Brad Brownell '91 is UNCW's New Head Basketball Coach

April 26, 2002

April 26, 2002, Wilmington, N.C. - "The tears told Brad Brownell's whole story," writes Brian Hendrickson in North Carolina's Wilmington Star after a news conference in which Brownell, a 1991 graduate of DePauw University, was named the new head coach of the University of North Carolina-Wilmington.

"Thoughts of his dream of being a head coach he'd held since childhood, the years toiling as a restricted-earnings assistant, the championships, players, former coaches," the story continues. "But it was his parents that finally stripped away his composure -- when he thought of them, all the emotions lodged in his throat and UNC-Wilmington's new head basketball coach could only bow his head over the podium in the university's Madeline Suite, his eyes welling up with tears. It spoke volumes about what the moment -- and his promotion -- meant to Brownell. 'God, I don't know what it is,' Brownell said. 'You become a head coach and you can't stop crying.'"

The 34-year old Brownell, who was UNCW's associate men's basketball coach, replaces the man he assisted, Jerry Wainwright, who resigned to take the head coaching job at Richmond. With Brownell on the bench, the Seahawks set a school record with this season's 23-10 team that earned the school's second NCAA Tournament berth and advanced to the Round of 32 with a stunning 93-89 overtime upset of fourth-seeded Southern Cal in the NCAA Tournament. UNCW also advanced to the NIT in 1998, NCAA in 2000 and NIT in 2001.

“We certainly believe Brad is one of the top coaches in the country and will make an outstanding head coach,” said UNCW Athletic Director Peg Bradley-Doppes (seen with Brownell at right). “He has worked hand-in-hand with Jerry to elevate the program. From recruiting to scheduling to courtside coaching, he has proven he is ready to direct our program.”

Brownell told reporters at Wednesday's announcement, “Obviously, I'm very excited and deeply honored to have the opportunity to lead this program. I'm very grateful to Coach Wainwright for bringing me here eight years ago and for helping me grow as an assistant coach. We have an excellent group of young men returning who are excited about the challenges ahead of us next season. We will continue to do the things that have made us successful through the years. We will emphasize disciplined, man-to-man defense and intelligent offensive basketball. I believe the experience of our returning players will allow us to play at a faster pace on the offensive end.”

Brad Brownell is a native of Evansville, Indiana. Before coming to Wilmington, he spent a year as an assistant to Jim Crews at the University of Evansville, and two alongside former DePauw head coach Royce Waltman at the University of Indianapolis. The article in the Wilmington Star notes, "There was his college career, when he led Division III DePauw University to the national championship game as a junior."

You can read the complete Star story at the newspaper's web site by clicking here. The paper also has a photo gallery which you can view by clicking here. A UNCW news release is accessible here. An Associated Press story can be found here.

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