Liberty men’s basketball associate head coach Brad Soucie has announced that he is stepping away to pursue other interests and will not return to the program next season, the school has announced.
“I am so thankful to have served alongside Ritchie for 27 years and to have had the opportunity to serve so many student athletes,” Soucie said in the school release. “It has been an honor to coach at Liberty and be a part of the amazing vision. Liberty basketball is in great hands with Ritchie’s leadership, and I know more success is coming. Thank you everyone for making my time at Liberty University so special.”
Brad Soucie has been on Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay’s staff for every single year of McKay’s 21 seasons as a head coach. Add in the 6 seasons they spent in Charlottesville on Tony Bennett’s staff at Virginia, and Soucie and McKay have been on the same sideline for the past 27 years. We previously wrote about the special bond these two have not just on the floor but off of it as well.
“It is not often you get to journey with someone in this profession for 27 straight years, so I am thankful for the blessing that it has been to do so with Brad,” Coach McKay said in a release. “He has definitely had an impact on the program and the players’ lives that he had the opportunity to be a part of. I am very thankful for him and wish him great success in the future.”
McKay has frequently referred to Brad as being like a brother as the two have worked alongside one another for so long. The close relationship has spilled over into their families as well. Not only were their wives best friends, but their kids grew up together.
Soucie’s wife, Kendra, passed away on August 14, 2020 after a 22 month battle with breast cancer. On Saturday, February 13, 2021, the Liberty men’s basketball program paid tribute to Kendra and her life during the game against North Florida. Liberty players, coaches and staff all wore yellow shirts with the initials KS on the front as yellow was Kendra’s favorite color. There was a moment of silence prior to the game and a tribute video, with interviews from Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay and his wife Julie, played during halftime.
Brad and Kendra, 49, were married for 29 years. They joined the McKays early in their marriage and have served alongside one another for the past 26 years. Brad has been an assistant under Ritchie every day of McKay’s head coaching career. Their partnership began in 1995 when the pair helped resurrect the men’s basketball program at Portland State which had been dormant for 15 years. From there, Soucie followed McKay to Colorado State, Oregon State, New Mexico, their first stint at Liberty, Virginia, and back to Lynchburg.
