Hall of Fame
Long before McKendree introduced powerlifting into its intercollegiate offerings, Brady Stewart was making a large impact in the sport. He has enjoyed success competing at the national and international level, and has used his experience to help train and coach a new generation of competitors in the discipline.
Brady became a member of USA Powerlifting during his undergraduate days in 2002. Since that time, he has become one of the most dominant and decorated powerlifters in U.S. history. At the time of his induction, Brady has earned six gold medals, one silver medal and three bronze medals in national championship competition. He is a three-time gold medalist in the North American Powerlifting Federation and holds the mark for the all-time heaviest bench press regardless of weight class.
In addition, Brady is a nine-time American record holder in the bench press between the 242-pound and 264-pound weight classes. At the time of his induction, Brady holds the American and North American bench press record for the 264-pound class (120 kg) at 785.9 pounds (356.5 kg). He became the first athlete to bench press 700 pounds or more in the 264-pound weight class. He is also the former America record holder in the squat, bench press and total in the 242-pound weight class as well.
In 2009, Brady was a member of the U.S. squad that became the first American powerlifting team to win a World Team Championship. He is also the only lifter in U.S. history to have medaled in OPEN World Bench Press Championship competition in the 264-pound weight class. Brady is a six-time member of the U.S. National Bench Press Team and has competed in South Africa, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Denmark, Canada, Sweden and the United States.
Brady has also moved into the role of training and coaching powerlifting athletes. He is the owner and operator of Zion Barbell in Carterville, Ill., and led his team to the 2017 and 2018 Illinois State Powerlifting Team Championship. Brady is the only U.S. coach to have trained seven men who have bench pressed more than 500 pounds in competition, with five of them surpassing the 600-pound mark.
