Brad Brownell

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Brad Brownell
Post by Wilmington Star News on Mar 28, 2006, 2:23pm

http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.....14/-1/FRONTPAGE

UNCW coach talking to other schools
Brownell has interviewed with Ball State

By Neil Amato

UNC-Wilmington men?s basketball coach Brad Brownell has talked to Ball State officials about the open coaching job there.

Brownell, 83-40 in four years at UNCW, was expected to interview for the job at Wright State today. He has been offered a contract extension by UNCW but has yet to sign it.

Brownell, an assistant at UNCW for eight seasons before being named the head coach in April 2002, is a native of Indiana. Ball State, which competes in the Mid-American Conference, is in Muncie, Ind. Wright State, which competes in the Horizon League, is in Dayton, Ohio.

UNCW has made two trips to the NCAA tournament under Brownell, losing in the first round in 2003 and this past season. The Seahawks won a school-record 25 games in 2005-06 and claimed the Colonial Athletic Association?s automatic NCAA tournament bid by winning the CAA tournament.

UNCW athletic director Mike Capaccio said Ball State officials called to request permission to speak to Brownell, who did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.

Capaccio said in December that he planned to give Brownell a contract extension. Brownell's current deal, which called for a base salary around $170,000, is set to expire after next season.

Several UNCW players, as well as UNCW assistant coach Marty McGillan, declined comment Tuesday afternoon at Trask Coliseum

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Green Gold on Mar 28, 2006, 2:48pm

This would be a great hire. I suppose since he is from the area the job interest him. UNCW is a strong program with recent success. I hope we land Brownell.

Imagine he is on campus today.

BBJ, I saw that you posted this on RRB shortly after it was posted here, that is good because it is good to keep every Raider fan in the loop.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by basketballjones on Mar 28, 2006, 2:56pm

According to Rod Hissong on RRB, Brownell is on campus today, so we do have confirmation that he is interviewing for our job.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Green Gold on Mar 28, 2006, 3:02pm

Rod Hissong is one of the those guys who are in the know so if he is confirming it then it is a reality.

My concern is that we are competing with Ball State and UNCW. Both are in higher rated conferences and have had more success then us over the last 10 years. Hopefully our facilities make and impression on Brad.

I am glad that Dr. Cusak is aggressively going after top candidates like Brad Brownell. Even if we don't land him it is good that we are pursueing coaches of his caliber. The worse they can say is no thank you then you move on to the next candidate.

I hope we land this guy.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by basketballjones on Mar 28, 2006, 3:21pm

Brownell could be using both interviews as leverage for a pay raise at UNCW. Only time will tell.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 28, 2006, 4:59pm

If he is using WSU as leverage I think he chose the wrong school.

He's in arguably a better conference making $170,000 where he already has his system in place. Unless he wants to go closer to home I don't see him coming to WSU.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Spicy Toast on Mar 28, 2006, 5:37pm

I do not agree that he is necessarily in a better conference. The league strength is a cyclical statistic, and over time Horizon (MCC) has been just above CAA. Yet based purely on known facts, this one looks strange unless he is trying to stick it to the UNCW administration for not getting a raise or some other reason. Maybe he is pulling a Jamie Dixon and just trying to force them to up his compensation package.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 28, 2006, 5:54pm

That is why I used the words "arguably a better conference."

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by statmaster on Mar 28, 2006, 7:26pm

Brad Brownell
Head Coach

In three seasons at the helm of the UNC Wilmington men's basketball program, Brad Brownell has kept the Seahawks among the most respected programs in the country.

Under Brownell's tutelage, the Seahawks have averaged 19.3 wins over three years and continue to reside in the upper echelon of the Colonial Athletic Association. No other team in the CAA has won more than the Seahawks in his 11-year association with the program.

Brownell, 36, turned in one of his best coaching performances in 2004-05 when the Seahawks, picked to finish sixth in the CAA's preseason poll, developed into the surprise team in the circuit. UNCW closed at 19-10 overall and wound up tied for second place in the CAA with a 14-6 mark.

College basketball observers were quick to recognize the efforts of Brownell and his staff. He was named CAA Coach-of-the-Year by popular web site CollegeInsider.com and finished a close second in voting by the loop's coaches and news media.

Brownell has already coached three All-CAA performers, one CAA Player-of-the-Year, one CAA Defensive Player-of-the-Year, three All-Defensive Team selections and four All-Academic Team picks in three short years.

Last year, playmaker John Goldsberry earned a bundle of honors, being named First-Team All-CAA, CAA Defensive Player-of-the-Year, All-Defense and All-Academic. He was also chosen as UNCW's outstanding student-athlete for 2004-05.

Brownell took over UNCW's rising program on April 24, 2002, and the Seahawks did not skip a beat. With a 24-7 record, UNCW claimed its second consecutive NCAA Tournament bid and clinched its fifth post-season berth in the last six seasons.

Along the way, Brownell piloted the Seahawks to a school-record 21 regular season wins and was named the Colonial Athletic Association's Coach-of-the-Year. In addition, he guided the team to a school-record for road victories and presided over the most successful season in the school's history.

The Seahawks became the first team in 12 years to win back-to-back CAA titles. UNCW also compiled an 11-1 home record, closing out the regular season with nine consecutive sellouts.

In 2003-04, the Seahawks overcame a rigorous schedule and the loss of three proven scorers to carve out a 15-15 mark. UNCW wound up 11-10 in the CAA, winning 10 or more games in the circuit for the 11th straight year and leading the league in scoring defense for the 11th consecutive season.

Before his promotion, Brownell served four years as an assistant coach and four years as associate head coach with former skipper Jerry Wainwright. Brownell came to the Port City with Wainwright and played a key role in helping the Seahawks rack up four post-season berths, including a pair of CAA championships and subsequent NCAA Tournament berths in 2000 and 2002.

A native of Evansville, Ind., Brownell arrived at UNCW in 1994-95 and immediately worked with Wainwright in bringing the Seahawks into the national spotlight. With Brownell on the bench, the Seahawks earned the school's second NCAA Tournament berth in 2001-02 and advanced to the Round of 32 with a stunning 93-89 overtime upset of fourth-seeded Southern Cal in the NCAA Tournament.

Under Brownell's tutelage, the Seahawks have always featured one of the top defensive units in the nation. The Seahawks have led the CAA in defense all 10 seasons during Brownell's stint in the Port City and finished 12th in scoring defense nationally in 2002-03, limiting opponents to 60.1 ppg.

Prior to arriving in Wilmington, Brownell served as an assistant coach at the University of Indianapolis for two seasons from 1993-94. He also worked as a graduate assistant coach at Evansville during the 1991-92 campaign.

Brownell played college basketball at DePauw University for Coach Royce Waltman, leading the team in assists for three straight years as the Tigers compiled records of 18-8, 24-7 and 20-7 and earned two straight national tournament appearances. DePauw was national runner-up in 1990.

In the summer of 2003, Brownell was inducted with the 1990 team into the DePauw Athletic Hall of Fame.

At Evansville, Brownell worked as a graduate assistant coach with former coach Jim Crews during the 1991-92 season as the Purple Aces fashioned a 24-6 record en route to the MCC Championship and a berth in the NCAA Midwest Regional.

Brownell is only the sixth head coach in the 52-year history of the program and the second former Seahawk assistant coach to move up to the head post. He has been very active in the Wilmington community and served as the honorary chairman for the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life last April.

Brownell earned his Bachelor's Degree from DePauw in 1991 and completed his Master's at Indianapolis in 1994.

Brownell and his wife, Paula, have two beautiful daughters: Abby, 7, and Kaitlyn, 4.

http://www.uncw.edu/athletics/brownell.htm

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by statmaster on Mar 28, 2006, 7:46pm

Ball State thread on Brownell:

http://www.bsufans.com/modules.php?op=mo....c&topic=9881&38

Ball State thinks he is going to accept an offer either Wednesday or Thursday after his interview at WSU.

http://www.bsufans.com/modules.php?op=mo....ic&topic=9904&1

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raiderd on Mar 28, 2006, 7:51pm

I don't see him taking the Ball State job over ours unless he really just wants to go home to Indiana. We are in comparable leagues. We have much better facilities and we are offering alot more in salary. Ball States last coach made $130,000. We are reportedly ready to offer as much as $225-235,000.

I hope Cusack did a good job selling WSU today. Brownell is just the type of coach that could get WSU where we want it to be.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by wsu97 on Mar 28, 2006, 8:04pm

UNCW message board:

http://www.caazone.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=44873

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Just a fan on Mar 28, 2006, 8:48pm

I also heard that WSU can offer about 80K-100K more then BSU plus our facilities are far superior to BSU. I too hope MC did a hard sell to Mr. Brownell.

I bet his jaw dropped when he walked into the Pavilion and then he walked into his enormous office and he had to think Ball State who? Everyone on the Ball State board thinks he's going there and Mr. Brownell might have even thought so himself but after he sees his new shiny office and his own basketball court for practice thier is a good chance that he changes his mind.

I've been to Muncie IN and if location has anything role what so ever then it only enhances WSU chances of landing this top shelf coach.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WWAY NewsChannel 3 on Mar 28, 2006, 9:20pm

http://www.wwaytv3.com/Global/story.asp?S=4693414&nav=menu70_4

UNCW men's basketball coach looking for other jobs
March 28, 2006, 05:16 PM EST

WILMINGTON -- After one of the most successful seasons in UNCW men's basketball history head coach Brad Brownell is looking at other jobs.

Looking at other jobs, or exploring options? That's what Seahawk fans are wondering after two schools -- Ball State of the Mid-America conference and Wright State of the Horizon League -- received permission from UNCW Athletic Director Mike Cappaccio to interview two-time CAA "coach of the year," Brad Brownell.

Ball State is in Brownell's home state of Indiana -- not far from his hometown of Evansville, about 20 miles from Indianapolis in Muncie.

Earlier this month Paul Bradley was reassigned following a 1-and-18 season with the Cardinal, and a six-year record of 143-and-139.

Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio fired Coach Paul Biancardi following a 13-15 season with the Raiders.

Brownell would bring more than his motion offense to a new program. He's a two-time CAA "coach of the year," just took the Seahawks to their second CAA championship and NCAA appearance following a 25-and-8 year for an overall mark of 83-40.

Brownell has, though, been offered a new contract extension by Mike Cappaccio.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by MikeFromRichmond on Mar 28, 2006, 9:24pm

A friendly trade? Ball State baseball team beat Wright State 2-1 earlier today. Would they let us have Brad Brownell?

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by fastbreak on Mar 28, 2006, 9:32pm

Man I hope we get this guy.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by littlegreg on Mar 28, 2006, 9:40pm

I really hope Cusack did a good job selling WSU today. Brownell would be a great hire and a great PR move for a university that keeps shooting itself in the local media.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raiderfan on Mar 28, 2006, 9:47pm

Ok, if I'm Mike Cusak I call Brad Brownell and I tell him their are 4 reason why he should come to WSU and not BSU.

1. Like the HL the MAC is pretty much a 1 bid conference and the MAC has 14 teams while the HL only has 9 teams so he won't have as many teams to "beat out" to claim the NCAA bid. I realize that both the HL & MAC have receive multiples on occassion but the competition is NOT nearly as tough in the HL. It is a pure numbers games.....14 teams vs 9 teams.

2. If both Big D & BigGreg1 say that he can make dramatically more money at WSU then that in it self is a pretty strong reason. Big D is the king at digging up information and I find his info to be pretty reliable & BigGreg1 has proven to be a true "insider" with reliable info as well.......thanks guys! Lets be honest $100,000 is a pretty significant difference!!!

3. Our facilities have to make BSU look like it came right out of the middle ages. I can't believe that he wasn't "shocked" when he saw our facilities! He must have felt like he finely made it to the big time from the perspective that we have "big time" facilities that compare to major programs.

4. What do they say in real a state.......LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!!!! The area surrounding the WSU campus compared to Muncie Indiana has to be a huge selling point not only to him but more importantly to his wife. I've been to Muncie and Dayton has to seem dramatically more progressive then Muncie. With Fairfeild Commons right next door and the new upscale Easton Mall nearing completion just up the road Dayton/Beavercreek has to be a selling point as far as "quality of life" is measured.

I sense that Brad Brownell was not mentally prepared to discover what he saw today. I picture him telling his wife "wow, I never expected to see the committement and the facilities......honey the facilities were amazing. I'm not so sure about BSU as a matter of fact I think I'd be crazy to turn this job down". Hey I can dream right!!

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by statmaster on Mar 28, 2006, 9:59pm

Quote:

3. Our facilities have to make BSU look like it came right out of the middle ages. I can't believe that he wasn't "shocked" when he saw our facilities! He must have felt like he finely made it to the big time from the perspective that we have "big time" facilities that compare to major programs.

Our facilites even make UNCW's look like they just came out of the stone ages.

Trask Coliseum (seats 6100):
http://www.uncw.edu/athletics/Facilities/Trask%20Coliseum.html

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raiderfan on Mar 28, 2006, 10:20pm

I forgot a very critical reason for him to chose WSU.

5. We return 4 starters and our top 4 scorers from a team that finished tied for 3rd.

He would be able to be very competitive his first year!

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 28, 2006, 10:21pm

I disagree. No way he goes to WSU over Ball State.

No trying to argue. We shall see.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 28, 2006, 10:49pm

Never have been to UNCW but from the pictures I think their facilites look pretty nice. The weight room looks very comparable to what we have.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by cincyraider on Mar 28, 2006, 11:41pm

Brownell is a good coach but I want to see who else is a candidate before jumping on his bandwagon. I am not sure how well his motion offense will translate here with the returning players. Also I am not that impressed with his recruiting. I doubt he will bring in great recruits with him for next year.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WWAY NewsChannel 3 on Mar 29, 2006, 12:30am

http://www.wwaytv3.com/Global/story.asp?S=4695184&nav=menu70_4

Brownell to Ball State?
March 28, 2006, 11:44 PM EST

Wilmington, NC- Brad Brownell is still the coach of the UNCW basketball team as of late Tuesday night. Sports Information Director Joe Browning says Brownell told him he had not accepted the Ball State head coaching position.

An Indianapolis television station has reported Brownell will be the next coach at BSU in Muncie, Indiana, according to sources close to the situation.

Ball State Associate Athletic Director Pat Quinn tells WWAY he knows of no press conferences scheduled in the near future. Scheduling matters like this all go through him.

Brownell, an Evansville, Indiana native, has guided the Seahawks to two C.A.A. tournament titles in his four years as head coach. Both Ball State and Wright State University, located in Dayton, Ohio, had received permission from UNCW Athletic Director Mike Capaccio to talk to Brownell about coaching openings.

Brownell will be entering the final year of his current contract. An extension is on the table, but yet to be signed. If he decides to leave Wilmington, Brownell would replace Tim Buckley, reassigned in the athletic department after six years as Cardinal coach.

Postseason drama for UNCW
Post by Wilmington Star on Mar 29, 2006, 8:43am

http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.....328029/-1/State

Postseason drama for UNCW
Men?s basketball coach in talks with other schools

By Neil Amato
Sports Editor

UNCW men?s basketball coach Brad Brownell has talked to two Midwest schools about their coaching vacancies.

Brownell, who has guided two of his four teams at the University of North Carolina Wilmington to the NCAA tournament, has been offered a contract extension at
UNCW, according to athletics director Mike Capaccio.

But the contract remains unsigned, and Brownell, for the moment, is looking at jobs closer to his roots.

He has been interviewed at Ball State, which is in Muncie, Ind. Brownell, who is from Evansville, Ind., also has had at least preliminary discussions with Wright State, outside Dayton, Ohio.

Brownell, 37, has a record of 83-40 in four seasons with the Seahawks. He was an assistant for eight seasons at UNCW before he was elevated to head coach in April 2002.

?I think that Brad?s done a tremendous job, and when you have a coach that?s done the job he?s done, it?s going to draw interest,? Capaccio said. ?I think this is just an opportunity for Brad to check out some other options.?

Brownell did not return multiple phone messages left Tuesday, and his agent could not be reached.

Officials at Ball State and Wright State were either tight-lipped or silent about the coaching process. A Ball State spokesman confirmed Brownell had been interviewed for the job but said little else. Wright State athletics director Michael Cusack did not return a phone message.

Brownell?s current contract, which pays him about $170,000 in base salary, is set to expire after the 2006-07 season. Capaccio said in December that Brownell would receive an extension, and both sides talked about wanting to get a new deal done. That has yet to happen.

An extension beyond next season is important in recruiting because prospects can be assured a coach will be in place. A coach whose deal is about to expire has a harder time getting players to commit.

But a contract offers only so much security. Ball State fired coach Tim Buckley, even though he was under contract through 2009. His team finished 8-18 last season in the Mid-American Conference. According to published reports, Buckley was paid about $131,000 a year.

Athletics director Tom Collins, who took over at the school Jan. 9, cited conference titles and NCAA tournament trips as goals for the next coach.

In looking for a replacement, Collins said he wanted ?someone who can fit in to the Ball State University family, someone who understands a little bit of the Midwest and the recruiting processes here in Indiana.?

One of UNCW?s signees for next season, high-scoring guard Vaughn Duggins, is from Indiana. Brownell has excelled in getting players from his home region,
including recent standouts John Goldsberry and Beckham Wyrick from Ohio.

Those players and others helped UNCW win a school-record 25 games this past season. The Seahawks claimed the Colonial Athletic Association?s automatic NCAA tournament bid by winning the CAA tournament. They finished the season 25-8, losing to George Washington in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Capaccio said he hadn?t thought much about a potential replacement if Brownell left UNCW.

?I haven?t investigated that yet,? he said. ?But it?s coming to that point where you will start looking and start thinking about some candidates.?

Neil Amato: 343-2263
neil.amato@starnewsonline.com

Ball State Denies Brownell Offered Position
Post by MAC Report on Mar 29, 2006, 5:01pm

http://www.macreportonline.com/Ball_State_Denies_Brownell.html

Ball State Denies Brownell Offered Position

By Dave Ruthenberg
MAC Report Online

Sources are reporting that Brad Brownell, the current head coach at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, will be named as early as this week as the new head men�s basketball coach at Ball State, but those reports are being refuted by official sources.

Reports had surfaced earlier in the week that Brownell was on-campus and interviewing for the position at Ball State. Tuesday night, Kip Lewis of WRTV-TV in Indianapolis, reported on the station�s 11:00 pm newscast that Brownell would be named the new head coach this week, possibly as soon as Thursday. However, when MAC Report Online contacted Ball State�s athletic communications department, Chris Taylor could not confirm the WRTV-TV report, stating that �the position has not been offered,� and that the job search �process is continuing.� Reports of Brownell�s imminent hiring also seem to be refuted by a report posted by WWAY-TV in Wilmington, NC, which reports that UNCW�s Sports Information Director Joe Browning has indicated that he has spoken directly with Brownell and that Brownell has indicated that he has not accepted the Ball State head coaching post. Browning further indicated that permission had been granted to Ball State and Wright State to interview Brownell for their head coaching vacancies.

