Southport High School administrators announced they have hired Eric Brand as the new varsity boys basketball head coach.

Prior to his new role at Southport High, Brand served as the varsity boys basketball coach at South Bend’s Riley High School (2017-18) which finished the season with a 25-1 record. He also worked in assistant coaching roles at Warren Central High School, Baylor University, Tyler Junior College and Texas State University.

“Eric brings a wealth of experience as a coach and an athlete,” said Pete Hubert, Southport High athletic director. “We are confident he has the skill, passion and leadership ability to help take our program to the next level.”

Brand, a graduate of Bethel College in Mishawaka, IN, was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 2017. He led his team to a remarkable 135-22 overall record during his four years as a student-athlete, earning the Pilots to two NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championships (1997, 1998) and another NAIA National Championship runner-up finish (1999).

Brand is the Pilots’ all-time leading scorer (2,696 points) and holds three other career records at Bethel, including field goals made (1,018), free throws made (659) and games played (157). He was a three-time NAIA All-America selection (1998 – Honorable Mention; 1999 – Second Team; 2000 – First Team), a two-time NAIA National Championship All-Tournament Team selection (1998, 1999) and a three-time first team All-Conference selection in the Crossroads League.

Following his exceptional career at Bethel College, Brand played professionally in Europe for seven years, winning the International Basketball League Championship in 2006, which also earned him the IBL Most Valuable Player in 2006.

Brand is a 1996 graduate of Bloomington South High School.