CAA Basketball: Top 10 head coaches of the century (2000-20)

By Joey Loose | May 30, 2020

HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 02: Jamie Skeen #21 and Toby Veal #31 of the Virginia Commonwealth Rams react during a timeout against the Butler Bulldogs during the National Semifinal game of the 2011 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship at Reliant Stadium on April 2, 2011 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

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LOUISVILLE, KY – JANUARY 25: Head coach Brad Brownell of the Clemson Tigers (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

9. Brad Brownell – UNC Wilmington (2002-2006)

After eight years as an assistant with the Seahawks, Brownell took over as head coach in 2002 as Jerry Wainwright moved on to Richmond. Brownell had helped Wainwright lead the team to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, but there was more success to come in the next few seasons. This was Brownell’s first head coaching position but he wasted no time getting to work.

UNC Wilmington was just the beginning for Brownell, but it was a pretty solid beginning for him and the program. They made appearances in the NCAA Tournament in 2003 and 2006, finishing atop the CAA in the regular season both times as well. When you throw in a second-place finish in 2005, it wasn’t a bad four years of work for Brownell before moving on to Wright State in 2006.

What makes Brownell’s run even more impressive is what happened next for the Seahawks. Successors Benny Moss and Buzz Peterson both faltered during four-year runs as head coach while Brownell went on to greater things elsewhere. Fortunately, UNC Wilmington would bounce back eventually, though we’ll talk more on that later.