The Ball State vacancy was created by the reassignment to other duties within athletics for sixth-year head coach Tim Buckley.

Brownell is entering the last year of his contract, believed to be paying him $185,000 and reportedly there is an extension offer on the table from UNCW that would offer a significant increase in salary. Ball State�s Buckley was reportedly paid $131,000 annually.

A native of Indiana, the 37-year-old Brownell has been the head coach for the past four seasons at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington and during his tenure the Seahawks have posted an overall record of 83-40 and 58-22 in the Colonial Athletic Association, including placing second in the regular season behind final four participant, George Mason. The Seahawks advanced to the CAA tournament, falling in the title game to George Washington, 88-85.

Fox Sports named Brownell �Mid-Major Coach of the Year� earlier this month. It was the third award bestowed upon Brownell this season after also being named the CAA Coach of the Year both by the league�s coaches and media as well as receiving the same recognition from CollegeInsider.com.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Green Gold on Mar 29, 2006, 6:50pm

After reading this article it appears that Ball State isn't the player we originally thought they were going to be. It seems that it is down to us and UNCW with Ball State a long shot.

This would be a surprise hire if it happens. I would have to give the edge to UNCW at this point but I'm beginning to think we are a serious contender for Brad Brownell.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 29, 2006, 8:34pm

Don't fool yourself. It's Ball State or Bust.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 29, 2006, 8:52pm

Sorry I meant to say, Don't fool yourself. It's Ball State or UNCW or Bust.

If you look at those teams boards WSU isn't even talked about much.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by fastbreak on Mar 29, 2006, 9:27pm

BSU open to variety in search for coach

By DOUG ZALESKI
dzaleski@muncie.gannett.com

MUNCIE -- Ball State athletic director Tom Collins said Tuesday he has no preconceived notion about whether the school's next men's basketball coach must have head coaching experience on his r�sum�.

He said that kind of background is important, but it wouldn't steer him away from hiring an assistant coach who has never been a head coach.

"There have been a lot of assistant coaches who have turned out to be good," Collins said. "Tom Izzo, Roy Williams, Bruce Weber, people like that have done well when they got their first shot to be a head coach.

"It's kind of a feel situation."

Ball State is searching for a coach to replace Tim Buckley, who was reassigned to a position in University Advancement last week after six seasons on the bench.

He began orientation for his new job, which likely will be in corporate fund-raising, on Monday, according to Don Park, Ball State's vice president for advancement.

The Mid-American Conference typically has provided first-time Division I head coaching jobs to assistants who have worked their way up the ladder at schools in high-major conferences.

Seven MAC coaches fit that blueprint.

"I think we'll have all kinds of candidates," Collins said. "I just hope we'll have a big, diverse pool we can choose from."

Collins said he has received more than 30 applications or inquiries about the job, which became open one week ago.

Several aspects of the job won't be decided until Collins meets later this week with school president Jo Ann Gora. Their scheduled meeting last Friday was postponed.

Chief among the questions that Collins wants Gora to answer are what salary range the school intends to offer the new coach, the length of the contract, and bonus provisions.

"For me, that's important because I don't want to talk to somebody if (his) expectation of a base salary is $250,000," Collins said. "I don't need to have that conversation with him. I don't want anybody to have expectations up front that aren't going to be there."

Buckley's salary during the 2005-06 season was $131,118, which put him in the bottom third in the MAC, according to Collins.

Collins said he was assembling a search committee of "less than four" people from Ball State to help him identify candidates. He said there is no timetable to pick the next coach.

He said he could be in position to discuss the opening with coaches or possibly conduct interviews during the Final Four in Indianapolis the weekend of April 1.

Collins said he didn't know whether finalists for the position would be announced publicly.

Contact sports writer Doug Zaleski at 213-5813.

http://www.thestarpress.com/apps/pbcs.dl..../603220330/1006

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Green Gold on Mar 29, 2006, 9:47pm

I was snooping over on the Ball State board and they are saying that Brad Brownell is back at UNCW negotiating with them. If I were a betting man I would say he stays at UNCW and he accomplished his mission of using us and Ball State as leverage. I could be wrong but I see him staying put at UNCW.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 29, 2006, 10:20pm

I agree! I just don't see the point to leaving a school where you have had success for the same money.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Big Greg 1 on Mar 29, 2006, 10:22pm

That is the way it might turn out but I say it is 60-40 that he comes to WSU.

Ball State is not a player in this though everybody seems to keep talking about that because he was seen on campus and because a couple of TV guys got their undies in a bunch.

Ball State is not in the picture. THey are not offering enough cash and Muncie is a piece of crap town.

I am going out on the limb and saying he is going to choose the Raiders!!!

If not, well, Dr. C's will go to his second or third choice I am sure.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 29, 2006, 10:36pm

He'll stay where he is.

The word many use about WSU is upside. The problem with this statement is that the upside that WSU has is what he has already done at his current job.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by fastbreak on Mar 29, 2006, 10:42pm

The upside isn't just about WSU, but also the HL. The HL has been a spring board for coaches wanting to move to the next level. Former HL coaches are currently at Washington St, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Ohio State, and Nebraska. How many former CAA coaches are now at BCS schools?

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by buckeyeball on Mar 29, 2006, 10:43pm

WSU is also much closer to home than UNCW for Brownell and his family.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 29, 2006, 10:46pm

Please - There have been acouple the last few years and you make it sound like the rule. The A-10 and the Mac have had more coaches go to the BCS than the HL.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by fastbreak on Mar 29, 2006, 10:49pm

Quote:

Please - There have been acouple the last few years and you make it sound like the rule. The A-10 and the Mac have had more coaches go to the BCS than the HL.

What the hell does the A-10 and MAC have to do with a discussion about the CAA vs HL?

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raider fan on Mar 29, 2006, 10:52pm

If UNC-Wilmington antes up a very attractive proposal it might be difficult to pry him away........I hope I'm wrong!

I will say this, I have been hard on Dr. C. but I have to give him credit for aggressively pursuing a coach of this caliber. Dr. C. contacted UNCW about talking with BB so this tells me he is turning over all the rocks in this search. Like I said in another post, the worst Brownell can say is no then ( like BigGreg pointed out) Dr. C. will move on to his next options.

Lets hope Dr. C. search ends soon with Brownell but if it doesn't keep the aggressive approach Dr. C.!!!

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by statmaster on Mar 29, 2006, 10:53pm

Quote:

Please - There have been acouple the last few years and you make it sound like the rule. The A-10 and the Mac have had more coaches go to the BCS than the HL.

A couple = TWO.

Washington St, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Ohio State, and Nebraska = FIVE.

Your match skills don't equate to a WSU eduaction. Your negative attitude sure sounds a hell of alot more like a UD poster flaming our board than a real WSU fan.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 29, 2006, 11:02pm

How can you not understand that. You guys make outrageous comments like the HL is this great league for coaches and that the pavilion is going to bring WSU to national heights. Neither are true! There have been a few coaches jump but not that many to make a comment like it is a better conference than the CAA for coaches. The CAA has a team in the final four for gosh sakes. The team across town has a facility very similar to ours, play in a better conference, have better support, and a lot more money and I don't see any McDonald's Al-Americans going there. Some of you are very unrealistic and are going to be disappointed in what you expect.

I expect WSU to be a contender every year in the HL with a an occasional visit to the NCAA every so often. Maybe a win every couple times they get there. That is exactly what Brownell has right now.

He may come and I would be thrilled by that but it will not be because it is a step up, money, facilities, or a better conference. It will be because he wants something different. Those things just aren't really any better here than where he is. Maybe we are that something different. I hope your right. I am just not getting my hopes up. I have been disappointed to many times before.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 29, 2006, 11:04pm

Why is it that anytime someone doesn't agree you are a fraud.

I didn't bring this up before because I didn't see the point but I was blasted on my feelings about PB also and was proven right. People said I wan't a fan. I just don't see the point in saying I told you so.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 29, 2006, 11:07pm

I didn't have the number in front of me. How is five all that great. Do you really want to compare 5 to other conferences?

It is funny that you count Ohio State. Didn't he go from the A-10 to get there?

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raiderd on Mar 30, 2006, 7:05am

WSU INSIDER

NC-Wilmington coach takes tour of WSU campus
By Marc Katz

Dayton Daily News

Not counting assistant coaches already in the program, Wright State Athletic Director Mike Cusack has conducted his first in-person interview for the school's vacant head men's basketball coaching position.

Brad Brownell of North Carolina-Wilmington was in town for a school tour with Cusack, who is quick to point out, "it didn't really mean anything. Our application deadline isn't until Friday. Brownell was impressive, as you would expect someone with his success to be. I've already talked to maybe a dozen coaches (on the telephone), ranging from sitting head coaches to top assistants."

Brownell, 37, just completed his fourth season as head coach at UNC-Wilmington, where his teams have qualified for two NCAA tournaments and have posted an 83-40 record. This season's team � featuring Vandalia native John Goldsberry � was 25-8 and lost 88-85 to George Washington in a first-round NCAA tournament game.

Brownell also interviewed at Ball State.

Cusack wants to choose his coach quickly � by the end of next week, if possible � but not off his first in-person interview. He will attend the Final Four in Indianapolis this weekend and should have a good idea who he wants by the time the national champion is crowned.

Meanwhile, Paul Biancardi, the guy who came to terms with WSU after the NCAA found him guilty of recruiting violations while working as an assistant at Ohio State, has formerly filed an appeal with the NCAA.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0330inside.html

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raiderd on Mar 30, 2006, 7:35am

Quote:

How can you not understand that. You guys make outrageous comments like the HL is this great league for coaches and that the pavilion is going to bring WSU to national heights. Neither are true! There have been a few coaches jump but not that many to make a comment like it is a better conference than the CAA for coaches. The CAA has a team in the final four for gosh sakes.

For someone that stating everyone else is making outrageous comments, you don't have any facts to support your opinion. No one besides you has compared WSU or the HL to the A-10, MAC or any other conference besides the CAA. The CAA is light years away from getting the same respect as the HL from college coaches and the media. As you stated, the CAA has a team in the final 4 this year. They usually don't get a team out of the first round and almost never get more than one bid to the dance. They don't have anywhere near the number of coaches move up to BCS conferences as the HL. You stating that the HL is not a great conference for coaches is purely your opinion.

You also stated that the pavilion isn't going to take WSU to national heights. Once again, no one has stated anything like that in this thread. What people have been saying is that the Pavilion gives us a great advantage against other mid-major programs and it does. UNCW's facilities are nothing special. I have seen better facilities in at least a dozen high schools in Ohio. Our pavilion is state of the art and better than anything I have seen from a mid major facility I have been at. Even though you disagree, facilities are important to recruits and does make a difference in recruiting.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Wilmington Star on Mar 30, 2006, 10:45am

http://wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/....6/1005/sports01

Brownell mulls coaching future

By Neil Amato
Sports Editor

UNC-Wilmington men?s basketball coach Brad Brownell remains in the mix for coaching jobs at Ball State and Wright State, but he has not stopped listening to his current employer despite what he called ?difficult negotiations.?
Brownell was back in Wilmington on Wednesday, meeting with his players and then briefly with the media. He took no questions and offered a few sentences, including one that painted a picture of strained contract talks.
Brownell, 37, is 83-40 with two NCAA tournament trips in four seasons at UNCW, where he has worked 12 seasons. He spoke earlier this week with the two Midwest schools, and he has been offered a contract extension at UNCW, which according to athletic director Mike Capaccio, would keep Brownell here through the 2010-2011 season. Brownell?s current deal expires after next season.
Shortly after talking with his team, which won a school-record 25 games this past season, Brownell said he would take a few days to mull his options.
?Because of some difficult negotiations through the course of the year, I have gone and looked at a couple of other schools,? Brownell said at Trask Coliseum. ?Right now, I?m in a situation where I?ve got to decide what?s best for me and my family, and that may take a couple of days, I don?t know, but when I do, my team will be the first to know.?
Capaccio said he didn?t consider Brownell?s comments a signal of a rift between the two men. He first promised Brownell a contract extension in December.
?I think negotiations are always difficult if you have other options,? Capaccio said. ?Brad?s a very good coach, a wonderful family man. I have a lot of respect for Brad. I hope he continues on to be our coach. ? If we have to work through some things, there?s no doubt we can.?
Brownell did not return a phone message left Wednesday night. His players were not made available for comment.
Brownell?s agent, Stuart Brown, confirmed Brownell had spoken with Ball State, of the Mid-American Conference, and Wright State, of the Horizon League. Brown said another school had talked to Brownell about its coaching vacancy, though Brown declined to say what school. The agent said Brownell was committed to remaining at UNCW.
?Brad values the opportunity that UNCW has given him and he very much appreciates the Wilmington fan base, the Wilmington community and the support he has received from the school,? Brown said. ?Most importantly, he appreciates the players and staff members who are in the program and those he is recruiting and wants to be in the program in the future.
?Brad recognizes that UNCW has some legitimate constraints on its resources, and what is most important to Brad is to come up with a way that he can coach at UNC-Wilmington in a situation that allows for the stability of the men?s basketball program and the reasonable long-term protection and interest of his family.?
Brownell?s current base salary is about $168,000, with a $10,000 bonus for ?each NCAA postseason tournament game played,? according to his contract. Capaccio said the new contract, which would essentially be a five-year contract and not an extension of the present deal, would pay him a base salary of $210,000 the first year with the pay escalating each season to about $250,000.
Ball State paid coach Tim Buckley a base salary of about $131,000, according to published reports. One person familiar with both Ball State and UNCW thought Brownell would be an excellent choice and fit for the Muncie, Ind., school. But Frank Goldsberry, a Ball State graduate and the father of former UNCW guard John Goldsberry, seemed a bit puzzled by talk of Brownell looking elsewhere.
?Is it a move up, a move sideways? I don?t know,? Frank Goldsberry said. ?But I couldn?t have asked for a better experience for John. These guys can coach. I?ve been around the game 30 years, and believe me, these guys, what they?ve done with the senior class, you listen to them and you will definitely improve.?
Messages left with the athletic directors at Ball State and Wright State were not returned. UNCW chancellor Rosemary DePaolo, who spoke Wednesday afternoon with Brownell, could not be reached for comment.
Capaccio said he was not nervous about the possibility of losing Brownell.
?Coach is going to take some time and decide what?s best for his family, and hopefully he?ll make the decision to stay here,? Capaccio said. ?I?m 100 percent behind Brad in whatever he decides to do. He?s done a lot of good things. He deserves to be rewarded for those things. It?s hard when you?re being pulled in a lot of different directions.?

Correspondent Brian Mull contributed to this article.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Green Gold on Mar 30, 2006, 11:12am

I don't like hearing what Brownell attorney said "Brownell is committed to remaining at UNCW"

This is not good news for WSU.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Spicy Toast on Mar 30, 2006, 11:36am

UNCW's assistant is interviewing for the Citadel job.

http://www.charleston.net/stories/?newsID=78595§ion=sports

McGillan was a key part of Dennis' most successful seasons at The Citadel, helping to recruit the trio of Washburn, Alan Puckett and Travis Cantrell, who led the Bulldogs to 33 wins over two seasons. McGillan left The Citadel in 2001 to work for John Kresse at College of Charleston, but was left without a job when Kresse retired after the 2002 season. He was hired at his alma mater, UNC Wilmington, by head coach Brad Brownell, and has helped the Seahawks to two NCAA Tournament berths in three years.

McGillan, 42, has withheld comment on The Citadel job.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 30, 2006, 2:40pm

It didn't know it had to be mentioned in this thread for it to be valid.

My point about the coaches is that almost every conference can say they have had coaches go to the BCS. Actually I feel he would get to the BCS quicker by staying where he is. He would have to prove it WSU for a couple of years before the BCS would touch him.

Facilities - They are way overrated by some fans.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by ESPN on Mar 30, 2006, 3:40pm

AP story made it's way to ESPN website

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2390454

Wright State interviews UNC Wilmington's Brownell
Associated Press

FAIRBORN, Ohio -- Brad Brownell, basketball coach for the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, has interviewed for the head coaching job at Wright State.

Bob Noss, Wright State's sports information director, said Brownell met with athletics director Mike Cusak on campus Tuesday.

The 37-year-old Brownell just completed his fourth season as head coach at UNC Wilmington, where his teams have qualified for two NCAA Tournaments and have posted a 83-40 record.

Wright State has been looking for a new coach since March 13, when coach Paul Biancardi resigned after the NCAA barred him from recruiting until October 2007 for recruiting violations when he was an assistant coach at Ohio State. Biancardi has denied any wrongdoing.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Green and Gold on Mar 30, 2006, 4:02pm

It is good to get some national attention. Every little helps especially when you are a mid major.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raiderd on Mar 30, 2006, 8:36pm

Quote:

It didn't know it had to be mentioned in this thread for it to be valid.

People were discussing Brownell's options of staying in the CAA or coming to the HL. The MAC and A-10 are not part of the equation. There isn't a valid reason to mention them.

Quote:

My point about the coaches is that almost every conference can say they have had coaches go to the BCS. Actually I feel he would get to the BCS quicker by staying where he is. He would have to prove it WSU for a couple of years before the BCS would touch him.

I disagree. Do some research into the CAA and HL. The CAA hasn't had anywhere near the number of coaches that have moved onto BCS jobs as the HL. The HL has several recent examples. I also disagree that Brownell would have to prove it at WSU very long before he would start receiving interest from BCS schools. He already proved he can be successful as a coach at UNCW. WSU has a strong team returning next season. If he had alot of success at WSU next year, BCS schools will come calling. Jeters just had an interview with Iowa State a few weeks back based on 1 year's success at UWM with Pearl's players. Brownell would be much more attractive than Jeters if he can have success at 2 schools.

Quote:

Facilities - They are way overrated by some fans.

Strength and Conditioning is my profession. I am now semi-retired and work primarily as a consultant to high schools, colleges, and semi-pro organizations helping them design their workout facilities and picking out the equipment for those facilities. I can state from first hand knowledge that facilities do matter to coaches and they definitely do matter to recruits. It's your prerogative to not believe that. I don't really care. I don't think that a university would pay me the sum of money I charge for consultation if their coaches didn't think it mattered.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Just a fan on Mar 30, 2006, 8:42pm

At first glance this just seemed like a latteral move and to be honest BB has a winning program at UNCW where as at WSU he would have a stable program who is on the cusp of making a running at the Horizon League title.

The more I read the articles from the Wilmington news papers the more I get the feeling that BB isn't on the same page with the athletic director. This is what has me confused. UNCW has an offer on the table and basically matched ours so if he was using us as leverage he basically won, mission accomplished so to speak, so why hasn't he excepted UNCW new extension offer? Their has to be more to this then leverage because he got UNCW to increase their offer. Again, when I read the articles I sense that BB is not happy with his working relationship with the AD.

