic, and eye for talent.
On the court, Cunningham's daily contributions to the Bulldog basketball program have resulted in MSU's recent string of six NCAA Tournament appearances out of the last nine years, as well as last year's berth in the NIT after the Bulldogs advanced to the finals of the SEC Tournament crown for the second-straight year. He has also played a significant role in Mississippi State's recent run of four-consecutive championship seasons, in addition to outright Southeastern Conference basketball championship in 2003-04 along with five SEC Western Division crowns over the past eight seasons.
The streak began in 2002 with the Bulldogs claiming the SEC Tournament title en route to winning a school-record 27 contests. With Cunningham on board, the Bulldogs have averaged 21 wins per year since the 2000-01 season, including the team's record-breaking 26-4 campaign (14-2 in SEC play) during the 2003-04 season.
For his yearly recruiting and coaching accomplishments in helping make Mississippi State a consistent SEC title contender, Cunningham was recently tabbed by Rivals.com as one of the nation's top 25 assistant coaches. He was also previously recognized by The Hoop Scoop recruiting publication as one of the top NCAA Division I men's basketball assistant coaches.
Having earned his master's degree in physical education with an emphasis in sports administration from MSU while he was serving as a graduate assistant coach during his prior stop at State, Cunningham returned to the Starkville campus in 2000 after spending the previous three seasons on Charles "Lefty" Driesell's coaching staff at Georgia State University.
In spending his last two seasons in Atlanta as GSU's associate head coach, Cunningham was instrumental in helping transform the Panther team into what developed into one of the winningest basketball programs in the Atlantic Sun Conference. His tireless recruiting efforts at Georgia State proved pivotal in the Panthers landing successive conference player of the year recipients Thomas Terrell and Shernard Long.
Prior to rejoining Driesell at Georgia State in 1997, Cunningham spent the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons as an assistant coach on the staff of the 'Lefthander' at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va. Cunningham's 14-year stint as an NCAA Division I assistant coach was preceded by a three-year stay as head basketball coach at Sue Bennett College in London, Ky.
Taking over a former junior college program making the jump to four-year competition in the NAIA, he paced SBC to 48 victories during his three seasons at the Dragon helm, including postseason tournament appearances during each of the school's first two years of postseason eligibility status.
Son Of Coaching Icon
A native of Campbellsville, Ky., and the son
of the late Lou Cunningham - long-time coach at Campbellsville (Ky.) College
(now Campbellsville University) - Cunningham spent the 1990-91 campaign as an
assistant coach on his father's staff, helping lead the Tigers to the District
32 championship and an appearance in the NAIA Tournament. Like Stansbury, Cunningham earned his
bachelor's degree in business administration from Campbellsville. Also a native Kentuckian, Stansbury graduated
from the school in 1982.
Cunningham played his first two years of college basketball at NCAA Division II powerhouse Kentucky Wesleyan College, where he was a member of the 1986-87 national championship team. Citing a desire to play for his highly-respected father, Cunningham subsequently transferred to Campbellsville College, where he finished his career ranked among the school's all-time leaders in career assists.
During his prep athletic career at Taylor County High School in Campbellsville, Ky., Cunningham was an all-state honorable mention backcourt performer in addition to excelling on the diamond as a standout shortstop.
A 20-year veteran of the collegiate basketball coaching ranks, Cunningham, 44, has one daughter, Shelby, 10.
Coaching Career
- 1990-91: Assistant Coach, Campbellsville College
- 1991-92: Graduate Assistant Coach, Mississippi State University
- 1992-95: Head Coach, Sue Bennett College
- 1995-97: Assistant Coach, James Madison University
- 1997-98: Assistant Coach, Georgia State University
- 1998-00: Associate Head Coach, Georgia State University
- 2000-present: Assistant Coach, Mississippi State University
