By Emma Tuey
Contributing Writer
Will Brown is back to his roots at Saint Rose and is coaching women’s basketball for the first time in his career. “This is where I got my start; I met my wife here,” Brown said.
He started his coaching career in 1995 at Saint Rose as an assistant basketball coach. During his four years at Saint Rose, the team played in two Elite 8’s in 1995-96 and a Final Four in 1997-98 in NCAA Men’s Division II. “When I was here on the men’s side, we were arguably the best Division II program on the East coast,” he said.
In 1998, Brown was named head basketball coach at Sullivan County Community College. In his three years there, his record was 90-10.
In 2001, he was named head coach of the men’s basketball team for the University at Albany, where he remained for the next two decades. During his time as coach, the team went to five NCAA Men’s Division I tournaments and won over 300 games.
In 2022, Brown became head coach and general manager of the Albany Patroons, a professional team that plays in The Basketball League (TBL). The season finished with 24 wins and four losses, with TBL naming Brown “Coach of the Year” in 2022.
Brown hopes to bring his history of success to women’s basketball at Saint Rose. Before he could commit to women’s basketball, “I wanted to know what I was getting myself into,” he said.
Brown noted certain differences between coaching men’s and women’s basketball. “The men’s has become more individualized, a one-on-one type game,” whereas “the women’s game has become a team game,” he said. “The men’s game is played above the rim, the women’s game for the most part is played below the rim.”
The women’s basketball team hasn’t had a winning season in seven years. Brown said he plans to rebuild their legacy by creating a positive culture in “forming good daily habits, winning habits, embracing high expectations and doing things with consistency everyday on and off the floor.”
“This is the change we needed, it’s for the better,” sophomore guard Aniya McDonald-Perry said. “I mostly hope he brings to this season the ability to help us win, the ability to help us become better off and on the court,” she said.
“From the few workouts we’ve had with him so far he’s pushed us far harder than any other coach I’ve ever experienced. I really believe he is going to let us win,” said sophomore guard Kaelah Carter. “Everyone enjoys what he’s doing with us and how he interacts with us,” Carter said.
Brown has goals on developing these student-athletes’ mindsets by “embracing the monotony.” To embrace a winning mindset, you must “limit the amount of days that we waste; everyday is an opportunity to improve as students, as athletes and as coaches,” he said.
“We are getting a lot of work done in a short amount of time,” said McDonald-Perry. “I am extremely tired after every workout because I feel like he is pushing us.” She said the team is working on the “same footwork, being consistent with it and focusing on finishing making shots.”
Brown’s coaching techniques have been effective, say some players. “Before we can even get water we have to make two free throws in a row and if we don’t we run,” said McDonald-Perry. She said this is her favorite because “you have to be consistent, you have to be determined, and it’s going to show on the court.”
“It’s our responsibility as coach and staff to make practices harder than anything known to see in a game, we have to make our practices competitive, intense but also fun,” said Brown. He believes that “if you want to experience winning you will work at a level you’ve never worked at before.”
Coach Brown would love to see our students active on campus and welcomes them to attend their games this upcoming season. “If there is anything that I can do or my team can do to help clubs and organizations on campus, we would love to do so,” Brown said.