I don't know if he will come to WSU or not but I starting to sense that things are getting interesting?

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 30, 2006, 8:47pm

College Basketball is all about the coach. Facilities help but it doesn't matter if the coach stinks.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by statmaster on Mar 30, 2006, 10:03pm

Quote:

Quote:

It didn't know it had to be mentioned in this thread for it to be valid.

People were discussing Brownell's options of staying in the CAA or coming to the HL. The MAC and A-10 are not part of the equation. There isn't a valid reason to mention them.

I disagree. Do some research into the CAA and HL. The CAA hasn't had anywhere near the number of coaches that have moved onto BCS jobs as the HL. The HL has several recent examples. I also disagree that Brownell would have to prove it at WSU very long before he would start receiving interest from BCS schools. He already proved he can be successful as a coach at UNCW. WSU has a strong team returning next season. If he had alot of success at WSU next year, BCS schools will come calling. Jeters just had an interview with Iowa State a few weeks back based on 1 year's success at UWM with Pearl's players. Brownell would be much more attractive than Jeters if he can have success at 2 schools.

Quote:

Facilities - They are way overrated by some fans.

In the last 10 years, the CAA has only sent 2 coaches to BCS schools. Jay Wright went from Hofstra to Villanove and Mike Brey went from Delaware to Notre Dame.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 30, 2006, 10:12pm

If the HL can count Matta than the CAA can count Wainwright.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by fastbreak on Mar 30, 2006, 10:20pm

Quote:

If the HL can count Matta than the CAA can count Wainwright.

I was wondering how long it was going to take the UD fan to show his knowledge of A-10 history.

Even when you add Wainwright to the list, the TWELVE teams from the CAA have sent 3 coaches to BCS schools in the last 10 years. The NINE HL schools have sent 5 coaches to BCS programs.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 30, 2006, 10:40pm

UD fan? What are you talking about? What does that have to do with anything. I was talking about the CAA. You are doing the same thing to me that someone said I was doing before.

I didn't mention anything about the A-10 in that post. Since you could put together the UNCW to Richmond to Depaul puzzle maybe you are a UD fan.

God forbid I know about the A10 since I am from Dayton and another team in town that gets most of the media attention is in the A-10.

The funny thing is I went to WSU, have a degree from WSU and half of you on here never went there. But I am the UD fan?

I get it! Anybody who doesn't agree with you is a UD fan. I could give a crap about UD. I just don't see things as rosy as the rest of you. I am not convinced that the guy form UNCW is all that great. If he was why won't his current school give him 3 years instead of the 5 he wants. Thats the problem of why he wants out. Secondly, he has had success so why aren't any bigger schools even considering him?

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by admin on Mar 30, 2006, 11:05pm

Come on, boys and girls! Can't you all learn to accept other opinions without personal insults.
If you are "sick and tired" of reading someone's messages, skip over and move to the next post.
Birning up UD or graduation records adds no credibility to your statements.
Happy postings and let the arguments fly!

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raiderd on Mar 30, 2006, 11:08pm

I hold degrees from WSU, UD, and OSU. I could give a rats ass if someone wants to call me a UD fan because I am. I follow all 3 schools, although WSU is my first love. I pretty much only follow OSU football, but I do root for their basketball team in the NCAA tournament.

I think it is obvious I like Brownell and hope he becomes our next coach. If he decides to stay at UNCW, so be it. I don't think it will be the end of the world. There are over 300 sitting D1 head coaches and even more D2/D3/NAIA/JUCO coaches available. I just want a guy that wants to be here and can get WSU to the next level in basketball.

Either way, we should know something soon with Brownell.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Mar 30, 2006, 11:15pm

Agreed!

One of the reasons I started posting here and not on another board was because I felt everyone could have an opinion. Let's not start that here!

By the way, I am not selling WSU short. Most of the time a coach is not going to make a lateral move. This case may have circumstances that make that happen. It just doesn't work that way most of the time.

I think he is using us to get the 2 extra years. If that wasn't the case I think he would have already made his announcement. Just my opinion.

But if he doesn't get those 2 years.......

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Spicy Toast on Mar 30, 2006, 11:22pm

Big D, did you mean Brownell, or is Bucknell some new coach we should be aware about? 8-)

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raider fan on Mar 31, 2006, 8:35am

Something's not sitting well with BB at UNCW. I'm not sure what it is but he was offered a nice raise and still hasn't signed with UNCW.........why? Maybe it is the extra 2 yrs he wants ( which WSU will give him) or maybe its his relationship with the UNCW AD. I don't know but I initially thought our chances of landing him were slim to none but I am putting it at 50/50 now. Am I looking through my green and gold glass? Probably, but as a fan of WSU I'm entitled to a little dreaming. I figure if he comes to us I'll be extremely happy and if he doesn't end up here I'll be very pleased that our athletic director at least went after a coach of this caliber with everything he had.

We should know something soon I'd think?

Brownell in no rush to make decision
Post by Wilmington Star on Mar 31, 2006, 1:04pm

http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs...../1005/FRONTPAGE

Brownell in no rush to make decision

By Brian Mull
Star-News Correspondent

UNC-Wilmington men?s basketball coach Brad Brownell told the media Wednesday he wasn?t sure how long it would take him to decide whether to remain at the school or not. It might take a day or two, maybe longer.
There was no word from Brownell on Thursday.
Earlier this week, Brownell met with officials from Ball State and Wright State to discuss the coaching openings at those schools.
He has one year remaining on a five-year contract and has not signed a new five year-deal offered by athletic director Mike Capaccio.
Meanwhile, UNCW assistant coach Marty McGillan denied published reports that he was a candidate for the head coaching position at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C.
?At this point and time there is nothing that has been done on my end,? McGillan said Thursday morning. ?It?s just a story that got started because I have a history there.?
McGillan, 42, was an assistant under Pat Dennis at the Citadel from 1998-2001. Dennis resigned as coach on March 9.
McGillan, a UNCW graduate, joined Brownell?s staff before the 2002 season. The Seahawks have posted an 83-40 record and made two NCAA tournament appearances since.
The Citadel?s athletic director, Les Robinson, told the Charleston Post and Courier on Wednesday that he intended to interview five or six candidates for the vacant position while attending the Final Four in Indianapolis this weekend.
McGillan arrived in Indianapolis on Thursday for the National Association of Basketball Coaches convention, a series of meetings held each year in conjunction with the Final Four. It?s also a popular gathering spot for coaches seeking better jobs and athletic directors looking to hire a coach.
Brownell was scheduled to arrive in Indianapolis on Thursday evening, according to UNCW sports information director Joe Browning.
Brownell did not return phone messages left by the Star-News.

Brian Mull: brian.mull@starnewsonline.com

UNCW News Conference?
Post by basketballjones on Mar 31, 2006, 1:43pm

This from the UNCW Message Board.

http://www.caazone.com/boards/viewtopic.....e3c9f38d8dae20a

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Green and Gold on Mar 31, 2006, 2:30pm

Wow it could really happen. I suppose it is down to us and Ball State.

Come on coach Brownell, opt for the green and gold.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Big Greg1 on Mar 31, 2006, 2:41pm

This is on the UNCW board ...

just talked with sports info at Ball St., they have no plans to hold a press conference anytime today to announce anything

I am not concerned about Ball State, as I have said earlier. I know the reasons why.
------------------------------------

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Big Greg1 on Mar 31, 2006, 3:35pm

This is the latest on UNCW board. We just may him!!

"well $hit. I think I just heard someone on ESPN say he's headed to Wright State. I hope I misheard, but I don't like the mention of his name and other schools. I'll watch the next hour of SC and see if that was correct. God I hope not."

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raider fan on Mar 31, 2006, 4:48pm

Ok BigGreg1, now you've done it! You've got me all anxious and thinking that this really could happen! Do you have and approximation on when an announcement might be made one way or the other?

You know, folks on the boards and in the news paper articles have been hinting that thier were problems between the AD and coach Brownell, it is looking more and more like that is the case.

This would be a HUGE deal if we are to land him!!!

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Big greg1 on Mar 31, 2006, 5:31pm

http://www.caazone.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=45227

nuff said

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raider fan on Mar 31, 2006, 6:14pm

To be perfectly honest I didn't see us getting a coach of this caliber. Are you kidding me!!!

Coach Brownell is a sitting Div. 1 HEAD COACH at a comparable mid major school ( I thought we'd have to go low major i.e. Murry State or Div II) who WON and went the NCAA tournament 2 out of 4 years!

Here is what really, really thrills me........we beat out BSU, a big bad MAC school, and Dusquene a A-10 school for his coaching services! Is our (WSU) perception much better then we thought? I think so.........

I'm sooooooooo excited.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raiderd on Mar 31, 2006, 7:27pm

I look forward to the Brad Brownell era starting at WSU.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by statmaster on Mar 31, 2006, 7:41pm

It sounds like we might hear something official on Monday.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by fastbreak on Mar 31, 2006, 7:58pm

It looks like Brad is pretty impressed with Wright State's facilities after all.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by PapaRaider on Mar 31, 2006, 8:07pm

What really amazes me about Brad Brownell is the lack of negatives. All other candidates we have heard about had some kind of an extra baggage or were too inexperienced. I liked the idea of Mike Jarvis Sr. (yet he had screwed up at St.Johns big time) and Louis Orr (yet he had some recruiting troubles plus way too much religious references for my liking) and assistants from Ohio State and St.Joe's (yet both are too unproven). Brownell seems to have all the right answers.
His teams shot good, always among the best in the country defensively, great academically. I have yet to see a negative comment about him from a single UNCW fan - he is truly universally liked (same goes for Ball State, who really wanted him). It can't be true

- there must be some drawbacks.

If it indeed happens, it is truly an amazing hire.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by CHAWKFAN on Mar 31, 2006, 9:08pm

Are you guys sure you have him?

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by buckeyeball on Mar 31, 2006, 10:21pm

There was a press conference at UNCW tonight announcing that he was leaving for WSU. It has been announced on Fox 26 in NC and also ESPN radio. I still haven't seen anything in print confirming it though.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by fastbreak on Mar 31, 2006, 10:31pm

For Immediate Release
March 31, 2006

BROWNELL STEPS DOWN AS UNCW BASKETBALL COACH

WILMINGTON, N.C. � Brad Brownell, who has directed UNC Wilmington to two Colonial Athletic Association men�s basketball championships in four seasons, has resigned to fill the same post at Wright State.

Brownell, 37, guided the Seahawks to a 25-8 record during a 2005-06 season that featured three championships. UNCW opened the season by winning the Black Coaches Association Invitational in Laramie, Wyo., and then shared the regular season crown in the CAA with George Mason at 15-3.

The Seahawks capped off the year by capturing the CAA Championship on March 6 at the Richmond Coliseum, landing the school�s fourth NCAA berth in seven seasons. UNCW then lost to 14th-ranked George Washington, 88-85, in overtime in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in Greensboro.

Wright State closed out its 2005-06 campaign with a 13-15 overall record and an 8-8 mark in the Horizon League. The Raiders, who graduate just one senior, lost to Illinois-Chicago, 77-64, in the first round of the Horizon League Tournament in Chicago.

UNCW and WSU played one common opponent last season � Butler. The Seahawks topped the Bulldogs, 75-59, in the opening game of the BCA Invitational, while the Raiders split a pair of games with their Horizon rivals. Butler won the initial meeting, 70-62, on Jan. 28 in Indianapolis, but WSU returned the favor, 86-83, in a double overtime thriller in Dayton.

Statement From Mike Capaccio, UNC Wilmington Director of Athletics

�Late this evening, I was notified by men�s basketball coach Brad Brownell that he was resigning his position here at UNC Wilmington.

�We realize this was a difficult decision for Brad and his family and wish nothing but the best for his wife, Paula, and their family.

�I want to assure those who follow our program that we will begin work immediately to find a replacement. Timing is obviously critical, but we will take the necessary steps to find the best possible person to serve in this very important role within our department.

�Those who follow the Seahawks know we have been through this scenario before. Our previous two coaches accepted positions elsewhere and we moved ahead. It�s tough to deal with sometimes, but it�s simply the world of college basketball. We must deal with it and do what�s best for our program.�

Statement From Dr. Rosemary DePaolo, UNCW Chancellor

�I have the utmost respect for Brad and his wife, Paula. On behalf of the entire university family, I wish them the best.�

http://www.uncwsports.com/

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by statmaster on Mar 31, 2006, 10:37pm

Way to go Cusack!

Brownell leaving UNCW for Wright State
Post by Wilmington Star on Mar 31, 2006, 10:37pm

http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.....EAKING/60331046

Brownell leaving UNCW for Wright State

UNCW basketball coach Brad Brownell is leaving the Seahawks program for Wright State after a four-year tenure in which he led the team to two NCAA Tournament appearances and an 83-40 record.

Brownell's attorney, Stuart Brown, said Friday night that the coach "felt the need to make a career change at this point."

Wright State, in Dayton, Ohio, is a member of the Horizon League and finished 13-15 this season. Coach Paul Biancardi and the program then parted ways.

UNCW scheduled a press conference for 9:45 Friday night.

Return to StarNewsOnline.com throughout the night for more details.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Perspective on Mar 31, 2006, 10:39pm

It doesn't get more official than this.

http://appserv02.uncw.edu/athletics/[url][/url]

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raiderd on Mar 31, 2006, 10:39pm

Wright State picks new basketball coach
By the Dayton Daily News

FAIRBORN | Wright State's search for a new men's basketball coach ended Friday night when Brad Brownell announced that he has accepted an offer to lead the Raiders.

Brownell, 37, led the University of North Carolina-Wilmington to two NCAA tournaments in his four years as head coach of that school. He had one year remaining on a five-year contract with UNCW, but turned down another five-year deal.

Brownell's record at Wilmington was 83-40. The Seahawks lost an overtime game to George Washington in the first round of this year's NCAA tourney.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0331wsuweb.html

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by buckeyeball on Mar 31, 2006, 10:50pm

March 31, 2006 (News Release/Men's Basketball)

Wright State Hires Brownell as Basketball Coach
March 31, 2006

Wright State Hires Brownell as Basketball Coach

DAYTON � Brad Brownell head men�s basketball coach at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, has agreed to become the head coach at Wright State University, WSU Athletics Director Dr. Michael Cusack announced today.

During Brownell�s tenure as head coach, UNCW men�s basketball program has enjoyed an unprecedented era of success. The Evansville, Indiana native brings a four-year head coaching record of 83-40 to the Raiders along with two NCAA Tournament appearances. UNCW posted a 25-8 mark this past season and won the Colonial Athletic Conference Tournament beating out final four participant George Mason University. The Seahawks advanced to the NCAA Tournament where they lost in overtime to George Washington University 88-83. His four-year Colonial conference record was 61-22 which was the best overall winning program in the league during that time. Two different groups (the league�s coaches and media; and Collegeinsider.com) have twice named Brownell the Colonial Conference coach of the year (2003 and 2006) and Foxsports.com cited him as this season�s National mid-major coach of the year.

�While Brad�s record is outstanding it is his character and values that excited us most in making a final decision. We believe he is the right person to lead our program on and off the court and we are delighted that he, his wife Paula and his two daughters are joining the Raider family� said Mike Cusack.

Averaging just short of 21 wins a season, Brownell has compiled five All-CAA performers, one CAA Player of the Year, four CAA All-Defensive Team selections, one Defensive Player of the Year and seven CAA All-Academic honorees besides two CAA regular-season titles, two CAA Tournament Championships, two Coach of the Year awards and two NCAA Tournaments.

Before accepting the helm, Brownell was the assistant or associate head coach at UNCW under current DePaul University head coach Jerry Wainwright. The Seahawks posted a 136-103 mark during that eight-year period, including two NCAA and two NIT appearances. During his 12 years in Wilmington, UNCW was one of the best defensive teams in the nation, leading the CAA in defense in all but two of those campaigns.

Prior to his time in Wilmington, Brownell served as an assistant coach at the University of Indianapolis for two season after serving as a graduate assistant at the University of Evansville during the 1992 slate.

Brownell will be officially introduced at a press conference next week

http://www.wsuraiders.com/cgi-bin/athletics/news.cgi?action=features&id=2722

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by PapaRaider on Apr 1, 2006, 1:09am

Even the most dedicated Raider fans would probably agree that at this point of college basketball ladder this seems like at least a lateral move for Brad Brownell. The only similar moves I can recall in the past 10 years, which involved mid-majors where a successful coach switched jobs without being forced out were Stew Merrill from Colorado State to Utah State and Jim Larranaga from Bowling Green to George Mason.
It worked out really well for those two ...

Wright State lands successful Division I coach
Post by Dayton Daily News on Apr 1, 2006, 2:38am

http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0401wsubb.html

Wright State lands successful Division I coach
Brownell guided UNC-Wilmington to March Madness twice in four years
By Marc Katz

Dayton Daily News

North Carolina-Wilmington men's basketball coach Brad Brownell couldn't wait any longer. Late Friday night, he held a news conference at his school to say he was taking the head coaching job at Wright State.

"He's big over there," WSU Athletics Director Mike Cusack said. "I heard it was like the paparazzi were out in front of his house all the time."

Just prior to the announcement, Brownell signed a six-year contract to coach the Raiders, faxing it to Cusack. Terms were not immediately announced, but Cusack said Brownell's contract would pay him a little more than Paul Biancardi's annual pay of $155,000.

Biancardi, the former basketball coach, recently settled with the school after the NCAA found him guilty of recruiting violations, a ruling he is appealing.

Cusack met a week ago with Brownell, who also interviewed at Ball State.

The 37-year-old coach was at UNC-Wilmington four years, leading the Seahawks to an overall 83-40 record and two NCAA tournament appearances, including this year.

Cusack said he interviewed several other candidates, mostly by telephone, and had intended to interview more at this weekend's Final Four in Indianapolis.

He won't have to do that now. Cusack said he was looking for a sitting head coach either at the Division I or Division II level.

"This is one of those times you go out with a goal and surpass it," Cusack said.

A native of Evansville, Ind., Brownell played for DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind., graduating in 1991. He spent one year as a graduate assistant coach at Evansville, then two as an assistant at Indianapolis. In the fall of 1995, he landed at the Wilmington program as an assistant, eventually rising to associate head coach. In 2002, he became head coach at Wilmington.

Brownell said, "This has been a very difficult decision for me to make. However, I feel it is in the best interest of my family, my career, and myself to pursue a new opportunity."

A news conference will be held sometime next week to introduce Brownell to his new community.

Contact Marc Katz at 225-2157.

