Eastern Illinois University Men's Basketball

Watch Archived Press Conference    Eastern Illinois Athletic Director Tom Michael has announced that Marty Simmons has been hired as the Panthers men's basketball coach in March of 2021.   Simmons previously served as the head coach at his alma mater Evansville, SIUE and Wartburg (Iowa).  At Evansville he won 184 games leading the Purple Aces to five postseason appearances including the 2015 CIT Championship.  He won 20 or more games three times including 25 during the 2015-16 season when Evansville finished tied for second in the Missouri Valley Conference.  At SIUE he won 88 games in five seasons twice guiding SIUE to the NCAA Division II Tournament.  He coached one season at Wartburg.    Simmons comes to EIU after serving on the coaching staff at Clemson where the Tigers played in this year's NCAA Tournament.  He becomes the fourth head coach in the Panthers NCAA Division I history and the 15th overall head coach since EIU began playing basketball in 1908.    Simmons is a native of Lawrenceville, Illinois, where as a prep player he helped lead his team to two straight Illinois State Basketball Championships and was named one of the 100 Legends of IHSA Basketball in 2006.   He was Illinois Mr. Basketball in 1983.  Eastern Illinois • Hired as 15th head coach in program history, March 31, 2021 * Begins fifth year at EIU for 2025-26 academic year * Received two-year contract extension in spring of 2024 * Helped rebuild roster in first year featuring nine new players * Team used 16 different starting line-ups in 2021-22, five most in NCAA Division I ranks * Won first game as EIU head coach on Nov. 18, 2021 (W 96-64 vs. Rockford University) * Team again featured eight new faces on roster in transfer portal era in 2023-24 * Coached team to win over Big Ten member Iowa, listed as biggest regular-season upset in last 30 years * Coached OVC Freshman of the Year in 2022-23, with EIU winning ten OVC Freshman of the Week honors between four players * Coached first team All-OVC selection Tiger Booker (2024) * Coached first team All-OVC selection Nakyel Shelton (2025) * Coached one OVC All-Newcomer Team selection * Coached team to 2024 OVC Tournament appearance, first since 2019-20 * Coach team that set school record for steals in season with 278 (2024-25) * EIU record (40-85, 24-50 OVC ... 4 years) Clemson University • Special Assistant to the Head Coach   • 2019 World University Games Gold Medalist • 2021 NCAA Tournament • 2019 & 2020 NIT University of Evansville • Head Coach from 2007-2018 • Evansville Record (184-175) • Five Postseason Appearances • 2015 CIT Champion (CollegeInsider.com) • Three 20+ win seasons (best was 25-9 in 2016) • Coached nine first team All-Missouri Valley Conference players   SIUE  • Head Coach from 2002-07 • SIUE Record (88-59) • 2005 GLVC Coach of the Year • 2006 NCAA Division II Tournament Elite Eight • 2005 NCAA Tournament • Coached eight All-GLVC Players including two Freshmen of the Year Wartburg College • Head Coach from 1996-97 • Wartburg Record (10-14)   University of Evansville (Assistant Coach) • Assistant Coach (1997-02 & 1990-96) • 1999 Missouri Valley Conference Champions • 1999 NCAA Tournament • 1993 Midwestern Collegiate Conference Champions • 1993 NCAA Tournament • 1992 Midwestern Collegiate Conference Champions • 1992 NCAA Tournament Personal • Began collegiate career at Indiana University • Finished collegiate career at University of Evansville • Two-time first team All-Midwestern Collegiate Conference  • Jersey No. 50 retired at Evansville • Led Evansville to second round of 1988 NIT * Played high school basketball at Lawrenceville (Ill.) High School • Led Lawrenceville HS to 1982 & 1983 IHSA State Championships • 1983 Illinois Mr. Basketball Education Bachelor's - University of Evansville, 1987 Master's - University of Evansville, 1993 Family Wife: Angie Simmons Children: Cole, Brittany, Blake, Kelsey Career Record: 323-332 (21 years) Post Season Appearances as Head Coach: Seven Post Season Appearances Player/Assistant/HC: 14 Post Season Appearances 2021 - NCAA Tournament 2020 - NIT Tournament 2019 - NIT Tournament 2015 - CIT Champion 2013 - CIT Semifinals 2012 - CBI 2011 - CBI 2009 - CIT 2006 - NCAA Tournament Elite Eight 2005 - NCAA Tournament 1999 - NCAA Tournament 1993 - NCAA Tournament 1992 - NCAA Tournament 1988 - NIT (2nd Round) - Player   School Year Overall Conference Other Wartburg 1996-97 (1 Year) 10-14 7-9 SIUE 2002-07 (5 Years) 89-58 55-43 2005, '06 NCAA Tournament Evansville 2007-18 (11 Years) 184-175 82-116 2009, '13, '15 CIT... 2011, '12 CBI ... 2015 CIT Champions . Eastern Illinois 2021-22 5-26 3-15 Eastern Illinois 2022-23 9-22 5-13 Eastern Illinois 2023-24 14-18 8-10 OVC Tournament  Eastern Illinois 2024-25 12-19 8-12 . EIU Record 4 Years 40-85 24-50 Career Record 21 Years  323-332 168-218 2 NCAA Tournaments ... 3 CIT ... 2 CBI  

