Retired MSU Athletic Director:
Dr. Clarence Underwood

After assuming leadership duties in April 1999, Underwood's formula for success paid off immediately as 1999-2000 proved to be one of the best years ever for Spartan athletics. In addition to a NCAA Championship in men's basketball, a New Year's Day Citrus Bowl victory for the football team and a CCHA Tournament title for ice hockey, Michigan State finished a school-best 22nd in the Sears Directors' Cup standings with 15 teams sending at least one athlete to their respective NCAA Championship.

Underwood's leadership produced more dividends during the 2000-01 season. The men's basketball team advanced to the Final Four for a third-straight season, while the hockey team made its second appearance in the Frozen Four in the last three years. Overall, 13 of MSU's 26 sports were represented in the NCAA Championships.

"It has been another great year for Michigan State Athletics," said Underwood. "Throughout the fall, winter and spring seasons, we had many great performances by our teams, our coaches and individual athletes. This across the board success exemplifies the level of excellence we have come to expect at Michigan State. The future indeed looks bright for Spartan athletics and I feel honored and fortunate to be leading this total team effort."

Underwood returned to MSU in 1990 after a stint as Deputy Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference. Initially, Underwood became the assistant athletics director for compliance, and implemented the school's first formal compliance program. In 1994, he was appointed senior associate athletics director where he served as the departmental point person on all student-athlete welfare issues. Additionally, he developed cultural programs for student athletes in the areas of agents, gambling and conduct code.

During his years at the Big Ten, Underwood served as the liaison with each school's director of athletics. Underwood served as the primary administrator for the men's sports coaches, while also overseeing the officials, team physicians and trainers. Furthermore, he initiated the popular Big Ten SCORE program (Success Comes Out of Reading Everyday) for inner city children, promoted the Big Ten Advisory Commission to give voice to minority/equity issues and established lofty standards in the area of academic advising and institutional compliance.

Before heading to the Big Ten in November 1983, Underwood spent 11 years at Michigan State. From August 1982 until the time he left, Underwood was associate alumni director where he served as the national liaison to 65 regional alumni clubs and helped to revitalize interest in the once defunct alumni association.

Prior to his appointment in the alumni office, Underwood served MSU as the assistant athletics director for academics. His primary responsibility was the implementation of greatly expanded academic support services, including a tutoring program for all athletes with full-time academic counselors. In 1978, Underwood was recognized for his work in academics by being elected president of the National Academic Athletic Association. Besides coordinating all issues of eligibility, financial aid, athletic certification, human resources and rules interpretation, he also developed MSU's first Title IX proposal showing the University's compliance in gender equity with the new federal law.

Having devoted a majority of his professional career to higher education and athletics, Underwood is able to provide perspective on the differences between intercollegiate athletics of today and in the early 1970s.

"Clearly, the implementation of Title IX and the growth of women's programs has been a major move forward," Underwood explained. "There have not been many other new developments, but what we have seen is a lot of growth in preexisting areas. The amount of money and number of quality individuals required to run a department is three to four times as many as when I first came to MSU. Schools have to find new ways to generate revenue in order to maintain a quality athletics program."

In 1999, Underwood was recognized for his many years of service in athletics administration. The National Consortium for Academics and Sports selected him as one of seven recipients of the 1999 National Student-Athlete Day Giant Steps Award. Along with the award, Underwood and the six other honorees were invited to the White House where they met with President Bill Clinton. For Underwood, the opportunity to talk one-on-one with the President was the highlight of his professional career.

Underwood earned his master's degree in physical education and counseling from MSU in 1965. He would further his education in 1982 when he received his Ph.D. in higher education administration from Michigan State.

Born Oct. 10, 1933, in Gadsden, Ala., Underwood was a standout athlete in baseball, football and track at Gadsden's Carver High School. After graduation in 1953, he served in the United States Army 82nd Airborne Division for two years at Fort Bragg, N.C. Underwood and his wife, Noreese, live in East Lansing. They have three adult children: daughter Jacqueline and sons, Alvin and David. They also have three grandchildren, Morgan, Parker and Blake. Although Underwood lists songwriting, reading and computers as his hobbies, spending time with the grandchildren is his primary leisure activity.