WSU hiring ends three-week search
Post by Dayton Daily News on Apr 1, 2006, 2:43am

http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/co....1wsubbside.html

WSU hiring ends three-week search
By Marc Katz

Dayton Daily News

Things happened so quickly, Wright State Athletics Director Mike Cusack said, he can't remember if basketball coach Brad Brownell contacted him first or if he contacted Brownell.

"This was the 21st day we've been working on this," Cusack said Friday night after North Carolina-Wilmington's Brownell announced he was taking the WSU job. "I remember we sat and watched his team lose to George Washington (88-82 in overtime), and my staff and I were impressed how well his team played."

Cusack said he was interested in obtaining an experienced head coach, but was also looking at the assistants on departed Paul Biancardi's staff as well as assistants at prominent Division I programs.

When NCAA games were played at UD Arena on March 17 and 19, Georgetown was one of the participants and used WSU's Setzer Pavilion/Mills-Morgan Court as a practice facility. One of the Georgetown assistants spoke with Cusack about the job then.

Cusack said another Division I coach happened to be traveling through town, and Cusack also spoke with him.

Otherwise, most of the interviewing was done by telephone.

Hiring notes

� By the way, don't think that new Pavilion � opened just this year � didn't make an impression on Brownell and everyone else who applied for the job.

� One of Brownell's assistants had already taken a job elsewhere and another is a candidate for a head coaching position, so there may be room to hire from the WSU staff left behind if Brownell so desires. Cusack said it would be up to the coach.

� On the surface, it appears Brownell is making a parallel move, from one mid-major conference � the Colonial Athletic Association � to another, the Horizon League.

Much is being made at the moment of the CAA, which has George Mason in the Final Four. Over the last few years, the HL has done well, too. Milwaukee made it to the second round this year and the regional semifinals last year. In 2003, Butler made it to the regional semifinals.

� While Cusack made it clear he is thrilled with his new hire, he noted he felt the same way with his previous hire, Paul Biancardi, who was a top assistant at Ohio State.

Biancardi energized the program and although his three-year record was just 42-44 and the Raiders were 13-15 this season, Biancardi left the program in better shape than he found it.

Unfortunately for him and WSU, the NCAA says Biancardi broke rules while at OSU, and on March 13, WSU and Biancardi parted ways.

� Said Cusack, "We feel like we got the package. This is one guy who's really gotten it done."

Contact Marc Katz at 225-2157.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Halo on Apr 1, 2006, 6:34am

Great job..........this is a coach that will give a chance right away to win the conference.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by fastbreak on Apr 1, 2006, 9:46am

Brownell resigns at UNC-W to take Wright St. job
Associated Press

FAIRBORN, Ohio -- Brad Brownell resigned as UNC Wilmington's basketball coach Friday to take the job at Wright State.

Brownell spent four seasons as head coach at UNC Wilmington, leading the Seahawks to two NCAA Tournaments and an 83-40 overall record. He met with Wright State athletic director Michael Cusack on campus Thursday.

This year, the Seahawks (25-8) blew an 18-point second-half lead before losing to George Washington in overtime in the first round of the Atlanta Regional. Brownell's team shared the Colonial Athletic Association regular-season title with Final Four participant George Mason before winning the league tournament.

The 37-year-old Brownell also served as an assistant at UNC Wilmington from 1995-2002, becoming head coach when Jerry Wainwright left for Richmond.

"This has been a very difficult decision for me to make," Brownell said in a statement, "however, I feel it is in the best interest of my family, my career, and myself to pursue a new opportunity."

Wright State had been looking for a coach since March 13, when Paul Biancardi resigned after the NCAA barred him from recruiting until October 2007 for violations when he was an assistant at Ohio State. Biancardi denied any wrongdoing.

Biancardi was hired at Wright State in April 2003 and led the Raiders to a 14-14 record in his first season. Wright State finished this season 13-15 and lost in the first round of the Horizon League tournament to Illinois-Chicago.

Mike Capaccio, athletic director at UNC Wilmington, said Friday that the school would begin its search for Brownell's replacement immediately.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2392731

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by fastbreak on Apr 1, 2006, 11:42am

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Re: Brad Brownell
Post by cincyraider on Apr 1, 2006, 11:57am

I am not surprised that Brownell accepted the job. The WSU job is a step up (rather than lateral) for him. I am surprised that Cusack offered so quickly, before interviewing all of the candidates. Now we will never know who else was even a candidate. I am disapointed in the lack of transparency with this whole search.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raiderd on Apr 1, 2006, 12:08pm

I think Cusack very purposefully did not allow anyone to know who else he was considering for the WSU job this time. If you look at the finalist for the last 2 job searches, Cusack looks like a dumb ass. Many of the coaches we passed on went onto have a lot of success at their next jobs whereas we had to fire our last coaches.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by cincyraider on Apr 1, 2006, 12:37pm

Big D I agree. Maybe Cusack learned something from these experiences.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Raiderrunt on Apr 1, 2006, 2:13pm

RI think even though it is hard on our fans, it is best to keep it quiet. That lack of bitching about this hire shows it worked well for Cusack. A good hire

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by wsu97 on Apr 1, 2006, 4:27pm

I'm not very familiar with UNCW. I have only seen them once this year against George Washington in the NCAA tournament. UNCW pushed the ball up the court at every opportunity and then back it out if they did not have numbers. They ran a lot of motion on offense and played pretty solid defense from what I remember. I really liked what I saw.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Green and Gold on Apr 1, 2006, 4:48pm

Hmmmmmmmmm were oh were is WSUGRAD? Does this hire change your perception of WSU?

Press conference with Mike Capaccio, UNCW AD
Post by PapaRaider on Apr 1, 2006, 5:35pm

http://www.uncwsports.com/

For Immediate Release
April 1, 2006

Transcript From Mike Capaccio Press Conference, 4-1-06

Q. How you given any thought to a replacement?

A. We�ve had a lot of calls from different people. There are some strong candidates out there. With the caliber of the job, we should attract some strong candidates.

Q. Did you think Brad would stay?

A. I really wanted Brad to be here. I thought Brad did a tremendous job. Personally, I�m very disappointed the way the situation worked out. Wright State has some things going for them. It was closer to home and he can probably get more exposure out there.

Q. Have you had any contact with recruits Vaughn Duggins and Charles Baker?

A. No, I haven�t talked with them. I�ll probably give them some time to think about it and then call.

Q. What about the assistant coaches, Billy Donlon and Marty McGillan?

A. I haven�t spoken with either one of them. I�m not sure of their plans.

Q. What is your timetable?

A. We�ll conduct this search as quickly as possible. There will be a lot of interest in the position, but we�ll do a thorough job.

Q. What about reports that you and Brad have clashed personally?

A. As far as I�m concerned, from Day One, I�ve been disappointed. If there was a perceived rift between us, I didn�t see it. I really felt Brad should have had an opportunity at some jobs with higher dollars. Here in the CAA, we�re kind of isolated. He should have had a chance to get a better paying job.

Q. What about the feelings of the Seahawk players?

A. It was the same way when Jerry Wainwright left. There�s a lot of emotion. People are upset. It�s just time to move on. I think they�re ready to move ahead.

Q. Will you contact Jerry Wainright about possible candidates?

A. Absolutely. Obviously, he has a lot of knowledge about the profession and knows a lot of people.

Q. Are you confident the program can sustain its success?

A. I�m very confident. This program is past one player and past one coach. We need to improve our facilities. Trask Coliseum is 30 years old. Wright State has all new facilities and that�s very attractive to coaches and prospective student-athletes.

Q. Could you have done more with the contract?

A. I�m not sure how much more we could have done. As a university and department, it�s not just about basketball. You just do what you can do and try to keep the rest of the department going.

Q. Do you think you should have worked on his contract extension earlier?

A. We couldn�t do anything until January. It was definitely to Brad�s advantage because of the season he had for it to play out this way. He deserved more than we could give him � he�s earned the money.

Q. Do you think it was a lateral move?

A. If you look at the facilities, Wright State has a leg up on us. In my conversations with Brad, he kept saying how impressed he was with their facilities. It�s a very solid program in a good league. He can win there. He doesn�t have to go out and establish a recruiting base since he knows the area�that�s huge for a head coach.

Q. What was your reaction when you learned he was leaving?

A. Brad handled it in a very professional way. He just said he was looking at other opportunities. When you have a good season, you�re going to have opportunities. I wasn�t going to deny anyone the chance to talk with him. If he wanted to look, I wanted him to look.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Green and Gold on Apr 1, 2006, 5:47pm

Q. Do you think it was a lateral move?

A. If you look at the facilities, Wright State has a leg up on us. In my conversations with Brad, he kept saying how impressed he was with their facilities. It�s a very solid program in a good league. He can win there. He doesn�t have to go out and establish a recruiting base since he knows the area�that�s huge for a head coach.

Hummmmm I thought facilities didn't matter that much???

It appears that our facilities won him over big time. Isn't it awesome that he is so impressed with us and our facilities that we landed him over Ball State and Dusquene. Lets be honest, the A 10 and the MAC are at a little higher level then the Horizon League so for BB to chose us speaks volumes about what we can offer.

KfromX has been saying this for awhile now that with our facilities we should be at the top of the HL and should be able to compete for recruits with other mid majors. It appears that BB agrees with KfromX.

Brownell resigns to take Wright State job
Post by Wilmington StarNews on Apr 1, 2006, 5:47pm

http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.....S/60401003/1005

Brownell resigns to take Wright State job

By Brian Mull
Star-News Correspondent

No more waiting.
Brad Brownell resigned as UNC-Wilmington basketball coach Friday night to become head coach at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.
Brownell, who just completed his fourth year as UNCW head coach and 12th with the program, announced his decision to a small gathering of media around 9:45 p.m. at Trask Coliseum. He wore a crisp, blue oxford shirt, read from a prepared statement for five minutes, then exited the room without taking any questions.
The announcement ended four days of speculation. Brownell, who compiled an 83-40 record in four seasons at UNCW, met with officials from Wright State and Ball State, which located in Muncie, Ind. earlier this week. He returned home and met with his team on Wednesday, and notified it of his decision earlier Friday.
?Four years ago, I was given the opportunity to realize a dream of mine to become a Division I head coach,? Brownell said. ?When I took over the program from Coach (Jerry) Wainwright, it was in great standing and I take pride in knowing that I am leaving it the same way. My staff and I have worked very hard to achieve this level of success and I want them to know how appreciative I am of their efforts.?
Brownell did not say whether assistants Marty McGillan and Billy Donlon or director of basketball operations Jimmy Garrity would make the move with him.
UNCW chancellor Dr. Rosemary DePaolo and athletic director Mike Capaccio were unable to attend due to prior engagements. Both released statements through sports information director Joe Browning.
?We realize that this is a difficult decision for Brad and his family, and wish nothing but the best for his wife Paula and their family.? Capaccio?s statement read.
Senior guard John Goldsberry, a four-year starter, said both sides were emotional when Brownell informed the team of his decision.
?It?s like a family. We?re his sons and he?s our father for most of our four years,? Goldsberry said. ?It was tough knowing that he wasn?t going to be part of the UNCW family.?
Brownell said making the decision to leave was difficult.
?I am extremely proud of my teams and their accomplishments, both on and off the court. They are first class young men and I want to thank them for their hard work and commitment to excellence,? Brownell said. ?Without question it has been my sincere privilege to coach them and, to me, they will always be the best of the best.?
Brownell arrived at UNCW in 1994-95 and served as an assistant to Jerry Wainwright for eight seasons. Wainwright moved to the University of Richmond in April 2002 and Brownell replaced him, becoming the program?s sixth head coach.
Brownell led the Seahawks to a 24-7 overall record, Colonial Athletic Association championship and NCAA tournament appearance in 2002. After a 15-15 record in 2003 and a 19-10 record in 2004, UNCW won a school-record 25 games this past season, sharing the CAA regular season crown, winning the tournament and returning to the NCAA tournament.
UNCW built an 18-point second-half lead but fell to George Washington 88-85 in overtime in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Talk then turned to Brownell?s status at the school. His contract ran through the 2006-07 season and an extension offer had been on the table since December, but earlier this week Brownell said negotiations had been ?difficult.?
?Brad?s decision to accept employment at Wright State was not the result of any disappointment at UNC-Wilmington,? Brownell?s agent Stuart Brown said Friday. ?He just felt he needed to make a career change at this point.?
Brownell accepted a six-year contract at Wright State, a public university with enrollment of 17,000 that competes in the Horizon League.
The Raiders finished 13-15 this past season.

Seahawk Fans Upset over Brownell's Decision to Lea
Post by WECT on Apr 1, 2006, 7:39pm

Seahawk Fans Upset over Brownell's Decision to Leave UNCW
April 1, 2006, 07:08 PM EST

MARCH 31, 2006 -- UNCW Basketball Coach Brad Brownell announced his resignation from the UNCW Coaching Staff during a surprise press conference Friday night.

Brownell made an emotional statement, saying he is leaving to fill the open head coach position at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.

UNCW Athletic Director Mike Cappacio held a press conference on Saturday to answer questions about Brownell's departure.

Loyal Seahawk Fans and Seahawk Club members were there to show their support for Brownell.

They say they have seen the progress the men's basketball team has made since Brownell has been coaching. They say they are sad to see him leave.

Reported by Nicole Ferguson

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by fastbreak on Apr 1, 2006, 8:15pm

Quote:

Q. Do you think it was a lateral move?

A. If you look at the facilities, Wright State has a leg up on us. In my conversations with Brad, he kept saying how impressed he was with their facilities. It�s a very solid program in a good league. He can win there. He doesn�t have to go out and establish a recruiting base since he knows the area�that�s huge for a head coach.

Hummmmm I thought facilities didn't matter that much???

It appears that our facilities won him over big time. Isn't it awesome that he is so impressed with us and our facilities that we landed him over Ball State and Dusquene. Lets be honest, the A 10 and the MAC are at a little higher level then the Horizon League so for BB to chose us speaks volumes about what we can offer.

KfromX has been saying this for awhile now that with our facilities we should be at the top of the HL and should be able to compete for recruits with other mid majors. It appears that BB agrees with KfromX.

I think the people that know what they are talking about have been saying that our facilities would make the difference all along.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by fastbreak on Apr 2, 2006, 8:15am

Wright State 'ecstatic' about hire
By Tom Archdeacon

Dayton Daily News

INDIANAPOLIS | He was sitting in a tiny coffee shop across the street from the RCA Dome. It was 90 minutes before Saturday's first Final Four tip-off, the place was crowded and Mike Cusack was trying to be low-key.

But finally � unable to keep his emotions in check � he gritted his teeth and just shook a fist in triumph.

"Ecstatic?" he'd later say. "That word comes to mind, but let's just say I feel pretty darn good."

Friday night, the Wright State athletic director hired Brad Brownell � the successful coach at UNC-Wilmington � to be the new WSU basketball coach.

And the initial reaction has been the same from Raiders' backers, UNCW fans and the hoops crowd here at the Final Four: Cusack made a great hire.

To land the 37-year-old Colonial Athletic Association coach of the year � who had his team in the NCAA tournament for the second time in his four years at the Seahawks' helm � Wright State opened its purse strings.

It's paying Brownell $1.32 million over six years. That's $220,000 a season, a considerable jump from the $155,000 it gave former coach Paul Biancardi, forced out after an NCAA investigation sanctioned him for violations it says he committed while at Ohio State.

"We think that's the way to go," Cusack said.

He looked across the street where the George Mason name � a mid-major program similar to his � was bannered on the side of RCA Dome. Although the Patriots' amazing run to the Final Four was an anomaly, Cusack sees their success and envisions WSU an NCAA tournament team.

He got 60 applications � eight from D-I coaches � and said: "We wanted a sitting Division I head coach or a very successful D-II coach."

Current DePaul and former UNCW coach Jerry Wainwright and former Evansville coach Jim Crews � both of whom had Brownell as an assistant � spoke on his behalf, but the recommendation that carried the most weight came from former WSU assistant Will Rey, now a Chicago prep school coach.

Rey coached with Brownell at

Evansville and told WSU Brow-nell might want to leave UNCW.

Word from Wilmington is that he wasn't offered a lengthy extension there until Friday.

There's also said to be a chilly relationship with Mike Capaccio, the UNCW athletic director. Capaccio is a former national junior college coach of the year at Indian Hills C.C. in Iowa, where he won three national titles, and some say he's a heavy-handed boss.

Cusack said Brownell didn't "bad mouth" his old boss and was "nothing but professional. We've landed a good guy and a good coach."

Brownell never had a losing season at UNCW, graduated 86 percent of his players and knows the Dayton area.

"His dad is from Kettering," Cusack said. "And he had two starters from our area (Vandalia Butler's John Goldsberry and Beckham Wyrick from Cincinnati Roger Bacon.)

"I think with our facilities, the league we're in and the commitment we've made, he sees a great opportunity."

Cusack thinks others will learn that, too: "This happened exactly when we wanted it to. With the Final Four, there's a certain amount of buzz, and now we'll get some of it. People will be saying, 'Look what's going on at Wright State.' "

He was grinning when he left the shop in search of his wife.

She was carrying his jacket, which had "Wright State" in big letters across the back. He wanted to put it on before he walked into the RCA Dome.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0402arch.html

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by fastbreak on Apr 2, 2006, 8:19am

Frank Goldsberry: Brownell is one of the best
By Marc Katz

Dayton Daily News

Frank Goldsberry has coached a lot of players � men and women, high school and college � over the years, and has met plenty of coaches, too. He says Brad Brownell is one of the best he's ever seen.

"The key is when kids go to college, how much better can the coaches make the player?" Goldsberry said. "This (Brownell) coaching staff is just amazing. They just make you better individually. The guy can coach. I lived it."

Goldsberry, who coached at Chaminade-Julienne and UD among other stops and recently moved from Vandalia to Tipp City, knows Brownell well after his son, John, was recruited and played at North Carolina-Wilmington. John Goldsberry just completed his career as a four-year starter.

"John could have gone to a MAC school," Frank Goldsberry said. "But he went to Wilmington, 10 1/2 hours away. Brad did the best job of recruiting. He's tough, but he just makes you better. I'd say you want your kid to get better, go here (Wright State)."

Reports out of Wilmington indicate Brownell was told in December he would be issued a new contract to extend his current deal, which has a year to go, but Wednesday (after visiting WSU and Ball State) Brownell told the Wilmington media, "Because of some difficult negotiations through the course of the year, I have gone and looked at a couple of other schools.

"Right now, I'm in a situation where I've got to decide what's best for me and my family, and that may take a couple of days, I don't know, but when I do, my team will be the first to know."

Brownell told his team Thursday and made the announcement he was going to Wright State Friday night.

In all, Brownell was in Wilmington 12 years, the first eight as an assistant.

Somebody showed North Carolina-Wilmington athletic director Mike Capaccio pictures of WSU's not-quite-year-old Setzer Pavilion/Mills-Morgan Court, the practice facility for both the men's and women's basketball teams.

