Raider coaching great passes

(((Contributed by Wright State Sports Information)))

In his first nine years, Underhill developed Wright State into one of the finest Division II programs in the country. Over that span, the Raiders made seven NCAA postseason appearances, won two regional championships and the 1982-83 national championship.

Ralph Underhill, who served as head coach of the Wright State men’s basketball team from 1978-96, lost his battle with diabetes Sept. 8 at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati. He was 70.

“It is truly a sad day for the Raider family; we have lost one of our legends,” said Bob Grant, director of athletics. “Coach Underhill’s impact on the Wright State program is immeasurable. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.”

Watch video of Underhill coaching the Raiders here

In 18 years as head coach of the Wright State men’s basketball team, Ralph Underhill recorded 356 wins, a NCAA Division II national title, seven appearances in the Division II regionals, a conference tournament title and one appearance in the NCAA Division I Tournament. He led the Raiders to winning records in each of his first 16 seasons, including 10 of 20 wins or more.

In his first nine years, Underhill developed Wright State into one of the finest Division II programs in the country. Over that span, the Raiders made seven NCAA postseason appearances, won two regional championships and the 1982-83 national championship.  Two of his teams were ranked #1 in the country, including the 1980-81 squad which was ranked #1 from the first poll to the last.  Eight of his first nine teams won at least 20 games.

Underhill was selected as the Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year for the third time in his career in 1986. He won Division II Coach of the Year honors in 1983 after leading WSU to the national championship.

Seven players earned Division II All-America honors for Underhill. The All-America parade began in 1980 when Roman Welch was a third-time choice by Basketball Weekly.  Rodney Benson was the first Raider to earn first-team All-America honors when he was recognized by both Basketball Weekly and by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) in 1981. Other All-Americans include Gary Monroe (1983), Fred Moore (1984), Mark Vest (1985 and 1986), Grant Marion (1986) and Andy Warner (1986).

Wright State moved to the Division I level in the 1987-88 season, and it took the Raiders only three seasons to once again surpass the 20-win mark.

Underhill and the Raiders then realized the dream of all basketball coaches when his 1993 team won the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, facing Bobby Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers at the Hoosier Dome.

Inducted into the Mary and Al Schwarz Wright State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003, Underhill was named to the Cincinnati Area Basketball Hall of Fame in 1997.

Prior to coming to Wright State, Underhill was an assistant coach under Ron Shumate at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for six years. He helped guide Chattanooga to a runner-up finish in the Division II national championship in 1976 and a national title in 1977. With Underhill on staff, the Mocs had a six-year mark of 125-48.

Before entering the collegiate ranks, Underhill spent a year as the head coach of Louisville Manual High School, guiding the team to a 24-6 record and advancing to the Kentucky state tournament. Prior to that, from 1965 to 1971, he was the head coach at Ohio County High School in Hartford, Ky.  He led his team to combined record of 126-30, winning four district titles and one regional crown and finishing as the state runner-up in 1969.

Underhill graduated from Lloyd High School in Erlanger, Ky., where he lettered four times each in basketball, football, track and baseball. He then played collegiate basketball and ran track for Tennessee Tech. As a junior, he was a member of the Tech team that won Ohio Valley Conference championship.

He received a Bachelor of Science degree in health and physical education from Tennessee Tech in 1964 and earned a Master of Arts degree in guidance and education in 1965 from Western Kentucky, where he worked as a graduate assistant basketball coach.

Funeral arrangements were pending.

Underhill’s Milestone Victories

1st win:   at Wright State 103, Wilberforce 73, November 28, 1978

50th win:   Wright State 124, at St. Leo 77, December 10, 1980

100th win:   at Wright State 92, St. Francis (IL) 79, January 4, 1983

150th win:   at Wright State 99, Marycrest 86, January 12, 1985

200th win:   at Wright State 93, Manchester 53, January 17, 1987

250th win:   at Wright State 101, St. Francis (NY) 82, January 4, 1990

300th win:   at Wright State 112, Prairie View 87, December 11, 1992

350th win:   Wright State 74, at Milwaukee 71, January 20, 1996

356th win:   at Wright State 99, Milwaukee 75, February 22, 1996

Underhill Career Highlights

1965—Named Western Kentucky High School Coach of the Year

1972—Named Kentucky High School Coach of the Year

1977—Guided Chattanooga to a Division II national championship as an assistant coach

1978—Named head coach on May 18

1979—Guided Wright State to a NCAA regional tournament appearance in his first season as head coach

1983—Defeated Kentucky Wesleyan 69-67 to win Wright State’s first regional title

1983—Defeated District of Columbia 92-73 to win the NCAA Division II national championship

1983—Selected as the NABC Division II Coach of the Year

1985—Selected as the NABC Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year

1986—Defeated Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 77-73 to win the school’s second regional title

1986—Selected as the NABC Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year

1987—Defeated U.S. International 100-97 in Wright State’s first game as a Division I institution

1988—Received the school’s first vote in USA Today’s Top 25 Division I poll following a season-opening 88-71 win over Middle Tennessee State

1990—Team finished with best record (21-7) among Division I independents

1991—Joined Mid-Continent Conference (now Summit League)

1993—Won Mid-Continent Conference Tournament title and advanced to first NCAA           Division I tournament

1994—Joined Midwestern Collegiate Conference (now Horizon League)

1995—Advanced to MCC Tournament finals

Underhill Odds and Ends

518 games as head coach

Raiders scored 41,594 points during those 518 games, a 80.2 scoring average

Averaged 19.7 wins per season

259 home wins

75 100-point games