| WILL
BROWN BIOGRAPHY
 Will
Brown is in his ninth season as the
University at Albany's headmen's basketball
coach. In 2008-09, the UAlbany program won
15 or more games in four consecutive seasons
for the first time since 1995. The Great
Danes, who advanced to the America East
Tournament semifinals for the third time in
the last four years, became the first
seventh seed to defeat a second seed in
conference post-season play.
Brown guided the Great Danes to their second
straight America East Conference
championship after defeating top-seed
Vermont in the 2007 tournament final. The
Great Danes, who earned an automatic NCAA
berth, were seeded No. 13 against Atlantic
Coast Conference regular-seasonwinner
Virginia. Brown's team totaled 20 victories
during the regular season for the first time
at the Division I level. UAlbany tied the
second-highest single-season win total (23)
in school history and posted consecutive
20-win campaigns for the first time in 17
years. Jamar Wilson made his second
appearance on the Associated Press
All-America squad.
Brown led the Great Danes to their
first-ever NCAA Division I Tournament berth
in 2005-06 after winning both the America
East Conference tournament and
regular-season titles. UAlbany set the
program's Division I record for
single-season victories with a 21-11 record
and produced its highest win total since
1993-94. His squad posted UAlbany's first
postseason triumph in 11 years with three
wins in America East tournament play. The
Great Danes, who also established their top
conference mark with 13 victories in the
regular season, went on to put up a
monumental fight against second-ranked
Connecticut in a memorable NCAA first-round
battle. Brown was named the New York State
Coach of the Year.
At the press conference to announce Brown's
five-year contract that keeps him as the
UAlbany head coach through the 2010-11
season, Director of Athletics Lee McElroy
made the following statement, "Will Brown
and his staff have done an excellent job of
building a young Division I basketball
program. Our student-athletes are following
the right path both academically and
athletically. The team accomplished many
historical things. The foundation has been
laid for the program to be successful for
years to come, something that our students,
alumni and fans can enjoy with great pride."
In 2004-05, Coach Brown led UAlbany to a
13-15 record, an eight-win improvement from
the previous season. The Great Danes
registered their best-ever league record at
the time with a 9-9 mark and a fourth-place
finish. UAlbany also tied the fourth-best
improvement among Division I teams which
recorded single-digit victories in 2003-04,
as only Texas A&M, San Diego and Houston
were better.
Brown was appointed as UAlbany's head coach
on March 13, 2002, and hasworked on the
collegiate level since 1995. He became the
15th head coach in the history of the
program. At age 36, Brown is one of the
youngest Division I head coaches in the
nation.
Brown, who joined the UAlbany staff as an
assistant in Sept. 2001, was promoted to
interim head coach on Dec. 20 of that year,
and guided the Great Danes to a 7-13 record
over the last 20 games. Albany was among the
conference leaders in scoring defense. He
coached the team to several impressive
victories, including a win over Vermont, the
America East Conference's regular-season
champion.
Brown previously served as the head coach at
Sullivan County Community College in Loch
Sheldrake, N.Y., from 1998-2001. He led the
Generals to a 90-10 record over a three-year
period with two regional and two district
titles. Sullivan County C.C. posted a 30-2
record and reached the National Junior
College Athletic Association (NJCAA)
championship game in 2000-01. Brown's first
SCCC squad appeared in the NJCAA "Final
Four" and finished 32-3 overall. The
Generals were ranked second nationally in
scoring at 92.9 points per game, and ninth
in team defense with a 67.1 average.
Brown was chosen the New York State Coaches
Association junior college coach of the year
in 1999. He also earned Mid-Hudson
Conference coach of the year honors three
times, and was District V's top coach twice.
In addition, he worked at Sullivan County
C.C. as an associate athletic director and
as an adjunct professor of sports
management.
Previous to his appointment at Sullivan
County C.C., Brown spent three years at The
College of Saint Rose as an assistant coach
on Brian Beaury's staff. The Golden Knights
made two NCAA Division II "Elite Eight"
appearances in that span, and captured three
New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (NYCAC)
championships and two Northeast Regional
crowns. Saint Rose compiled an 88-13 record
from 1995-98.
As a collegiate player, Brown was a two-time
NYCAC all-star and three-year starter at
Dowling College, an NCAA Division II program
on Long Island. He is the only player in
school history to combine for more than
1,000 points and 500 assists.
Brown completed his career as Dowling's
all-time leader in assists (591),
three-point field goals (181) and free throw
percentage (.859). He also played second
singles on the school's tennis team.
A native of Miller Place, N.Y., Brown earned
first-team Class B all-state recognition as
a high school senior, when he averaged more
than 35 points per game. He was chosen
All-Long Island and was a three-time
All-Suffolk County selection.
Coach Brown resides in Clifton Park with his
wife, Jamie, and their seven-year-old son,
Jackson. Brown has a master's degree in
management and a B.A. in marketing from
Dowling College. His father, William, Jr.,
has served as director of athletics at
Miller Place High School, where he
previously was head basketball coach for 17
years. His teams won three Suffolk County
League VII scholastic titles. |