"There's no question he (Brownell) was impressed by their facilities," Capaccio said. "Our facilities are about 30 years old."

Although he has played for only one coach so far, WSU co-captain and senior-to-be Drew Burleson will be under the guidance of his third coach. Signed by Ed Schilling, Burleson sat out his freshman season due to a foot injury. He played the last three years for Paul Biancardi, and will finish his career with Brownell, whom he met briefly early last week.

"Meeting with him an hour you can't tell that much," Burleson said. "Change is always difficult for anybody, but maybe this will be good for us. We were inconsistent last season."

Wright State is planning a news conference for Tuesday morning and a fan and patron event for some other time.

Contact Marc Katz at 937-225-2157.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0402wsuside.html

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by fastbreak on Apr 2, 2006, 8:25am

Brownell excited about Wright State's potential
Says change in leadership at NC-Wilmington led to move
By Marc Katz

Dayton Daily News

Brad Brownell saw the need to make a coaching change in his life. Now he'll see if he can change Wright State's men's basketball program into an NCAA contender.

"He's been where we all want to go," said WSU co-captain Drew Burleson, attending the Final Four in Indianapolis with his father.

"I see a lot of potential at Wright State that really excites me," Brownell said Saturday, not quite 24 hours after accepting the job.

Brownell's base salary at North Carolina-Wilmington was about $168,000. But Wilmington AD Mike Capaccio, who was promoted from director of basketball operations on May 10, 2005, said the coach could have made more. Capaccio said he offered Brownell a five-year contract this week � after Brownell said he was moving on to Wright State � starting with a $215,000 base salary and escalating to $250,000.

"The coach had two cars and the contract was approaching $350,000 to 400,000 overall," Capaccio said. "That's all we could afford. We would have loved to keep him."

So why didn't Brownell stay? "We've had some change in leadership," Brownell said without naming names. "It makes you look for some change."

Brownell signed a six-year contract with Wright State, averaging $220,000 per season. Paul Biancardi, the man Brownell will replace, had a base salary of about $155,000.

Brownell took two of his four UNC-Wilmington teams to the NCAA tournament, losing to Maryland on a buzzer-beater in 2003 and falling in overtime to George Washington two weeks ago. His four-year record was 83-40, including 25-8 this season.

Brownell toured WSU on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. He visited with as many campus groups as he could, including the basketball team, which loses only one player to graduation from a 13-15 season.

"The day I went to Wright State, I saw some similarities to Wilmington," Brownell said. "Everything seems smaller when you don't have football. There's a kinship in the athletic department I really enjoy. We can work together to do something special.

"And Dayton is a college basketball town. To be in that basketball hotbed gets my juices going."

Wright State bought out former coach Biancardi on March 13 after he was penalized for NCAA violations that occurred in his previous job at Ohio State.

Contact Marc Katz at 225-2157.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0402wsubb.html

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by ESPN on Apr 2, 2006, 3:22pm

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind....ame%3dkatz_andy

The strangest move of the weekend was UNC-Wilmington's Brad Brownell going to Wright State. Brownell won the CAA and lost in the first round of the NCAAs to George Washington. He is from Indiana, and if he was going to move, the natural thing would have been the open Ball State gig, but multiple sources said Brownell and his athletic director were at odds and he wanted out.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Hampton Roads Daily Press on Apr 2, 2006, 3:51pm

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-9749....dp-sports-local

CAA DEFECTION

As the Colonial Athletic Association reveled Friday in Mason's Final Four, it lost one of its finest coaches when UNC Wilmington's Brad Brownell resigned to become head coach at Wright State in Ohio.

On the surface, the move is lateral at best. In four seasons at UNCW, Brownell coached the Seahawks to an 83-40 record and NCAA tournament bids in 2003 and this year. In each of those seasons he was CAA Coach of the Year.

At Wright State of the Horizon League, Brownell inherits a program that's been to one NCAA tournament, that in 1993. The Raiders were 13-15 this season.

What might have steered Brownell to Wright? Roots and conflict.

Brownell, 37, is an Indiana native. Moreover, he and Wilmington athletic director Mike Capaccio were struggling to agree on terms of a contract extension. Capaccio was Wilmington's director of basketball operations when Brownell arrived there as an assistant coach to Jerry Wainwright, but then rose through the ranks to become Brownell's boss.

Wilmington joins Northeastern of the CAA in coach-search mode. Virginia Tech alum Ron Everhart left Northeastern to become head coach at Atlantic 10 bottom-feeder Duquesne.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by buckeyeball on Apr 3, 2006, 11:58am

Press Release:
April 03, 2006

Public Reception for Brad Brownell Set for Tuesday
New Wright State men's basketball coach Brad Brownell will have a public reception Tuesday afternoon at 12:15 at the Setzer Pavilion/Mills Morgan Center.

Fans along with faculty and staff are encouraged to attend.

http://www.wsuraiders.com/cgi-bin/athletics/news.cgi?action=features&id=2734

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by buckeyeball on Apr 4, 2006, 6:03am

WSU coach's salary isn't tops in league
Brownell's incentives include car, country club membership
By Marc Katz

Dayton Daily News

FAIRBORN | At least two Horizon League coaches � and possibly three � make more in base salary than what has been promised new Wright State men's basketball coach Brad Brownell, who signed a six-year contract at a base salary of $220,000.

"From the information I've received from the league, we're about third in base salary," WSU athletics director Mike Cusack said Monday. He hired Brownell from North Carolina-Wilmington on Friday.

At Wisconsin-Milwaukee, coach Rob Jeter completed the first of a five-year $300,000 per anum deal. That was recently extended two years when Iowa State interviewed him for its job, which then went to Northern Iowa's Greg McDermott, who had his team at UD Arena for a first-round NCAA game two weeks ago.

The other coach believed to be compensated in the $300,000 range is Illinois-Chicago's Jimmy Collins. Todd Lickliter of Butler has a contract package that approaches that figure.

"People think these people are only in it for the money," Cusack said. "They're also looking for relationships, and where they can be comfortable."

While the money paid Brownell will be substantially more than the $155,000 base paid previous coach Paul Biancardi, Cusack said the purchase price should be worth it, especially if a winning team draws fans to the Nutter Center.

"We don't look at ourselves as a business, but this particular piece is a business decision," Cusack said. "We think we'll be better off financially than we were."

Brownell earns additional income as well, including money from summer camps. No shoe contract is written into his contract, but Brownell is allowed to negotiate his own with the university's knowledge and was working on that in his Setzer Pavilion office Monday morning.

There are also incentive clauses, including a month's salary for the coaching staff for an NCAA appearance, $2,500 for the head coach and $1,000 for each assistant for an NIT appearance, $500 for Horizon League coach of the year and $750 if the other coaches at WSU name him the school's coach of the year.

Brownell also has the use of an automobile and membership at Country Club of the North. There are also termination clauses, including one for breaking NCAA by-laws.

Today, WSU is inviting fans to meet the coach at the Setzer Pavilion/Mills Morgan Center from 12:15 to about 1 p.m.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0404wsubb.html

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Wilmington StarNews on Apr 4, 2006, 3:43pm

http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.....S/60404001/1005

Meanwhile, assistant coaches Billy Donlon and Marty McGillan said they have not resigned from the program.
Capaccio said he and director of basketball operations Jimmy Garrity are in charge of the UNCW players.
McGillan and Donlon met with Capaccio in his office Monday. Neither has been mentioned as a candidate to replace their old boss, Brad Brownell, who resigned Friday to take the job at Wright State.
�Those guys are free to look around,� Capaccio said.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Dayton Daily News on Apr 4, 2006, 11:55pm

http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0405wsubb.html

Brownell won't win at all costs
New WSU coach preaches Midwestern values
By Marc Katz

Dayton Daily News

FAIRBORN | His parents were there, and his wife and two young daughters. It was a real show of mom and pop Tuesday at the Setzer Pavilion/Mills Morgan Center, and that's apparently the way new Wright State men's basketball coach Brad Brownell likes it.

When Brownell first visited WSU for an interview last week, "I met more people in one day I think than I've ever met in my life," he said at his first media conference since being hired Friday. "I was in more meetings, I was around campus and it was great. People were excited. Everywhere I went, people wanted to know, 'Why here?' People wanted to know what my values were.

"I met athletic staff, I met coaches, I met professors. That was wonderful. I'm a Midwest guy. I saw some Midwest values maybe I missed for a few years. I just can't tell you how impressed I was."

They were impressed with him and his four-year 83-40 record at North Carolina-Wilmington, where he also was an assistant eight seasons.

"There were changes in the leadership at (Wilmington)," said Brownell, an Evansville, Ind., native. "I had a great stay there. It was a wonderful place and we accomplished some great things. But college basketball is a very difficult business. When I came to Wright State (to interview), I met some tremendous people. When I talked to (school president) Dr. (Kim) Goldenberg and everybody in leadership positions � (athletics director) Dr. (Mike) Cusack � their vision of what they wanted and what they expected matched mine.

"I want to be at a university where that's the case. I'm not a win-at-all-costs coach. It can't be just about winning games. If you're a college basketball coach and all you think about is winning games, I think you're selling the process short."

Contact Marc Katz at 225-2157.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Dayton Daily News on Apr 4, 2006, 11:59pm

http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/con....ssio.html# jump

First impressions of Brad Brownell
By Kyle Nagel | Tuesday, April 4, 2006, 12:45 PM

Brad Brownell is taller than I thought.

Aside from that, the new Wright State basketball coach was about what I expected when he was officially introduced at a news conference this morning.

For the past few days, people have been asking me why this successful coach from North Carolina-Wilmington would leave one of the top schools in the Colonial Athletic Association for Wright State.

He must be a good coach, people said. He�s been to the NCAA tournament.

He must be a good man, people said. He has advanced so far at a young age (he�s 37).

We haven�t seen his coaching up close, but after watching him speak to about 30 people today � mostly WSU athletics and university officials and supporters � he does seem to be a good man.

His parents, wife and two young daughters attended the event. The girls were both in white dresses with pink sweaters, and the younger one entertained herself with a teddy bear.

He said all the right things, as coaches often do when they�re introduced. He wants to build a program full of players who seek team accomplishments above the individual. He wants Wright State to be mentioned nationally as one of the top two programs in the Horizon League. He wants to fill the Nutter Center with 8,000 people a game.

WSU athletics director Michael Cusack has made what everyone agrees is a great hire, but that�s what we all thought when Paul Biancardi came here three years ago from Ohio State. He turned out to be a nightmare for the school because of accusations he faced of NCAA violations while he was an Ohio State assistant.

Biancardi and Wright State parted ways when the NCAA Committee on Infractions decided that Biancardi had broken several major association rules. Biancardi has since appealed.

And now there�s a new young coach in town (who, I might mention, is being paid considerably more money).

So far, he sounds good.

We�ll see how his teams play on the court.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Tom Archdeacon on Apr 5, 2006, 12:09am

http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0405arch.html

Tom Archdeacon: New WSU coach arrives just in time
By Tom Archdeacon

Dayton Daily News

FAIRBORN | Unlike the rest of the basketball world, Brad Brownell watched little of Florida's conquest of UCLA in the NCAA title game Monday night.

The new Wright State basketball coach was at the Dayton airport waiting ... waiting ... waiting.

His wife, Paula, and their two young daughters were flying in from North Carolina � where Brownell had been the successful UNC-Wilmington coach until five days ago � but bad weather delayed their departure, caused them to miss a Charlotte transfer and eventually got them here past midnight, some three hours late.

Their luggage never made it.

And by the time they got to their motel, the Meet the Brownells Day on the WSU campus was just nine hours away.

Paula didn't panic. Brad's T-shirts became nightgowns. She got up early, found an open Target store, bought dresses and pink sweaters for the girls and a white suit for herself and had everyone ready for the mid-morning press conference.

"My wife's real good for me," Brownell said. "She always sees the glass as half-full. My glass is always changing. There are times I take drinks out of it and the level gets a little low."

That may have something to do with why he is here following a 25-8 season that culminated with an NCAA Tournament bid and Colonial Athletic Association coach of the year honors.

It's known his relationship with the new UNCW athletics director was bumpy. So that has a lot to do with why he left.

But the question everyone's been asking is why WSU? Why what seems a lateral move?

There are several reasons, including top-of-the-line facilities, a winnable league, a community ready to embrace him and the fact he's not a total stranger here.

His dad, Bob, grew up on Northview Road, then Stroop Road, and attended Oakwood High through freshman year. Following military school, he went to Wilmington College, where he played basketball and met Genny, the Clermont County girl he'd marry.

The Brownells moved to Evansville, Ind., where Bob was a high school basketball coach and Brad grew up around those teams: Riding the bus to games, trying to sit on the bench until his dad chased him off, getting in trouble at practice when his basketball would roll onto the court.

After playing at Evansville Harrison High (not his dad's school), Brad got no Division I offers, mothballed his hoop hopes and followed Paula to Purdue to "recruit" her and "make sure she wouldn't leave."

A year later, he headed back to his other love � basketball � and a three-year career at DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind., followed by a 15-year coaching career.

He said his most pressing concerns at WSU are "building relationships" with his new and probably uneasy players and putting together a staff. While he'd like to bring along all his UNCW assistants, one already has another job and two are in the running at other schools.

In the meantime, he said he's a "one-man operation," trying to learn everything about the university, his players and "who I go to when there are problems. It's a little mind-boggling."

And when that happened Tuesday, all he had to do was look to the woman in the new white suit, the one whose glass was half-full.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Pauley on Apr 5, 2006, 12:58am

That was an interesting story. I rarely compliment Arch, but that one was well done!

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by buckeyeball on Apr 5, 2006, 6:13am

5 Questions: New WSU men's basketball coach Brad Brownell
By Marc Katz

Dayton Daily News

1) What was your favorite sport growing up in Evansville, Ind.? A: Basketball.

2) Other than basketball, what's your favorite sport? A: Golf.

3) What's the one thing you can't stand attending? A: I've led a pretty good life. I don't have to go to things I don't like.

4) What's your favorite non-basketball sporting event? A: Ryder Cup.

5) What's your favorite vacation spot? A: Somewhere where there's a beach and a golf course.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0405fiveq.html

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by buckeyeball on Apr 5, 2006, 6:15am

'Chaotic' stretch ends for Raiders
By Marc Katz

Dayton Daily News

FAIRBORN | An hour after Brad Brownell finished his first media conference plus a meet-and-greet with fans at lunchtime Tuesday, he walked into the Setzer Pavilion weight room to say a few words to Jordan Pleiman, a junior-to-be starter for the Raiders.

"The whole situation has been very difficult," Pleiman said. "When you wake up in the morning, there's no one to depend on, to rely on. But we'll develop new comfort levels with Coach Brownell."

Pleiman, at 6-foot-8 the biggest of the Raiders' returning starters, said, "It's hectic to go through a program without a leader," since previous coach Paul Biancardi took a buy-out three weeks ago. "It has been a little chaotic, but everyone trusts (athletics director) Dr. (Mike) Cusack made a good choice.

"The team wanted (WSU assistant coach Brian Donoher) because we know him and have been around him. I think we'll be a solid team regardless of who we play for."

� Brownell has set up individual meetings with his returning players, and has called the families of recruits Todd Brown of Canton McKinley and Dan Penick of Ludlow, Ky., to meet with them. Brown signed an early letter of intent, while Penick gave an oral commitment for the April 12 signing day.

Brownell was not certain if any members of last year's team would be leaving.

� During his introductory remarks to the media, Cusack said it didn't take him long to determine Brownell's character.

"There was no question he could win," Cusack said. "What I found most interesting, within five minutes I could see he's the type of guy we would want here. He and his family would be great additions to this community. My feeling is, there's a lot more than the resume."

Contact Marc Katz at (937) 225-2157.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/wsu/daily/0405wsuside.html

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Green and Gold on Apr 5, 2006, 8:56am

I am glad BB is still interested in Penick since he is going to set up a meeting with him and his family. I am all for going after the 6-9 Pennick.

If any players are leaving the program I hope they do it soon so BB still has time to replace them for this upcoming season.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by cincyraider on Apr 5, 2006, 12:02pm

Green and Gold I am with you about going after Penick. He is described as an exellent ball handler, passer and shooter for a big man. He was also considering BGSU, a team that runs a motion offense. I think he would fit in very well in Brownell's system. Todd Brown is also supposed to be a very good shooter. Big D mentioned Scott Grote. Have no idea if that's viable but I would love to see him here also. Of course, add Duggins to that group and you have a nice haul.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by fastbreak on Apr 5, 2006, 7:16pm

Duggins and Grote would be 2 great additions to Wright State. They would add the outside shooting that WSU has been missing as of late.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Apr 5, 2006, 7:33pm

Rumors are that Vaughn will go somewhere else than here. Think "Big" in the first part of the name.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by littlegreg on Apr 5, 2006, 7:37pm

Quote:

Rumors are that Vaughn will go somewhere else than here. Think "Big" in the first part of the name.

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raider fan on Apr 5, 2006, 8:21pm

Actually I'm thrilled that WSUGRAD says that Duggins won't be coming to WSU.......remember he is the one who said their is NO WAY Brownell chose WSU over BSU or UNCW. I'd say this is a good sign.

Just funin with ya GRAD but you have been off just a bit with your recent predictions.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Perspective on Apr 5, 2006, 10:03pm

Perhaps it's this obscure and baseless reference to Indiana of the "Big" Ten? I don't think I'd lose sleep over this one.

http://www2.indystar.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2142843

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Apr 5, 2006, 10:16pm

No offense taken. I was wrong about Brownell coming here but if you look back I have been right about a lot of things before. I have no inside sources at WSU. My opinion was that he would go somewhere else or stay where he was. I still have a hard time understanding why he made the move. I am glad he did.

On Vaughn. It's not IU and you are half right. There are two rumored teams and both have the name "Big" in front of them. Illininois and Georgetown. It's not baseless. Don't you think a player like this might look at all his opportunities. Hopefully he makes the Wright decision.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSU alumni on Apr 5, 2006, 10:43pm

Quote:

I have no inside sources at WSU.

wsugrad (sorry to say) is full of shit. He talks without any real knowledge of what is going on. He makes predictions based on what? which way his pecker is pointing? Hell, he'll hit every now and then just guessing - even a blind dog finds a bone once and a while. He'll remind you of the 1 in a million hit but distract you from the 999,999 misses.

VD will be at WSU. Write it down. I have sources.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by WSUGRAD on Apr 5, 2006, 10:51pm

Why are some of you jerks?

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Bonesvillenet on Apr 6, 2006, 1:28am

http://bonesville.net/Articles/AlMyatt/2006/04/040606_Myatt.htm

Money definitely figured in creating a couple of significant coaching vacancies in the region.

Brad Brownell flew the coup at UNC-Wilmington on the eve of the Final Four and Herb opted out of the cauldron at N.C. State a day later. The grass was greener elsewhere. So was the cash.

