ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The Saint Louis University men’s basketball team released news that assistant coach Ford Stuen, 29, died on Tuesday.
He had been in the hospital since April with "serious health complications." He died at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital and is survived by his wife, Courtney, who he married last year, his stepdaughter Lucy, and a son due in August.
Stuen came to SLU as Director of Player Development in 2016, serving in that role for three years before being promoted to assistant coach two seasons ago.
“Words cannot begin to express the pain and sorrow we are all experiencing right now,” SLU Director of Athletics Chris May said on behalf of the Department of Athletics. “Everyone associated with our program knew Ford as someone who was fully invested in working for the betterment of our student-athletes. His passion, positivity, and amazing outlook on life are things we will all take with us. Our hearts go out to Courtney, Lucy, and Ford’s wonderful family. Please keep the Stuen family, as well as Travis Ford and the Ford family, in your thoughts and prayers.”
According to an Instagram post by Courtney Stuen, he was put on life support in April.
The nephew of SLU head coach Travis Ford, Stuen played four seasons for his uncle at Oklahoma State University from 2012-16. A first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection, he helped the Cowboys to three NCAA Tournament appearances during his time in Stillwater. Stuen graduated from OSU in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Management.
At SLU, Stuen was part of a staff that helped the Billikens to back-to-back 23-win campaigns. In 2018-19, the Billikens won the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
Stuen’s work earned him recognition on a national level. In his first year as an assistant coach at SLU, Stuen garnered the attention of the NABC by being named to its prestigious 30-Under-30 list that highlights the best coaches under the age of 30 in college basketball.
A native of Henderson, Kentucky, Stuen attended Henderson County High School before spending a postgraduate year at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
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