EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE men's basketball Head Coach Brian Barone announced that Eddiean Tirado (Miami, Florida) has signed to join the Cougars for the 2023-24 season. Tirado comes to SIUE from powerhouse junior college program Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa.

"Eddie comes in with the reputation of being someone who is always involved in winning plays," Barone said. "He has the 'Find A Way' mentality that has been the driving force of our program for the last four years. I like the fact that Eddie has won a lot of basketball games in his career and comes from one of the premier junior colleges in the country. Eddie can really stretch the floor with his ability to shoot the three. We are extremely excited to add a player of his caliber to our team."

A 6-foot guard, Tirado played an instrumental role in Indian Hills 29-5 season which led to another appearance at the NJCAA Division I National Tournament. Before his time at Indian Hills, Tirado was a standout for national prep power Calusa Prep in Florida. Tirado was lauded on the recruiting trail for his ability to make threes at a high level, while also distributing the ball to his teammates and being looked at as a solid and reliable defender.

"Eddiean is a future pro who has the ability to make an immediate impact at SIUE," said Hank Plona, who coached Tirado at Indian Hills. "Eddie is an elite teammate, hard worker and outstanding young man who adds value on and off the court. He has been a pleasure to coach for two years at Indian Hills, and I can't wait to see him continue his journey as a Cougar."

"I committed to SIUE because my first day here felt like home," Tirado said. "The coaching staff showed a lot of love and respect for my game. They also showed that they cared for me as a person. Coach Barone talked a lot about winning games and that's what interested me. SIUE is moving in the right direction, and I want to be a part of building a winning program. I am very excited to have the opportunity to represent the Cougars and proudly wear my jersey."

Tirado added he plans on majoring in Business.

Eddiean Tirado joins recent signees Jordan Pickett (Belleville, Illinois), Brian Taylor II (St. Louis, Missouri) and Ethan Yancy (Houston, Texas) in Barone's 2023 recruiting class.