Bradley Unger was hired in 2019 as the Director of Athletics at College of Lake County, where he provides strategic leadership for one of Illinois' most comprehensive community college athletics programs. He oversees 13 athletic programs, 1 adaptive sports program (wheelchair football), recreation and fitness operations, student engagement initiatives, athletic facilities, personnel, budgeting, compliance, fundraising, and long-term strategic planning. In addition to his athletics leadership, Bradley serves as a Deputy Title IX Coordinator and Decision Maker, Co-Chair of the College's Health & Wellness Council, and contributes to numerous institutional committees focused on student success, governance, and campus engagement.
Bradley's career reflects more than two decades of leadership spanning collegiate athletics, education, private businesses in the plumbing, construction, and alternative energy sectors, youth sports, and community service. Prior to joining the College of Lake County, he served as Head Baseball Coach at Waubonsee Community College, where his teams achieved national success, including appearances at the NJCAA Division III World Series. Along the way, he was recognized as NJCAA District B and Region 4 Coach of the Year while helping numerous student-athletes continue their academic and athletic careers at four-year institutions and beyond.
Before transitioning into collegiate administration, Bradley built an extensive coaching resume at the high school, collegiate, professional and international levels. His experience includes leadership roles with USA Baseball's National Team Identification Series (NTIS), Caliendo International Sports, the National Pitching Association, Motus Global, Perfect Game, Aurora American Legion Baseball League, and numerous other youth development organizations. Throughout his coaching career, he has remained passionate about developing leaders, mentoring young people, and creating environments where student-athletes can thrive both on and off the field.
Beyond athletics, Bradley has developed a broad professional background across both the public and private sectors. His experience includes business operations, budgeting, project management, marketing, fundraising, personnel leadership, and organizational development. He has successfully led multimillion-dollar capital improvement projects, cultivated community partnerships, secured external seed funding opportunities, and worked collaboratively with boards, municipalities, governing bodies, and institutional leadership to advance organizational priorities.
Professionally, Bradley remains active on the regional and national stage. He serves as Treasurer for NJCAA Region 4, Chair of Region 4 Women's Basketball, Chairperson of Illinois Skyway Conference Baseball, and has served on multiple NJCAA national sport committees, helping shape policy and governance while advocating for student-athletes across the country.
A former collegiate All-American and professional baseball player, Bradley earned an Associate of Arts degree from Waubonsee Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Marketing from Elmhurst College, and a Master of Arts in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University-Irvine. His career has been grounded in a simple philosophy: leadership is about serving others, building meaningful relationships, and creating opportunities that positively impact students, staff, and the communities they serve.
Today, Bradley and his wife Shannon own and operate Rise and Ride Western Company in Harvard, Illinois, where they are developing a family-owned equestrian facility focused on horsemanship, community engagement, and youth development. Together they enjoy raising their two children, Madelyn and August, and remain actively involved in athletics, agriculture, and community service.
