Director of Athletics Brady Barke named Brad Korn the new head men’s basketball coach at Southeast Missouri.
A closed introduction will be held and shown live online at the GoSoutheast Facebook page Tuesday at 2 p.m., CT.
Korn spent five years at Big 12 Conference member Kansas State working the last four seasons as an assistant coach and one as the program’s Director of Operations.
“I’m excited to welcome Brad and his family to Cape Girardeau,” said Barke. “Brad is a winner and has an incredible knack for building relationships with student-athletes, while developing them both on and off the court. His energy and passion will bring a renewed sense of excitement to SEMO Basketball.”
The seventh head coach in SEMO’s NCAA Division I men’s basketball era, Korn agreed to a five-year contract which will run through Apr. 30, 2025.
In four years back at K-State after returning following a three-year stint at Missouri State (2013-16), Korn helped the Wildcats to 82 wins and three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances. K-State posted back-to-back 25-win campaigns for the first time in school history (2017-18, 2018-19).
During his first year back in 2016-17, the squad won 21 games, including eight over teams that advanced to the postseason, and knocked off Wake Forest in the NCAA First Four before losing to #18 Cincinnati in the NCAA South Regional First Round.
Working primarily with the post players, Korn was a big influence on the development of two-time All-Big 12 First Team selection Dean Wade, who became the fourth Wildcat to earn All-Big 12 First-Team honors in 2018 and just the second to do so in back-to-back seasons. Wade is one of just three players to rank in the school’s Top 10 in both career scoring (1,510) and rebounding (685). He was instrumental in the progress of Makol Mawien, who has started all 103 games in his K-State career and emerged as one of the top big men in the Big 12.
Korn was also key in the growth of All-Big 12 selections Wesley Iwundu and D.J. Johnson during his first season as an assistant coach in 2016-17. Iwundu, who was twice named Third Team All-Big 12, became the first Wildcat since 2008 to be taken in the NBA Draft when he was selected with 33rd overall pick by the Orlando Magic. Johnson, an honorable mention all-league selection, broke the career field goal percentage record at 59.5 percent, while setting the single-season mark for the second consecutive season at 62.3 percent in 2016-17.
Korn spent one season on Bruce Weber’s inaugural staff at K-State as Director of Operations in 2012-13, helping the Wildcats to a 27-8 overall record and their first-ever Big 12 regular-season title. It was the school’s first conference title since 1977, while the 27 wins rated second-most in school history.
Overall, he has 15 years of Division I experience, which includes time at his alma mater – Southern Illinois (2004-12).
Korn has extensive ties to Weber after playing his first four years (1999-2003) for him at Southern Illinois. He redshirted in 1999-2000 before playing the next three years for Weber. He concluded his playing career for (current Purdue head coach) Matt Painter in 2003-04 before spending the next eight years (2004-12) at SIU as an assistant for then-Saluki head coach and current K-State associate head coach Chris Lowery.
Korn returned to Manhattan in May 2016 after three seasons at Missouri State, where he served as an assistant coach to then-head coach Paul Lusk from 2013-16. At MSU, he helped the Bears to 44 wins, including a 20 -win season and a trip to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament in 2013-14.
Korn helped mentor a number of All-Missouri Valley honorees during his stay at Missouri State, including 2014 All-MVC Second-Team selection Jarmar Gulley and 2016 MVC Newcomer of the Year Dequon Miller. In addition, he coached three MVC All-Freshman Team honorees in Austin Ruder in 2014 and Obediah Church and Jarred Dixon in 2016 as well as two Most Improved Team members (Dorrian Williams in 2015 and Chris Kendrix in 2016).
Prior to his first stint at K-State, Korn spent eight years (2004-12) at Southern Illinois, including his final six years as a full-time assistant under Lowery. He helped the Salukis post a 145-116 (.556) overall record with four postseason appearances, two Missouri Valley Conference championships and one State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title. The squad won 20 or more games and advanced to the NCAA Tournament on three occasions (2005, 2006, 2007) during his tenure as an assistant coach, including a 2007 trip to the Sweet 16. He was a graduate assistant at SIU his first two years before being elevated to a full-time assistant coach on Jan. 31, 2006.
A native of Plano, Illinois, Korn helped the Salukis through one of their greatest periods of success from 1999 to 2004. The squad went from 16 wins his redshirt-freshman season to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances under Weber and Painter. He was also a part of three Missouri Valley regular season championships as a player.
The 6-foot-9 forward saw action in 121 games in his career, averaging 5.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per game. As a senior, he averaged 9.7 points on 41 percent shooting with four rebounds and 1.9 assists in helping SIU to 25 wins and a 17-1 mark in MVC play. He was named to the league’s Most Improved Team.
Korn earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Southern Illinois in 2004 and earned credits towards a Master’s degree in Sports Studies.
Korn, 38, and his wife, Kristin, have two daughters, Brielyn and Ashtyn.
Korn named Head Basketball Coach at SEMO
Photo Courtesy SEMO Athletics