Superficially, both exits appear to be less than lateral moves until you look at the terms of financial commitment. What was right about Wright State for Brownell? Well, he jumped his take from $168,000 annual base salary at UNCW to $1.32 million over six years. Sendek went from $800,000 at State to a reported $1.3 million annually in Tempe.

Fringe benefits? Brownell won't have to answer to Seahawks athletic director Mike Capaccio, a former director of basketball operations at UNCW who moved past Brownell in the chain of command. Sendek may even enjoy listening to some sports talk radio in the desert or going to the grocery store if he can so much as get the Sun Devils into the Big Dance.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by The Seahawk on Apr 6, 2006, 3:48pm

http://www.theseahawk.com/media/paper287....n-1784073.shtml

UNCW's loss is Wright State's gain
Seahawk Staff Opinion
Published: Thursday, April 6, 2006
Article Tools: Page 1 of 1

It came as a shock to all of us at the Seahawk upon finding out that men's basketball coach Brad Brownell resigned from his position over the weekend.

With all of the talk of people questioning his motives for leaving, and how the athletic department dealt with the situation, Brownell hasn't gotten the credit he deserved for his success in Wilmington.

When Brownell took over the job from former coach Jerry Wainwright, there were many doubts as to how the basketball program would maintain it's success after the godfather of UNCW hoops was gone.

Brownell didn't just maintain the success of the basketball program his first year, his team was one Drew Nicholas miracle away from knocking off the defending national champions and ascending into the stratosphere of mid-majors.

Of course, there were doubts about how the team would do without Brett Blizzard the next season. The next season, UNCW finished at .500 during a rebuilding season without the best player that ever graced Trask Coliseum for the Seahawks. His 2004-05 team projected to finish sixth in the preseason poll, finished third in the conference and was snubbed for a NIT bid.

Again, projected in the middle of the CAA pack, Brownell proved the 'experts' wrong and led his team to a first place tie for the conference title. He did it his way, grinding out games on the defensive end, even if it wasn't pretty. He did it the right way too, running a spotless program that truly exemplified the student-athlete.

It was obvious what he had done for the program when fans awaited the Seahawks return from the CAA tournament, and packed one side of Trask for the NCAA Tournament selection show.

One week later, the entire town of Wilmington was seemingly in Buffalo Wild Wings, glued to every shot during UNCW's game against George Washington. The people let Brownell and his squad control their emotions over every minute of the game that night.

Though it was the last time Brownell would coach an NCAA Tournament game at UNCW, there's no doubt that it won't be his last. At Wright State, he'll do what he has every year in Wilmington- silence the critics.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Pauley on Apr 6, 2006, 4:16pm

There appears there might be a Nancy Zimpher type situation down in Wilmington.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by buckeyeball on Apr 6, 2006, 8:53pm

Press Conference:

http://www.wsuraiders.com/mbasketball/brownell.mp3

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by buckeyeball on Apr 6, 2006, 9:02pm

Quote:

Rumors are that Vaughn will go somewhere else than here. Think "Big" in the first part of the name.

Pendleton Heights (Ind.) High coach Joe Buck said Duggins was disappointed when he learned Brad Brownell would resign as UNCW coach.
�It was very devastating to him; he was almost in a state of shock,� Buck said. �When you�re recruited like that, you really get attached to the head coach and assistants. They made him feel welcome.�
Buck said Duggins, a 6-4 guard who finished second in the Indiana prep scoring race (26.9 ppg), would re-open the recruiting process. Duggins chose UNCW over Butler and Wright State. He also visited Miami of Ohio, Ohio University, Western Michigan, Eastern Illinois and Ball State.
Buck thinks Duggins would consider following Brownell to Wright State.
�He�s not back at square one, but we expect to hear from some of the other schools that were interested in him,� Buck said.http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.....043/1005/sports

Who should we believe? Duggin's high school coach or WSUGRAD ::)

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raider fan on Apr 6, 2006, 9:23pm

Well it is terrific that Vaughn is going to seriously consider WSU but he left open the possibility of looking at others schools.

I like our chances simply because he believed in coach Brownell the first time and he seems pretty committed to him. We should know something fairly soon with the late signing period coming up next week.

I'm confident that as soon as Vaughn is granted his release from UNCW coach Brownell will be the first to call him.

Blunder by the Sea
Post by Bonesville on Apr 7, 2006, 8:27am

http://bonesville.net/Articles/DennyOBrien/2006/04/040706_OBrien.htm

Blunder by the Sea

Speaking of AD's, UNCW�s Mike Capaccio has done very little to enhance his reputation in recent weeks. That much was evident by the announcement that basketball coach Brad Brownell was leaving for� Wright State.

If something smells fishy about an up-and-coming coach taking a step down in prestige, there is. The fact is, Brownell didn�t want to leave Wilmington.

According to one source close to the situation, all Brownell wanted from the administration was a raise for his assistants and a five-year contract for himself, pretty much the norm in the business. But Brownell was denied because, according to the source, the AD wants to put his own stamp on the school�s flagship program.

Among the top candidates is current Kansas assistant Joe Dooley, who knows his way around the CAA from his days at East Carolina, even though he never made a serious run at the title. Brownell, on the other hand, made banner-raising a ritual at Trask Coliseum during a period in which the CAA experienced its most success.

Trade a coach with championship pedigree for someone who isn�t a proven winner. Now that makes perfect sense.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raider fan on Apr 7, 2006, 7:46pm

I'm noticing a real strong trend among players that coach Brownell recruited wether they signed early ( Duggins ) or wether they visited ( Guade ) is that they chose UNCW BECAUSE OF COACH BROWNELL! Once Brownell is out of the picture they immediately want out or will look else where. UNCW, the school it self, didn't seem to factor into the equation much at all. This tells me that we just hired one heck of a recruit........the kids seem to be really impressed/inspired with BB

Unlike Pennik and Brown who said he chose WSU because of the school.

I think we got ourselves one heck of a recruiter/coach!!

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by observer on Apr 7, 2006, 9:08pm

That is a very good observation raider fan. It doess seem that WSU's recruits picked WSU for the school (Drew B, Vova, etc) .

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Fayetteville Online on Apr 9, 2006, 7:05pm

http://www.fayettevillenc.com/article?id=230564

New coach must beat Big Three

By Errol Oxendine Jr.

I first heard Wolfpack coach Herb Sendek was resigning from N.C. State to coach the Sun Devils of Arizona State University on April 1.

I figured the anchors on ESPN News were pulling my leg with another April Fool�s Day prank. I thought, �Who would want to leave a school with a strong basketball tradition for a school where football is first, baseball second and basketball is an afterthought?�

Later, I received a call from a happy State fan. He said, �I�m glad he�s gone. He never won the big game anyway!�

Indeed, Sendek had given into the pressure of Wolfpack fans and left a program where his overall numbers were impressive. Sendek is 253-158 in 13 seasons as a college coach and was 191-132 at State.

The Wolfpack has been to five straight NCAA tourneys. Graduation rates are high. No NCAA violations.

Why were Wolfpack basketball fans so upset? Sendek�s record against the other members of Tobacco Road is, as �American Idol� judge Simon Cowell would say, appalling. He is 17-54 versus UNC, Wake Forest and Duke. Against Coach K the record is 3-23. Roy Williams has never lost to him.

Duke and UNC fans should be sad to see Sendek leave.

Sendek faces a difficult task at ASU. The Sun Devils were 11-17 last season and finished ninth in the Pac-10. The Big Three in the Pac-10 will be Arizona, UCLA and Washington. Failure to beat them will land Sendek on the hot seat again.

His departure leaves the N.C State program in disarray. Support for the program has diminished. The 2006-07 recruiting class has been released from its letters-of-intent. A new coach has to be hired.

One possibility was Rick Barnes of Texas, but it has been reported he is not leaving Texas.

Maybe John Calipari will want to make the move eastward from Memphis. It�s a shame former UNC- Wilmington coach Brad Brownell jumped the gun in taking the Wright State job.

Wolfpack fans might be complaining for the next few years. According to Rivals.com, the incoming recruiting classes for the Big Three are some of the best in the country. State is not in the top 20.

The new coach has a tough road to hoe. He will need to heal the wounds of the Sendek era by returning the program to the glory days under NCAA champion coaches Norm Sloan and Jim Valvano. He has to start by beating The Big Three.

Errol Oxendine Jr., 40, is a registered nurse and lives in Pembroke.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Wilmington Star on Apr 11, 2006, 8:03am

http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.....S/60411001/1005

Lotta movin� and shakin�, but not here

By Neil Amato
Sports Editor

It�s been 11 days since coach Brad Brownell announced in a prime-time news conference that he was leaving UNC-Wilmington for Wright State.
That was the last day in March, when many prime college basketball jobs were being filled and others were just coming open. Many a position remains vacant today, eight days after the men�s college season ended, including the UNCW job.
�There�s a lot of movin� and shakin� this time of year,� said former UNC-Wilmington assistant coach Marty McGillan, who has an offer to join Brownell�s staff at Wright State. McGillan seems secure in the fact that he�ll land somewhere solid, but he knows it won�t be Wilmington. This is life in the nomadic profession known as coaching.
�It beats working and having a (real) job,� McGillan, 42, said. He�s been in the profession 18 seasons. He may join Brownell in his new gig, but he�s looking at other undisclosed options.
Assistant coach Billy Donlon will be joining Brownell at Wright State, which competes in the Horizon League. Paperwork still must be completed, but Donlon, like McGillan a UNCW graduate, will wear Raiders green on the recruiting trail.
Speaking of recruiting, UNCW signee Vaughn Duggins is seeking a release from his scholarship, for which he signed a national letter of intent in November. Duggins, according to his high school coach, was sold on the coaching staff but plans to reopen his recruiting. Duggins could not be reached for comment Monday night.
Brownell�s replacement could come from three known candidates, two of whom have interviewed for the job already. A third, North Dakota State head coach Tim Miles, will arrive in town Wednesday. Miles, reached in Fargo, N.D., on Monday night, politely declined to give his thoughts on UNCW.
The two Big 12 assistant coaches who interviewed last week, Kansas� Joe Dooley and Texas� Rodney Terry, could not be reached for comment.
UNCW athletic director Mike Capaccio has said he wants to fill the position quickly, but he hasn�t commented publicly since beginning the search.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by bballraider on Apr 11, 2006, 8:12pm

Hopefully with Brad, in the future we can see the Nutter Center like this again:

[image]

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raiderd on Apr 11, 2006, 8:34pm

Nice Avatar bballraider. This would be my stripper version of an avatar:

[image]

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by statmaster on Apr 11, 2006, 8:38pm

I live in a van down by the river!

[image]

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by bballraider on Apr 11, 2006, 8:40pm

Thanks Big D, that was probably my favorite SNL episode of all time.

Speaking of SNL, here's another one:

[image]

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by statmaster on Apr 11, 2006, 8:47pm

I've always been partial to Will Farrell
[image]

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by fastbreak on Apr 12, 2006, 9:00pm

The WRIGHT Stuff
How one Division I university landed its basketball coach

By TOM DAVIS
Wednesday, April 12, 2006

"Fun!"

That is how Abby Brownell described Dayton, Ohio moments after her father, Brad, had met with the media and fans at Wright State University. Lost on the eight-year-old was the magnitude of the moment. Her life, the life of her sister Kaitlyn, and the lives of her parents, Paula and Brad, were forever altered with the decision of her father to leave his job as head men's basketball coach at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington for the same position at the Ohio school.

Abby's lifelong friendships, selected college, even her future husband will all trace their roots back to the month of March 2006.

Each year, America refers to the month as 'March Madness.'

Sure, the NCAA Tournament is maddening. Especially to those who didn't select George Mason to reach the Final Four. However, to the actual participants - the players and coaches - the month can be more dramatic off of the court than on it.

For Brad Brownell, March 2006 was just that. Dramatic.

In September 2005, Coach Brownell entered his fourth season at the helm of the UNCW Seahawks. He had succeeded Jerry Wainwright, who moved on to the University of Richmond, and later DePaul University. Wainwright gave Brownell an opportunity, hiring him as a low-level assistant in 1994, and Brownell took advantage of the opportunity by working seven-day weeks, 18-hour days to prove his worth.

The effort paid dividends, as Brownell climbed the ladder from the bottom rung all the way to the title of associate head coach. When Wainwright moved on, the UNCW administration never hesitated in promoting Brownell, who at the time was just 33 years old.

A crazy profession

The world of college basketball really is like no other profession in its rationale for who advances professionally. There are knowledgeable coaches at the Division III level that never catch a break and sit in some backwater town for their entire careers. Then there are other coaches who work a summer-camp connection and soar like Haley's Comet from some high school to the NBA within a few years.

The month of March epitomizes this surreal environment, as coaches watch their teams get hot for four days and have their careers - and lives - changed forever.

However, in the drive-thru world of college athletics, Brownell's career path has been as leisurely as a summer lunch at a diner in Mayberry.

The Evansville native has achieved success at each level of his career, which began as a graduate assistant at the University of Evansville, followed by a two-year stint at the University of Indianapolis, before landing on the beach at UNCW. It was this prolonged stretch of victories, coupled with Brownell's professional philosophy of graduating his student-athletes and strictly following NCAA guidelines, as well as his team's style of play that made him an attractive candidate to Wright State University.

The journey begins

On March 16, 11th-seeded UNCW fell in overtime (88-85) to sixth-seeded George Washington in the initial round of the NCAA Tournament. At the time, Brownell had no idea that he would be anywhere but with his 'Hawks come next season. Twenty four hours prior to his NCAA game, Brownell unknowingly was on the radar of Ball State University Athletic Director Tom Collins, who had terminated Cardinal Coach Tim Buckley earlier that day.

Athletic directors act quickly in order to secure their basketball and/or football coaches. They know full well that it is these programs that fill the correct side of the budget ledger. Getting the right coach - or wrong one - can make the difference between the athletic director taking a step forward in his/her profession, or being the one who gets fired down the road.

By March 20, not only was Ball State interested in the services of Brownell, who had won 65 percent of his games as a head coach, but Duquesne University in Pittsburgh was as well.

UNCW drags its feet

One school which surprisingly was not putting a 'hard sell' on Brownell was UNCW.

Brownell had a contract with the school that ran through March 2007. However, a coach with just one year remaining on his contract may as well hit the recruiting trail with a case of leprosy. The other schools know that such a coach may be gone in a year, and certainly the high school players know the same thing.

Brownell had asked UNCW for an extension in September 2005, and was told "now is not a good time," by Seahawk Athletic Director Mike Capaccio.

Capaccio, a former junior college basketball coach, was relatively new to his post at UNCW, and didn't seem anxious to jump into a long-term deal with Brownell, who was hired by a different athletic director. Though in the final days of Brownell's tenure at UNCW, Capaccio expressed to the local media a strong desire to keep Brownell, it wasn't until the final hours that UNCW offered what Brownell felt was a satisfying ending to what he termed "difficult negotiations." By then however, the Seahawk coach had been "floored" by the Wright State facilities, administration and potential.

UNCW had talked of a possible three-year extension with Brownell as early as December of last year. However, the coach sought a longer-term contract, perhaps five years, to ensure the security of not only his family, but the families of his assistant coaches. Hofstra University, a Colonial Athletic Association rival that UNCW beat twice this season, had earlier in March signed Coach Tom Peconga to a five-year-deal worth $2 million. All the while, Brownell kept lines of communication with UNCW open, other schools were circling Wilmington.

Being recruited

Brownell was flattered by the attention.

"As a high school player, I wasn't recruited much," deadpanned Brownell, who was the starting point guard on a DePauw University squad that finished second in the nation one year and was ranked first the next. "So this was sort of flattering."

Although the Duquesne situation was not really progressing, as Brownell feared the losing history of the school, Ball State was.

Surprisingly, it was Wainwright, who had an acquaintance at the Muncie school, who initially contacted Brownell to gauge his interest in the job. Later in the week, BSU officials, including its football coach, Brady Hoke, whose nephew (John Goldsberry) played for Brownell at UNCW, contacted Brownell on a couple of occasions and conducted both informal and formal interviews, one being a conference call with several officials lasting over an hour. At the same time, Wright State had similar thoughts.

Brownell was contacted through a Horizon League official early in that week, and arranged to visit Ball State on March 27 and Wright State on March 28.

�Floored' by the place

Though both visits went well, and despite being asked by Ball State to cancel his trip to Wright State, Brownell and his wife were unprepared for what the Raider program had to offer once he got to the Dayton school.

His initial stop was to meet with Raider Athletic Director Dr. Michael Cusack at the Setzer Pavilion, a year-old, multi-million dollar building which houses athletic training facilities, film rooms, locker rooms, conference rooms, a practice facility and weight room, just for the men's and women's basketball programs. Brownell later toured each nook-and-cranny of the campus, and "met with everyone. The president, academic people, training people ... everyone."

One building not lost on Brownell was the actual playing facility for the Raiders.

The Ervin J. Nutter Center rises from a parking lot and almost shocks the breath out of campus visitors by its enormity as they drive up Raider Road.

The nearly 11,000-seat venue not only is home to the Raiders, but also houses professional hockey and arena football teams as well.

No idea what to do

Despite being "overwhelmed by the genuineness of the Wright State people," Brownell, who following a breakfast meeting with Cusack on March 29, had similar contract offers from both Ball State and Wright State, was completely torn, and told even his closest confidantes "I have no idea what I am going to do," as he flew back to Wilmington.

Upon his arrival in North Carolina, Brownell met again with UNCW officials, where for the first time UNCW was willing to stretch the contract to five years, but it was too late.

Facing his troops

On March 31, Brownell met with his UNCW players and called the recruits who had signed to be Seahawks next year, sessions that he termed "very emotional and difficult," and informed them that he was leaving to take the Wright State job, which included a six-year contract worth over $1.3 million.

On April 4, the Brownell family was welcomed with open arms by a throng of Raider supporters for several hours at the Setzer Pavilion.

Brownell individually spoke with each 'Tom, Dick, and Harry' that attended the event, while his daughters played hop-scotch on the practice floor and watched 'Dora the Explorer' on the wide-screen plasma TVs in the Alumni Conference Room.

It had been a whirlwind 20 days, and had clearly left Brownell running on caffeine and adrenaline. But much like his daughter's philosophy, the Raider coach felt like his new challenge, and home, was bound to be "fun."

During the month of March, Brownell was gracious enough to grant the Tribune virtual daily access to just how the swirling winds of college coaching can grab someone and take them on the ride of a lifetime.

http://www.miamicountylife.com/articles/2006/04/12/sports/sports30.txt

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Daily Press on Apr 13, 2006, 9:50am

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/columni....orts-columnists

Dramatic CAA changes
Published April 13 2006

In its 21 years, the Colonial Athletic Association has battled the same demons that haunt most of college basketball's mid-major conferences: minimal television exposure, small media markets, modest resources and few ranked teams.

