Phil Cunningham was named the eighth head men's basketball coach at ULM, Director of Athletics John Hartwell announced on March 18, 2025.
"We are excited to have Phil Cunningham leading our basketball program," said Hartwell. "The pool of candidates interested in our job was impressive. Phil distanced himself from the talented pool with his plan of excellence, his outstanding reputation as a recruiter and his experience as a Sun Belt Conference champion head coach."
"It is an extraordinary blessing and privilege to be named the head coach at ULM," said Cunningham. "Words can't express the gratitude I want to extend to John Hartwell and Keith Richard for opening the door last summer that eventually led to this opportunity. I really enjoy living in Monroe and becoming immersed in the ULM community, and I look forward to recruiting the type of players that can help us compete at the highest level of the Sun Belt Conference. I can assure you that nobody will outwork us."
Cunningham served as the assistant coach for the Warhawks during the 2024-25 season and takes the reigns of the storied ULM men's basketball program after Keith Richard announced his retirement following 15 seasons, four postseason appearances and 170 wins as the head coach of the Warhawks.
Cunningham was hired by Hartwell at Troy University in 2013 as the Trojans' head men's basketball coach. Cunningham served as the head coach at Troy for six seasons from 2013-19. As the head coach, Cunningham transformed Troy from a program that was facing serious APR penalties into a winning culture on and off the court. In 2017, the Trojans captured their first Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship in school history and reached March Madness for just the second time ever. Cunningham's team had the biggest wins turnaround in school history during the 2016-17 season and finished with the most wins (22) since the 2003-04 season.
Cunningham signed and coached two of the most talented players in Troy basketball history in Wesley Person, Jr. and Jordon Varnado, who both hold the top two spots on Troy's all-time leading scorers list. Person, Jr. was a four-time All-Sun Belt selection and became the second player in conference history to be named all-conference in four consecutive seasons. He was voted 2017 SBC Tournament MVP and was the 2015 SBC Freshman of the Year and holds the conference record for most career 3-point field goals (361). Varnado was a three-time All-SBC honoree and was recognized on the 2017 Sun Belt Al-Tournament Team and 2018-19 Julius Erving National Small Forward of the Year Watch List.
While at Troy, Cunningham prioritized academic achievement. In the classroom, Troy earned the highest team GPA in the Sun Belt during the 2016-17 academic year. Under Cunningham's watch, the Trojans won two Sun Belt Team Academic Awards with all 16 players who competed as seniors earning their degrees.
As an assistant coach, Cunningham had two separate stints at Western Kentucky, where he was an associate head coach from 2019-23 and an assistant coach during the 2012-13 season. As an associate head coach, Cunningham led the Hilltoppers to the 2021 Conference USA Regular Season title and an NIT Quarterfinals appearance. In his first stint as an assistant coach in Bowling Green, the Hilltoppers earned an NCAA Tournament berth after winning four games in four days at the SBC Tournament to claim WKU's second-straight conference title. The Hilltoppers narrowly fell to No. 1 seed Kansas by seven points in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Cunningham spent 12 seasons as an assistant coach at Mississippi State from 2000-12 under Rick Stansbury. While in Starkville, Cunningham was a part of six NCAA Tournament appearances and 10 total postseason appearances. The Bulldogs won five Southeastern Conference Western Division crowns, one regular season conference championship and a pair of SEC Tournament titles during Cunningham's tenure as an assistant. Mississippi State averaged over 20 wins per season during Cunningham's 12 seasons in Starkville.
All 12 recruiting classes Cunningham was involved with at Mississippi State were nationally recognized. Cunningham helped sign highly touted prospects such as Jarvis Varnado, Jamont Gordon, Arnette Moultrie, Charles Rhodes and 2004 Gatorade National Player of the Year Monta Ellis, who went directly to the NBA after signing with Mississippi State.
Before Mississippi State, Cunningham spent five seasons as an assistant coach under Naismith Hall of Fame head coach Charles "Lefty" Driesell at James Madison and Georgia State. Hartwell was an associate athletic director at Georgia State and served as the color analyst for men's basketball on the Georgia State Radio Network during Cunningham's tenure at GSU.
Cunningham, who was promoted to Driesell's associate head coach his final two seasons at GSU, was instrumental in helping transform the Panthers into one of the winningest basketball programs in the Atlantic Sun Conference. His 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 moving to Georgia State with Driesell in 1997, Cunningham spent the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons as an assistant coach on the staff of Driesell at James Madison.
Cunningham's first job as a head basketball coach was at Sue Bennett College in London, Ky. Taking over a former junior college program making the jump to four-year competition in the NAIA, Cunningham paced Sue Bennett to 48 victories during his three seasons at the helm of the Dragons, including postseason tournament appearances during each of the school's first two years of postseason eligibility status.
