Will Brown, UAlbany agree to five-year contract extension

PHOTOGRAPHER: File Photo

University at Albany head men's basketball coach Will Brown (right) has signed a contract extension with the school.

University at Albany head men’s basketball coach Will Brown has agreed to terms on a five-year contract extension through 2020-21, which, if fulfilled, would bring him to two decades leading the Great Danes, the school announced this morning.

With 15 seasons at the helm (after one as an interim head coach), Brown is the dean of coaches in the America East conference.

“I would like to thank former President Robert Jones, current interim President James Stellar and Director of Athletics Mark Benson for their commitment to me, my family, our staff and the student-athletes in our program,” Brown said in a statement. “I would also like to thank Deputy Director of Athletics Jerry Koloskie, who oversees men’s basketball.

“The University at Albany is a special place where our student-athletes can flourish in the classroom, on the court and in the community. I am looking forward to the continued growth and development of our program. President Stellar, Mark Benson and Jerry Koloskie continue to provide us with the necessary resources to compete for championships on and off the court!”

Brown currently has tied Basketball Hall of Fame member Jim Calhoun with a league-best five America East titles. He has 17 victories in the league tournament, second most all-time in the conference and most with one school in the America East.

According to the school, his players have had a league-record 19 America East All-Academic selections during his tenure. In addition, UAlbany has had at least three members of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court this past three years.

The five-year deal for Brown is the maximum length contract per State University of New York regulations. Other terms were not immediately available.

“We are very fortunate to benefit from the foundation of success built by Richard ‘Doc’ Sauers, which Coach Brown has continued over the past 15 seasons in establishing UAlbany as an America East power,” Benson said. “Along with winning championships, Will has brought first class student-athletes who represent this university so well and succeed both in the classroom and the court.”

The 2015 America East Coach of the Year has coached UAlbany to five NCAA Tournament appearances (2006-07, 2013-15). The Danes were a program-best 24-7 going into the postseason before being upset by Hartford in the America East Tournament. UAlbany ended up playing in the CBI, marking the fifth consecutive year the Danes played in a postseason tourney.

Brown was appointed as UAlbany’s head coach on March 13, 2002. A college coach since 1995, he is still one of the youngest Division I head coaches in the country.