One asset the CAA never has lacked: quality coaching. A partial but telling roll call includes Dick Tarrant at Richmond, Jerry Wainwright and Brad Brownell at UNC Wilmington, Jim Larranaga and Rick Barnes at George Mason, Charlie Woollum at William and Mary, Lefty Driesell at James Madison, Oliver Purnell at Old Dominion, Jeff Capel at Virginia Commonwealth and Paul Evans at Navy.

The bad news: Despite a halcyon season, the CAA remains a stepping-stone for ambitious coaches.

The good news: The conference's newfound celebrity will attract more qualified candidates for the inevitable vacancies.

Consider VCU. After guiding the Rams to four winning seasons in as many years, Capel resigned Monday to become head coach at Oklahoma. No-brainer for Capel there. He more than doubles his salary to at least $650,000 and inherits a Big 12 program that has earned 11 NCAA tournament bids in the last 12 years.

Not a no-brainer for Oklahoma. Capel, 31, is untested at the highest levels and about to X and O against Bob Knight, Bill Self, Bob Huggins and Barnes.

But Capel, a former Duke point guard, was a much bigger risk when VCU made him the nation's youngest Division I head coach at 27. He proved a quick study, though, with the chops to complement good looks, gift for gab and Mike Krzyzewski's endorsement.

Capel's successor hinges in large part on VCU's search for an athletic director. The school expects to name a replacement for the retiring Dick Sander within the week.

New AD notwithstanding, VCU can bank on established coaching applicants. The job will entice not only because of VCU's recent success and quality facilities, but also because of the CAA.

Long labeled a one-bid league, the CAA this season placed a second team in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1986.

And as you may have noticed, that second team, George Mason, advanced to the Final Four.

The national pub generated by Mason, not to mention expansion into Boston, Atlanta and Baltimore, has raised the CAA's profile to unprecedented levels. Not Carrie Underwood-high mind you, but high nonetheless.

How will that translate to VCU? The CAA's other coaching searches this offseason are instructive.

At Northeastern, Ron Everhart bailed for his hometown of Pittsburgh and Atlantic 10 doormat Duquesne. Lateral move at best, but understandable given Everhart's roots.

Northeastern reportedly will hire Boston College associate head coach Bill Coen, an assistant to Al Skinner for 15 seasons. Wise move on the surface, similar to Wilmington plucking Wainwright from Dave Odom's Wake Forest staff in 1994.

Wilmington also is coach-hunting. Brownell and athletic director Mike Capaccio clashed, prompting Brownell to retreat to Wright State in Ohio.

Talk about gigs. What's not to like about Wilmington's? Live at the beach, inherit a program with seven consecutive .500-or-better seasons and do so absent football's supersized shadow.

Among Wilmington's finalists are two top Big 12 assistants, Texas' Rodney Terry and Kansas' Joe Dooley, and North Dakota State head coach Tim Miles. Terry is a former Wilmington assistant, Dooley a former East Carolina head coach; Miles authored this regular season's biggest upset when his team, a Division I newcomer, won at Wisconsin.

The conference rival VCU need not emulate is Delaware. After evaluating several qualified candidates to replace the fired David Henderson, Delaware offered the job to Louisville associate head coach Kevin Willard, only to renege because of Willard's driving-under-the-influence conviction two years ago.

No matter that Willard disclosed his past during the interview process. Delaware reconsidered, humiliated Willard and hired Saint Joseph's assistant Monte Ross instead.

Ross may prove an inspired choice. He worked at Saint Joe's for 10 years and helped recruit the core of its Elite Eight squad of 2004: Jameer Nelson and Delonte West. Regardless, Delaware's search was inept.

VCU's search is likely to include head coaches and assistants. The assistant's route could lead to Virginia Tech's Brad Greenberg or Connecticut's Tom Moore. The head-coaching path could lead to American's Jeff Jones, Boston University's Dennis Wolff or Virginia Union's Dave Robbins.

Any choice will quickly discover the CAA's landscape dramatically changed.

David Teel can be reached at 247-4636 or by e-mail at dteel@dailypress.com �

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by buckeyeball on Apr 20, 2006, 6:35pm

UNC-Wilmington: Charlotte assistant Benny Moss has been selected as the coach after the most bizarre search you've never read about. Maybe some day, if I can muster the urge to care enough, I'll let you know how weird this thing was. Suffice it to say, the athletic director at UNC-Wilmington -- whoever he is -- is in first place after a long, strange month, for the dumbest AD on the planet.

http://www.sportsline.com/columns/weblogs/entry/doyels_dribbles

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by buckeyeball on Apr 20, 2006, 6:52pm

Updated: April 20, 2006, 6:07 PM ET
N. Dakota State coach stays with BisonAssociated Press

FARGO, N.D. -- North Dakota State University men's basketball coach Tim Miles says he is staying with the Bison.

Miles made the announcement Thursday afternoon at the Bison Sports Arena. NDSU athletic director Gene Taylor had confirmed Wednesday that Miles was offered the head coaching spot at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington.

Miles said there was no formal offer, but he refused to elaborate "out of respect" for Wilmington's job search.

The offer was made a day after a UNC-Wilmington search committee endorsed North Carolina-Charlotte assistant coach Benny Moss for the job. Wilmington athletic director Mike Capaccio declined comment.

"I'm not going to get into the semantics of everything," Miles said. "I will tell you that Mike Capaccio and I had discussions specific to the job."

Capaccio and Miles both have degrees from the University of Mary in Bismarck.

"Mike Capaccio was great through this whole process," Miles said. "I'm indebted to him for giving me an opportunity to go out in an area that's out of our region."

The Wilmington job opened up when Brad Brownell resigned to accept a position at Wright State in Ohio.

Miles was hired by the Bison in 2001 and signed a five-year contract extension in 2004. He and his assistant coaches recently received raises, he said.

"I'm greatly appreciative of that," Miles said. "Money's great and all, don't get me wrong, but that's not what this was about."

The interest in Miles shows that NDSU is more than "a transitional Division I independent," Bison athletic director Gene Taylor said.

"I'm obviously pleased that Tim is staying," Taylor said. "But if we would have taken the job, we certainly would have patted him on the back and wished him a lot of luck."

Taylor noted that two other Bison coaches, as well as school president Joseph Chapman, recently decided to stay at NDSU instead of pursuing offers at other schools.

"I think it speaks volumes about NDSU as an institution and as an athletic program," Taylor said.

Miles has a career record at NDSU of 79-63, including a 16-12 mark this past season in the school's first year as a Division I team. He has a 192-124 record in 11 years as a collegiate head coach.

The Bison received national attention by beating Wisconsin on the road last season.

"I'm happy to be here," Miles said. "We have more work to do."

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2415097

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by fastbreak on Apr 20, 2006, 6:55pm

UNCW to name basketball coach today
Sources: Charlotte's Moss to be named Brownell's replacement

UNC-Wilmington's search for a men's basketball coach is over.
The school scheduled a news conference for Thursday at 5 p.m. Charlotte assistant Benny Moss, the last of five candidates to interview for the job, is expected to be named the coach, multiple sources told the Star-News. UNCW sports information director Joe Browning would not confirm it, saying only that the school had scheduled "a major announcement."
UNCW had offered the job to North Dakota State's Tim Miles. After considering the offer Wednesday, Miles notified UNCW that he was staying in Fargo, N.D. NDSU scheduled a 2:30 p.m. news conference.
Moss, 36, has worked the past six seasons on coach Bobby Lutz's staff at Charlotte. He played for Lutz at Pfeiffer and later graduated from UNCC.
The job has been open since March 31, when Brad Brownell resigned to take the job at Wright State. Brownell had a record of 83-40 in four seasons at UNCW.

http://www.starnewsonline.com/apps/pbcs.....02/-1/FRONTPAGE

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by fastbreak on Apr 21, 2006, 5:40pm

UNC Wilmington introduces longtime UNC Charlotte aide as coach
April 20, 2006
CBS SportsLine.com wire reports

WILMINGTON, N.C. -- Benny Moss, an assistant coach at UNC Charlotte, was introduced Thursday as the new basketball coach at UNC Wilmington.

The 36-year-old Moss recently completed his sixth season as the top aide for Bobby Lutz with the 49ers, who compiled a 114-69 record during his stay.

"I want to continue to carry on the positive things that are associated with UNCW basketball, build on the tradition here and take the program to the next level," Moss said Thursday.

He succeeds Brad Brownell, who stepped down March 31 after running the Seahawks' basketball program for four years.

AP NEWS

http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/9387847

NC State may yet contact Brad Brownell
Post by Wilmington Star on Apr 27, 2006, 10:21am

NC State may yet contact Brad Brownell

http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs...../1005/FRONTPAGE

N.C. State snubbed again
Beilein, Lavin turn down Wolfpack

By Andrew Jones
Star-News Correspondent

N.C. State�s search for a basketball coach reached day No. 27 today after two more candidates turned down the university. Former UCLA coach and current ESPN analyst Steve Lavin as well as West Virginia coach John Beilein decided Wednesday not to take over the Wolfpack program.
Within just a few hours, Lavin�s decision was made public on ESPN.com and Beilein�s was in a release by the university.
�It has never been my philosophy to comment on job openings at other schools, but the speculation (Wednesday) about me accepting another head coaching job is erroneous,� Beilein said, referring to several television reports in West Virginia that he had accepted N.C. State�s offer.
�I am flattered by the interest and recognition that the basketball program has received� I will be the basketball coach at West Virginia next season and I look forward to continued success.�
Lavin was reportedly offered the job last Friday.
Lavin, 41, previously was the head coach for seven years at UCLA but was fired following a 10-19 record in 2003. Reports at the time suggested there was a lack of discipline in the program and that players had too much power. There have been no reports of Lavin having been offered a coaching job since his termination by UCLA.
West Virginia is Beilein�s third head coaching stop in Division I. After coaching at the community college, NAIA and Division II levels, he was hired by Canisius in 1992. Five years later he went to Richmond, and has spent the last four years with the Mountaineers.
N.C. State athletic director Lee Fowler has also already been turned down by Texas� Rick Barnes and Memphis� John Calipari. Fowler also contacted more than a dozen other coaches at programs in major conferences, but none were interested in the job.
The News & Observer of Raleigh reported on its Web site Wednesday evening that NCSU officials had spoken to former North Carolina great and New York Knicks assistant coach Phil Ford several times this week about the position and that Ford was interested.
The Star-News first reported Ford�s name last week in conjunction with rumors circulating among the more prominent N.C. State boosters.
Fordham coach Dereck Whittenburg played for State�s 1983 national championship team and could also be a candidate. His name surfaced last week, but according to a source close to N.C. State, Whittenburg would be a long shot getting approved by the board of trustees because of his overall record and that he hasn�t coached in a major conference.
Other possible names that could receive contact from N.C. State are Gregg Marshall of Winthrop, Brad Brownell, previously of UNC-Wilmington and the Wright State coach for the last month, and possibly Frank Haith.
Haith was originally thought to be one of the top Plan B candidates. Members of the original inner circle of the search were told Haith was near the top of that list.
With so many other prospects out of the way, Haith could enter the picture. A source close to Miami said Wednesday night that Haith is likely interested in the job.
The source added Haith hasn�t signed a contract extension yet.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by CBS on May 1, 2006, 11:28am

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/9410169/2

Coaching Grades

UNC Wilmington: Benny Moss could walk into my living room, and I wouldn't know him. But I do know Moss' boss, the imbecile running UNCW athletics, ran off a great coach in Brad Brownell. Grade: C.

Wright State: By hiring Brad Brownell, Wright State -- like Morgan State (Todd Bozeman) -- now has a reason for fans to learn where in the hell the campus is located. Wright State is in Dayton. Morgan State is in ... Morgan? Grades: A.

No grade given/teacher apathy: Idaho, Idaho State, SEMO, Ball State, Brown, Canisius, Citadel, Cleveland State, Delaware, Fairfield, FAU, Furman, Hampton, Hartford, Lamar, Montana State, Murray State, Northern Colorado, Penn, St. Peter's, UT-Pan American, UT-San Antonio, UT-Arlington, Texas State, Weber State.

The six best hires
Post by Orlando Sentinel on May 14, 2006, 8:10am

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/lo....ports-headlines

Huggins will elevate K-State
Published May 14, 2006

Going into the weekend, there were four vacant coaching jobs in Division I basketball, including two -- Central Michigan and New Orleans -- that opened last week. (The other two were Brown and Saint Peter's.)

Despite the vacancies, this is a good time to scope out who did the best in hiring a new coach this offseason. There are a lot to choose from, as there will be at least 55 new guys this year.

The six best hires:

1. Kansas State: Bob Huggins in for Jim Wooldridge. Say what you want about Huggins, the man wins (399-127 in 16 seasons at Cincinnati). And as we've said many, many times, winning is what it's all about in today's world of college athletics. Huggins will have K-State in the NCAAs next March, which means he'll make Wildcats basketball relevant again.

2. Seton Hall: Bobby Gonzalez in for Louis Orr. Gonzalez was 129-77 in seven seasons at Manhattan, with four 20-win seasons and two NCAA bids. He takes over a program that was in the NCAAs this past season -- but also one with little young talent. No matter. While Gonzalez is a good X's and O's guy, he's also a solid recruiter. He got good players at Manhattan and will ramp up his efforts enough to get the needed players at Seton Hall.

3. Pepperdine: Vance Walberg in for Paul Westphal. Walberg was highly successful at Fresno City College, going 133-11 in four seasons, including a 34-0 record in 2004-05. His teams press for 40 minutes, they shoot a lot of 3-pointers and their transition game leads to a ton of layups. In short, it's a fun system -- and it should appeal to a lot of players in talent-rich Southern California. Outside of Gonzaga, the West Coast Conference has a lot of up-and-down programs, meaning Walberg won't have to worry about any team other than the Zags.

4. Missouri: Mike Anderson in for Quin Snyder. If nothing else, getting rid of Snyder erases the perception that Mizzou ran a dirty program. But Anderson also knows what he is going. He was 89-41 in four seasons at UAB, with three consecutive NCAA bids (2004-06). Anderson is a Nolan Richardson disciple and runs a version of the old "40 minutes of hell" defensive system. That style is fun to watch, and it will be interesting to see how Big 12 teams adjust against it.

5. SMU: Matt Doherty in for Jimmy Tubbs. Doherty spent one year at FAU, going 15-13 this past season, and some folks are criticizing him for moving along so quickly. Yeah, like he's supposed to stay at a lesser program in a lesser league for less money. Doherty had success at Notre Dame and North Carolina, is known as a good recruiter and says his experience at UNC taught him some lessons. SMU should be a major player in Conference USA, and Doherty's entry into the Texas talent pool will make the recruiting trail mighty intriguing.

6. Wright State: Brad Brownell in for Paul Biancardi. Brownell spent four seasons as coach at UNC-Wilmington, leading the Seahawks to an 83-40 record and taking them to two NCAAs in his four seasons. So why leave for Wright State, a lesser program that has one NCAA bid (1993) in its history? Word has it that Brownell did not get along with UNCW Athletic Director Mike Capaccio. UNCW's loss is Wright State's gain. Brownell is young (37), learned at the feet of the underrated Jerry Wainwright and teaches a defense-first style. It's not always pretty, but it has been effective. Wright State (in Dayton, Ohio) has the infrastructure in place to become a major player in the Horizon League.

The most "interesting" hire? North Carolina State's selection of Sidney Lowe.

You can say NCSU botched its search -- according to published reports, Lowe was at best the No. 5 choice -- but Lowe has a lot going for him. First, he's an NCSU alum; he was a starting guard on the 1983 team that won the national title, and that should be a rallying point for fans. Second, he has a lot of NBA experience, as he was coach of Minnesota and Memphis; granted, he has a 59-149 career NBA record, but those were awful franchises when he was there, and his NBA background will be a huge selling point on the recruiting trail. Third, he knew enough to hire Monte Towe as his No. 1 assistant. Towe was a starting guard on NCSU's other national-title team, in 1974 and gave up his coaching job at New Orleans to return "home." Look for Lowe to lean a lot on Towe as he becomes re-acclimated to the college game.

Mike Huguenin can be reached at mhuguenin@orlandosentinel.com.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by Sporting News on May 16, 2006, 12:06pm

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=92712

Grading this year's hires

Posted: May 16, 2006

As with the NFL draft, the only way to evaluate college coaching hires with 100 percent certainty is to issue the grades three or four years later.

But the column isn't due in three or four years, is it?

The column is due today.

So just as the athletic directors who made these hires had to use the available information, the recommendations of others and a bit of gut instinct to make their decisions, that's what you're getting here. Thing is, my gut doesn't always agree with theirs.

Biggest gamble: Oklahoma, Jeff Capel. Although Capel did a terrific job for Virginia Commonwealth, at age 31 he is very young to be moving into the Big 12. He is moving into a part of the country where he has few longstanding recruiting connections. He needs players fast because transfers depleted the Sooners' upper classes and three gifted players who had signed with OU in the fall asked to be released. Grade: C

Surest bet: Iowa State, Greg McDermott. McDermott has been in Iowa longer than corn. He runs sophisticated offenses and defenses that enabled teams at Northern Iowa to compete with high-major opponents. As long as there are enough solid players in the region, McDermott will succeed. Grade: B+

Right at home: Cincinnati, Mick Cronin. Alive 34 years, Cronin has called Cincinnati home for all but five of them. He knows the university, the community and the area high school coaches. Most important, he'll recognize the obstacles as he tries to rebuild a program that--despite recent success--was barren when he arrived. Grade: B (docked one letter grade for finishing the coaching turnover a year late)

Out of water: Arizona State, Herb Sendek. Although Sendek's intellect has few boundaries, he's a long way from his base. None of Sendek's previous coaching stops took him west of Ohio. The staff has been well-received by high school and club coaches in the region, but because the state isn't especially productive, Sendek and his assistants are going to have to find players in California or Texas. Grade: B

Speeding up: Pepperdine, Vance Walberg. After energizing his offense with Walberg's concepts, Memphis coach John Calipari talks about this former juco coach the way coaches dealing with big men speak of Pete Newell. Walberg's teams at Fresno City averaged more than 100 points per game. Pepperdine ranked last in scoring in the West Coast Conference last season. Grade: A

Slowing down: UAB, Mike Davis. The Blazers made three consecutive NCAA appearances employing an unyielding full-court pressure style--and could have continued by hiring former assistant Scott Edgar. At Indiana, Davis' teams did not play stall-ball but averaged only 72.0 points last season. UAB opted for his name recognition and recruiting contacts. Grade: B-

Boldest move: Kansas State, Bob Huggins. Whereas Missouri retreated from Huggins' radioactive public image, K-State moved forward and grabbed him. And the reaction? Pretty tame. There have been few loud condemnations of the move. Huggins has signed two prime players and added a commitment from a third, which suggests the Wildcats quickly will become a factor in the Big 12. Grade: A-

Safest move: Brad Brownell, Wright State. The administration didn't exactly do right by previous coach Paul Biancardi, but it certainly nailed this hire. This is an ideal opportunity for Brownell, who took UNC Wilmington to two NCAA Tournaments in four years. Reigning Horizon power Wisconsin-Milwaukee is likely to dip, and Wright State's top four scorers return. Grade: A+

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Potential for failure at N.C. State: high

Sidney Lowe's history as a member of N.C. State's 1983 national championship team was a big reason he was hired away from his assistant job with the Detroit Pistons to become the Wolfpack's next head coach.