Cunningham cut his teeth at the Division I level at Mississippi State as a graduate assistant for the 1991-92 season, where he learned from head coach Richard Williams, who led the Bulldogs to a Final Four appearance in 1996. He earned a master's degree in physical education with an emphasis in sports administration from Mississippi State.
Cunningham began his coaching career in the 1990-91 season as an assistant coach on his father's staff at Campbellsville University after graduating with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He helped lead the Tigers to the District 32 championship and an appearance in the NAIA Tournament.
After graduating from Taylor County, Cunningham began his collegiate playing career at Kentucky Wesleyan and won a NCAA Division II National Championship in 1987. Citing a desire to play for his highly respected father, Cunningham subsequently transferred to Campbellsville College, now Campbellsville University, where he finished his career ranked among the school's all-time leaders in career assists.
Cunningham has one daughter, Shelby (24), who holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Buffalo and master's degree from Columbia University.
THE CUNNINGHAM FILE
PERSONAL
- Born: October 17, 1966
- Hometown: Paducah, Ky.
- College: Campbellsville College (1990)/Mississippi State (1992)
- Daughter: Shelby (24)
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
- 1987-90: Campbellsville College
- 1985-87: Kentucky Wesleyan College
COACHING CAREER
- 2024-25: ULM (assistant coach)
- 2019-23: Western Kentucky (associate head coach)
- 2013-19: Troy (head coach)
- 2012-13: Western Kentucky (assistant coach)
- 2000-12: Mississippi State (assistant coach)
- 1997-00: Georgia State (associate head coach)
- 1995-97: James Madison (assistant coach)
- 1992-95: Sue Bennett College (Ky.) (head coach)
- 1991-92: Mississippi State (graduate assistant)
- 1990-91: Campbellsville College (assistant coach)
POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE
- 2021: CUSA Regular Season Champions / NIT Quarterfinals (Western Kentucky)
- 2017: Sun Belt Conference Tournament Champions / NCAA First Round (Troy)
- 2013: Sun Belt Conference Tournament Champions / NCAA First Round (WKU)
- 2012: NIT First Round (Mississippi State)
- 2010: SEC West Champions / NIT Second Round (Mississippi State)
- 2009: SEC Tournament Champions / NCAA First Round (Mississippi State)
- 2008: SEC West Champions / NCAA Second Round (Mississippi State)
- 2007: SEC West Champions / NIT Final Four (Mississippi State)
- 2004: SEC Regular Season Champions / NCAA Second Round (Mississippi State)
- 2003: SEC West Champions / NCAA First Round (Mississippi State)
- 2002: SEC Tournament Champions / NCAA Second Round (Mississippi State)
- 2001: NIT Quarterfinals (Mississippi State)
What They're Saying About Phil Cunningham
Wes Person, Jr., Troy Basketball Alum
"I thoroughly enjoyed playing my four years of college basketball for Coach Cunningham. He gave me the green light on offense from day one, and I never looked back. Playing in the NCAA Tournament my junior season was a special experience that the entire team shared together. Coach Cunningham's leadership extended beyond basketball. I earned a degree in Finance, and when I left, every player in the program under Coach Cunningham had graduated."
Rick Stansbury, Former Mississippi State Head Men's Basketball Coach
"I want to commend John Hartwell for doing his due diligence in selecting an outstanding coach for ULM. Phil is a proven winner wherever he has been and has won championships in the Sun Belt Conference. As good of a coach and a recruiter he is, Phil is an even a better person. The community of Monroe is fortunate to have Phil as a part of it and leading ULM basketball."
Trent Redden, Los Angeles Clippers General Manager
"John Hartwell made an outstanding decision in hiring Phil Cunningham to lead the ULM program. I was scouting the SEC with the Cleveland Cavaliers when I first met Phil as an assistant coach at Mississippi State. I could always trust him with detailed and straightforward evaluations of their players as well as background on the rest of the NBA prospects in the SEC.
I visited him at Troy as he built the program up from the ground with high school recruits to the level where they won the Sun Belt Championship and played in the NCAA Tournament, no small feat in a conference with that many quality programs. One thing he's always understood is that recruiting is about establishing strong relationships with people, and how that leads to building a roster with the talent to play at a higher level. I am excited to see him do the same at ULM."
Dusty May, Michigan Head Men's Basketball Coach
"Phil Cunningham is an outstanding basketball coach and someone I have known and respected for a long time. I was extremely impressed by the job he did as the interim head coach at Western Kentucky. Our friendship began long ago on the recruiting trails and Phil is someone who has always been a consummate professional."
Ron Hunter, Tulane Head Men's Basketball Coach
"ULM hit a home run with the hire of Phil Cunningham. His ability to recruit and teach young men how to win on and off the court will show immediately at ULM. Phil's passion and energy will help lead him to success in the Sun Belt Conference."
