Concord Mourns Passing of Former Player and Coach Peter Underwood

ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University athletic department is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former men's soccer player and former women's soccer assistant coach Peter Underwood.

Underwood, an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska, was killed in a car accident Saturday while on a recruiting trip in Iowa.

Underwood played one season at Concord in 2002 before the men's soccer program was dropped in the spring of 2003. "When Peter arrived on campus, I knew we had a great student and a great player, but more importantly we had a great person," Concord men's soccer coach Steve Barrett said.

After injury wiped out most of his freshman season and the program was discontinued at the time, Underwood obtained three coaching license from 2003-2005 and became a student assistant coach for Barrett and the women's soccer program from 2003-2005.

"After the game he loved was taken from him, Peter's loyalty was unwavering because he made the most of out of a bad situation," Barrett said.

Once graduating from Concord in 2006 with a degree in sports psychology, Underwood made stops as an assistant coach at Marshall (2006-2008) and the University of Montana (2009-10) before the London, England native landed a volunteer position at Nebraska during the 2011-2012 seasons Underwood was elevated to a full-time assistant women's soccer assistant coach in 2013.

During his time at Nebraska, Underwood helped coach the Huskers to a 19-4-1 record and Big Ten regular season and tournament championships in 2013.

"The Concord University athletic family is saddened to hear about the passing of Peter Underwood," Concord Director of Athletics Kevin Garrett said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to his entire family."

In his time at Concord, Barrett remembers Underwood running a marathon on the track which revealed a lot about his character.

"He was a perfectionist," Barrett said. "If he wanted to do something, he just didn't do it, he would do it to the fullest—just like running 106 laps on the track to complete a marathon. He set very high standards for himself and then accomplished it.

"He touched many lives everywhere he went---in youth soccer and college soccer. "I love him and I can't wait to see him again in Heaven one day, because I know that's where he's at," Barrett said.