Now, N.C. State has to hope history doesn't matter.

There is a clear precedent that coaches who arrive from the NBA with no recent college experience do not succeed in Division I. Lowe hasn't had to deal with recruiting, NCAA rules compliance, encouraging players to achieve academically and making sure they behave well.

Pro coaches don't have those responsibilities--which may or may not account for the failure of most who've attempted what Lowe is about to try.

Some examples:

Butch Beard. Previous college experience: none. Head coach at: Howard, 1990-94. Record: 40-79. Returned to the NBA to coach the New Jersey Nets for two seasons; later became coach at Morgan State and struggled again (39-105).

John MacLeod. Absence from college basketball: 18 years. Head coach at: Notre Dame, 1991-1999. Record: 106-124. Did not make an NCAA Tournament appearance with the Irish.

Bob Hill. Absence from college basketball: 14 years. Head coach at: Fordham, 1999-2003. Record: 36-78. Fordham's wins total decreased in each of Hill's four seasons.

Paul Westphal. Absence from college basketball: 13 years. Head coach at: Pepperdine, 2001-2006. Record: 76-72. First team made the NCAA Tournament; last team went 7-20.

Jeff Bzdelik. Absence from college basketball: 17 years. Head coach at: Air Force, 2005-present. Record: 24-7. Inherited a veteran team from Chris Mooney and adjusted well to the Princeton-style offense.

Senior writer Mike DeCourcy covers college basketball for Sporting News. E-mail him at decourcy@sportingnews.com.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by ESPN on May 22, 2006, 7:27pm

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=2453994

Updated: May 22, 2006
Turgeon, Larranaga, others getting more money

By Andy Katz
ESPN.com

The salary numbers seemed staggering, something reserved for the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, SEC, Pac-10 or Big 12.

Yet throughout this spring, coaches at places such as George Mason and Wichita State suddenly were getting raises that put them into a higher tax bracket, with security unheard of for these schools.

The raises beg questions: Where did the money come from? And how did these schools suddenly become agreeable to the idea of digging deep into their pockets or going searching for other revenue streams?

"It's hard to find the money from external sources, and if you can't, you've got to take the enhanced ticket sale revenue from a successful basketball program and turn that into salary," Northern Iowa athletic director Rick Hartzell said. "In these tough economic times, you have to prioritize, and the money also has to go to keeping the entire program going."

Hartzell said he had to get $210,000 from outside sources just to get former coach Greg McDermott's package up to $325,000. It still wasn't enough, and McDermott was hired away by Iowa State.

"I could have raised another $200,000 and pushed him to $500,000, and it still would have been short," Hartzell said.

How did George Mason coach Jim Larranaga's package go from roughly $280,000 to $375,000 (and a deal that goes to 2012). Unlike most schools, GMU decided to open its own checkbook.

More interesting, the decision actually was made in February, before the Patriots' historic run to the Final Four.

"It is university money," George Mason athletic director Tom O'Connor said. "We didn't have to raise any money for it. I may have the best job in the country because we have the support and philosophy to do it the right way. To keep Jim, we knew we had to move forward. The money was important, but it wasn't the driving force. [The added years] allowed us to have continuity."

At Wichita State, Mark Turgeon received a reported $290,000 raise to get his overall package up to $750,000 a year.

"It's a challenge," Wichita State athletic director Jim Schaus said of dealing with all sorts of increasing costs. "We just get creative."

Schaus declined to give specifics on where the money came from to increase Turgeon's salary, but it wasn't all from the university.

"It ended up being difference sources," Schaus said. "As our program has grown, that has allowed us to generate additional revenue. It's all about market value."

Turgeon was a top candidate at Arizona State and Oklahoma, and the possibility of losing him certainly pushed the issue for the Shockers after he had turned the program around and led Wichita State to a Missouri Valley Conference title and the Sweet 16.

All these schools seem to be trying to follow the Gonzaga model with head coach Mark Few. When Few took over for Dan Monson in 1999, he started at $85,000 a year. (Monson said he was making about $125,000 a year when he left for Minnesota.)

Since then, Few's salary has increased nearly every year. Now, he's getting close to reaching seven figures.

"We've done it through TV agreements, the university contract, budget increases, and had a number of significant benefactors," Gonzaga athletic director Mike Roth said. "You've got to be creative. We've felt we needed to reward Mark for his success and be proactive."

Roth said he made the decision that he would do the same with assistant coach Billy Grier, who has been officially dubbed Few's successor even though Few doesn't look as though he will leave any time soon. Roth said that five years ago he would have slid Grier way back from Few's compensation if he were to replace Few. Now, Roth's not so sure he would make a new coach take that much of a step back, especially one who has been tied to the program, like Grier.

"If you want to be a top-20 program, then you have to do what is consistent out there," Roth said. "Mark clearly has us at a high level, and I'm confident Billy would, too."

That kind of thinking is what Brad Brownell thought would occur at UNC Wilmington after he led the Seahawks to two NCAA Tournaments in the past three seasons with an overall record of 83-40 (61-22 in CAA play, best in the league the past four seasons).

But while George Mason, Old Dominion, Hofstra, Drexel and VCU were paying significant dollars in the CAA to keep their head coaches content, Wilmington apparently didn't do the same for Brownell, who then split for the Horizon League's Wright State, on the surface one of the stranger moves in this spring's coaching carousel.

"I was offered a raise, but it wasn't significant," Brownell said of going from a package worth $167,000 to $195,000, then to a last-minute offer of $215,000. "In my situation, there were trust issues broken. It wasn't about the money. I came to Wright State for basically the same money. I wanted more years. Nothing seemed to happen until the last minute. We won 25 games, had a great year, and then you look at my salary and I'm still in the middle of the CAA behind [Old Dominion's] Blaine Taylor, Jim Larranaga, [former VCU coach] Jeff Capel, [Hofstra's] Tom Pecora [and Drexel's] Bruiser Flint."
Larranaga, Turgeon, Pecora and, of course, Few are now at or near the top in their respective conferences, and their schools are keen on keeping them and their programs at a high level rather than having them snatched away. Northern Iowa wasn't able to do that. (Ironically, Hartzell is a candidate for the AD gig at Iowa, so the big brothers in the state might call twice on the Panthers.)

"When I've been out talking to coaches like Jim Calhoun [Connecticut] and Skip Prosser [Wake Forest], I don't talk to them about how they're doing it at where they are now but how they did it at their previous stops [Northeastern for Calhoun, Xavier for Prosser]," Pecora said. "They said year in and year out you have to have the president, athletic director on the same page, the same vision. Money can make you only so happy."

Pecora decided against pursuing Seton Hall when the Pirates were looking at him as a possibility. Instead, he got bumped up a bit (Pecora declined to give numbers), got more security (a new five-year deal to 2010-11) and the realization that being the head coach at Hofstra is a pretty good gig, maybe better than being in the sweat shop of a middling Big East job.

"It wasn't a great fit for me," Pecora said of Seton Hall. "It's hard to find a minute to exhale. It's not crazy now for me. I have time to spend with my family and do things I like to do."

If ADs and presidents take the approach going on at Gonzaga, George Mason, Wichita State and Hofstra, then more coaches might find it better to stay put. They are paid well, have secure contracts, and don't have the headache or hassle of dealing with a job in the lower level of a major conference -- the previous destination of many mid-major coaches looking to move up.

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raiderd on May 23, 2006, 10:35am

I was looking at UNCW's schedule/results from last year and I saw something that I hadn't previously noticed. Coach Brownell goes pretty deep into his bench and not just for mop up minutes. UNCW routinely played 10-11 guys a game. Out of the 12 players on their roster, ten of them averaged over 10 minutes a game and the other two averaged 9.7 minutes and 6.7 minutes. Only 1 player averaged over 30 minutes a game for UNCW. I think this will bode very well for WSU. We haven't utilized our bench well at all the last few years (at least the years we had someone on the bench). I think this has also led to many of our transfers who haven't been happy with little to no playing time.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/teamstats?teamId=350

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by irishraider on May 28, 2006, 7:59am

There are a lot of UNCW fans that need to be medicated. It has been almost 2 months since Brownell left and they are still going on and on about conspiracy theories. Brownell has stated to the media his reasons for coming to Wright State several times. He should have included the desire to coach a team where the fans aren't unbalanced.

http://www.caazone.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=47436

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by fastbreak on May 28, 2006, 8:14am

Quote:

There are a lot of UNCW fans that need to be medicated. It has been almost 2 months since Brownell left and they are still going on and on about conspiracy theories.

We have at least a few Raider fans that need to be medicated also. Go over to raiderroundball some time. They have a new conspiracy theory thread about the Dayton Daily News being out to get Wright State every week or two.

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by raiderd on Jun 4, 2006, 6:19pm

Abrupt exit for a successful coach

By Neil Amato
Sports Editor

The first long-distance call came before 8 o�clock that Monday morning: Fargo, directory assistance.

The second, also area code 701, went to the office phone of North Dakota State men�s basketball coach Tim Miles.

Mike Capaccio, athletic director at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, made the calls from his office. In December, Capaccio had promised a contract extension for Brad Brownell, the sitting UNCW coach, and the two were supposed to be working out details of a deal that would keep Brownell here.

Instead of calling Brownell, who was on his way that Monday to job interviews in the Midwest, Capaccio called Miles, called him five times that day. It was March 27, 11 days after the Seahawks� school-record season had ended, but Capaccio wasn�t calling his coach. He was starting to look for another one.

�He decided to pursue other things, and I was moving forward,� Capaccio said in late May.

Instead of making a call that morning to Brownell�s Atlanta-based agent, Capaccio called local attorney George Rountree, long a power player among UNCW athletic boosters.

He made a 13-minute call to former UNCW coach Jerry Wainwright and even took time to call the local talk-radio station that week, but he didn�t call Brownell, the

2005-06 coach of the year in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Brownell also didn�t talk often with Capaccio, though he, too, talked with Wainwright.

That Monday was four days before Brownell would resign and take the job at Wright State, a Division I school outside Dayton, Ohio. That span of days was just a fraction of the time Brownell worked alongside or under Capaccio � both, at one time, were part of Wainwright�s staff � but it underscored their crumbling relationship.

They talked to many people, but rarely to each other.

Brownell, 37, declined to comment specifically about why he left UNCW. In an interview, he repeatedly used the phrase �circumstances dictated a move.� Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo, in an e-mailed response to questions, said UNCW made a �very fair and generous� offer to keep Brownell. �Ultimately, it was Brad�s decision to accept or reject our offer,� she said.

DePaolo said she was aware Capaccio would be contacting potential candidates before Brownell resigned. �I thought it was prudent for Mike to do so since Brad felt compelled to seek other opportunities,� she said.

Brownell�s final week

That Monday, when Capaccio called North Dakota and several numbers related to the basketball program at fellow UNC-system satellite Charlotte, was one day before he told the �Star-News� he hadn�t begun searching for candidates. �I haven�t investigated that yet,� he said in his office March 28.

That Monday was two days before Brownell offered a statement to staked-out media that negotiations had been �difficult� but that he remained the coach at UNCW. He would meet later that day with DePaolo, who made a final contract offer to Brownell despite saying earlier in March that she left negotiations to Capaccio.

That Monday was one day after Brownell had left phone and computer messages for Capaccio. Brownell didn�t get a response until Thursday, an e-mail in which Capaccio touched on what he wouldn�t say publicly: That he and Brownell weren�t getting along.

UNCW did not include the e-mail, sent from Capaccio�s university address, in response to a public records request. But a copy of the e-mail was obtained by the �Star-News.�

�I�m sorry you feel this way about me as AD,� Capaccio wrote in the e-mail.

�I thought after we talked we could move forward but I guess it�s deeper then (sic) that and it�s (sic) sounds like we are at war even though I don�t feel like that.�

The e-mail was a reply to a straightforward four sentences from Brownell, who wrote on Sunday, March 26, that Ball State and Wright State �have accelerated their interest in me.� Brownell wrote that he and his wife would be traveling to the campuses of both schools. He finished the e-mail by saying: �Please feel free to contact me on my cell phone if you have any questions.�

Capaccio was hand-delivered a copy of the e-mail on Wednesday and asked for comment. He also did not respond to multiple phone messages left Saturday.

Logs of mobile and office calls, obtained by the public records request, show Capaccio didn�t use his office or university cell phone to call Brownell after Friday, March 24.

A week after that last call, Brownell resigned from UNCW, a place he had worked for 12 seasons, including the last four as head coach.

New coach in place

Capaccio hired a coach, Charlotte assistant Benny Moss, on April 20, after 21 days and five interviews. Though Moss and Capaccio denied speaking until after Brownell had resigned, Capaccio made an eight-minute call from his cell phone to Moss� cell phone on March 30, the day before Brownell left.

Capaccio and Moss have known each other for years, back when Moss recruited players coached by Capaccio at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa, in the mid-1990s.

Capaccio also had ties to Miles, the North Dakota State coach. He and Miles went to the same college, but not at the same time. Miles visited Wilmington for an interview before Moss did and was said to have been offered the job. Capaccio denies it, and Miles declined comment when asked if he was offered the job, although he held a news conference just to say he was remaining at North Dakota State.

A 10-page fax, the first page of which included the template of a contract, was sent from the UNCW athletic department to a campus fax machine at North Dakota State on April 17. Capaccio said all candidates received a copy of the contract in advance. Brownell made just two calls to Capaccio in his final week, although Capaccio said Brownell�s agent called and faxed his office often.

In that span, Brownell talked to his agent, Stu Brown, more than anyone, according to records.

Brownell said Capaccio first offered him a three-year contract extension. Most college coaches on solid ground with their employers � including several in UNCW�s conference, the CAA � have deals lasting through 2011 or 2012.

At Wright State, Brownell signed a six-year contract worth $220,000 a season. He had a base salary of about $170,000 at UNCW. During discussions about the renegotiated contract, he was offered about $210,000 a year by UNCW.

One final e-mail

The same day Capaccio first called Moss� cell phone, March 30, he sent an e-mail from his UNCW account to Brownell.

In addition to writing the phrase �sounds like we are at war,� Capaccio suggested that he would resign.

�I will move on if this is the real problem and you feel you can�t work with me,� Capaccio wrote, going on to speculate that money was the reason Brownell was looking elsewhere.

�You know our situation, and we are extended as far as we can go on that topic,� Capaccio wrote. �I want you to stay the coach at UNCW. You have put in a lot of time here, and I feel this is best for you and your family. At this point I need to do what is best for my family as well and believe me I don�t feel any pressure to do this but it�s best for the University and my decision is made even if you decided to take the Ball State job.

�Good luck with your decision as I know it�s a hard one. With me out of the picture I hope it becomes easier for you to make the right decision and that is to stay at UNCW.�

Brownell never answered the e-mail. He took the job at Wright State one day later.

Staff writer Brian Mull contributed to this report.

Neil Amato: 343-2263

neil.amato@starnewsonline.com

http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs...../1005/FRONTPAGE

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by buckeyeball on Jun 5, 2006, 7:23am

Q&A with UNCW chancellor Rosemary DePaolo

Questions about men's basketball submitted to UNCW chancellor Rosemary DePaolo, who replied by e-mail on Friday.

How do you feel about the fact that Mike Capaccio called future candidates for the job four days before Brad Brownell resigned?

�After we learned on March 26 that Brad Brownell expressed an interest and desire to visit Ball State and Wright State to interview for their head coaching vacancy, Mike asked me if he should begin making contact with some potential candidates in case Brad decided to leave. I thought it was prudent for Mike to do so since Brad felt compelled to seek other opportunities.�

Why, in your opinion, did Brad Brownell resign?

�Only Brad Brownell can answer that question. I think you should ask him.�

How would you evaluate the way Mike Capaccio handled Brad�s contract negotiation?

�We offered Brad Brownell a very fair and generous contract to remain as our head coach. Ultimately, it was Brad�s decision to accept or reject our offer. He decided it was best for him and his family to accept an offer from Wright State. We wish him well.�

How would you evaluate the way Mike handled the hiring process, starting with the list of candidates he presented to the committee and concluding with the hiring of Benny Moss?

�The hiring process resulted in several outstanding candidates coming to campus for visits. I am extremely pleased and excited with the selection of Benny Moss as our new head coach for men�s basketball.�

According to his contract, Mike�s job was supposed to be evaluated by May 10? How did he do in his first year? Did he get a raise?

�I am in the process of evaluating all of the individuals who report directly to me, including Mike. The results of those evaluations are confidential.�

Has Mike, in the past 2� months, offered his resignation to you?

�No.�

What are your thoughts on the email he sent to Brad on March 30, the day before Brad resigned (in the email, Capaccio suggested he would resign)?

�It is not appropriate for me to comment on personal emails between a supervisor and an employee.�

� Neil Amato

http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs...../1005/FRONTPAGE

Re: Brad Brownell
Post by buckeyeball on Jun 7, 2006, 6:11pm

UNCW's credibility steps out of bounds

It was no surprise that UNCW's successful young basketball coach would leave for another job. It was a surprise that the job he took was, at best, no better than the one he was leaving.

Apparently Brad Brownell wasn't getting along with UNCW Athletic Director Mike Capaccio. And if Capaccio dealt with Brownell the way he dealt with the public, it's easy to see why the coach might not trust his boss.

- When Brownell was interviewing for a new job, telephone records show that Capaccio called a potential replacement named Tim Miles. As Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo noted, that was "prudent."

But the next day, Capaccio told the Star-News that he hadn't "investigated" possible replacements.

- After Brownell resigned and UNCW was openly looking for a replacement, Capaccio said he hadn't offered the job to Miles.

But documents show that Capaccio faxed him a template for a contract. And Miles held a press conference to say he was staying at his present job.

- The day before Brownell resigned, documents show that Capaccio telephoned Benny Moss, who eventually took the job. Both Capaccio and Moss denied to reporters that they had talked before Brownell announced his resignation.

Obviously, university officials wanted to be careful about what they said in such a tricky situation. If they had evaded questions or refused to comment, fans and members of the public might have been frustrated, but they would have understood.

What they may not understand is why a public university, which is supposed to revere truth, seemed to lose that reverence when the subject was the going and coming of basketball coaches.

http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.....ORIAL/606070476