Eastern Illinois * Hired as an assistant men's basketball coach on Marty Simmons staff in July 2024 * Begins second season at EIU for 2025-26 season * Helped coach first team All-OVC selection Nakyel Shelton (2025) * Helped coach a team that set school record for steals in season with 278 (2025-25) Prior To Eastern Illinois * Worked two seasons on basketball staff at Cleveland State (2022-24) under head coach Daniyal Robinson * Member of staff on team that made back-to-back CBI Tournament appearances, 21 wins both seasons * Worked as Director of Student Athlete Development and Video Coordinator * Helped work with two-time first team All-Horizon League pick Tristan Enaruna, free agent signee with Boston Celtics * Member of basketball staff at Kansas State for three seasons (2019-22) under head coach Bruce Weber * Served as Video Coordinator during 2021-22 season * Was a graduate assistant student manager during 2019-21 seasons * Worked summer basketball camps at Purdue, Oklahoma, Creighton, Northern Iowa and McKendree Personal * Played college basketball at McKendree, member of team for five seasons * Finished playing career ranked in career Top 20 for scoring and career Top 10 for 3-pointers made * Bachelor's Degree from McKendree University in 2018 * Master's Degree from McKendree University in 2019 * Master's Degree from Kansas State University in 2021 * He and wife Sesely have one son, Trace * Native of St. Joseph, Illinois      

Eastern Illinois * Hired as assistant to the men’s basketball head coach in fall of 2022 * Begins fourth season on EIU staff for 2025-26 season * Helped coach team to 2024 OVC Tournament appearance, first since 2019-20 * Helped coach first team All-OVC selection Tiger Booker (2024) * Helped coach first team All-OVC selection Nakyel Shelton (2025) * Helped coach one All-OVC Newcomer selection  * Helped coach OVC Freshman of the Year Cam Haffner (2023)   Prior to Eastern Illinois * Successful high school coach in state of Illinois winning 410 games * Inducted into IBCA Hall of Fame in 2020 * Served on coaching staff at Argenta-Oreana, Decatur Eisenhower, Effingham, Mattoon, Sullivan, Neoga and Windson (Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg) * Coached teams to five IHSA Regional Championships * Had seven 20-win seasons * Won seven country championships and five conference championships   Personal * He and wife Kim live in Mattoon  

Eastern Illinois * Hired as an assistant men's basketball coach in August 2023 * Begins third season on head coach Marty Simmons staff in 2025-26 season * Helped coach team to 2024 OVC Tournament appearance, first since 2019-20 season * Helped coach first team All-OVC selection Tiger Booker (2024) * Helped coach first team All-OVC selection Nakyel Shelton (2025) * Helped coach a team that set school record for steals in season with 278 (2025-25) Prior To Eastern Illinois * Assistant Coach at Lincoln University (2022-23) * Helped coach one All-American (Artese Stapleton) * Helped coach three All-MIAA selections * Helped coach team to 17 wins * Graduate assistant coach at Missouri (2021-22) * Assistant coach at Moberly Area CC (2019-21) * Helped coach Moberly Area CC to a NJCAA National Tournament appearance * Assistant coach at Minot State (2016-19) * Helped coach team to 20 win season  * Assistant coach at Illinois Springfield (2014-16) * High school head coach at Cairo (Ill.), Green County (Ky.) and Springfield Lanphier (Ill.)  * Coached at AAU level  Personal * Played basketball at University of Illinois * Member of Illinois 2005 Final Four Team * Earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in 2007 * Bachelor's degree from University of Illinois  * NBA Skills Trainer in 2016 (San Francisco) * 2019 inductee into Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame * Native of Springfield, Illinois