ALBANY — Approximately three weeks ago, Lori Anctil, the athletic director of the College of Saint Rose, had a chance encounter with former University at Albany men’s basketball coach Will Brown at an AAU basketball event in Saratoga Springs. Brown’s son, Landon, and Anctil’s daughter, Madilyn, were playing in separate games.
During their conversation, Anctil surprised Brown by asking if he would be interested in becoming the new women’s basketball coach. Brown initially thought Anctil was joking, but after some consideration and research, he decided to accept the offer. This announcement was made at a press conference on Friday.
Before joining Saint Rose, Brown had a successful coaching career with the Great Danes men’s basketball team. He won 315 games and led the team to five NCAA Tournaments from 2001 to 2021. Now, he hopes to bring similar success to the Saint Rose women’s basketball program, following in the footsteps of former coach Curt Bailey, who led the team dominantly in the 1990s. Interestingly, Brown first met his wife, Jamie, a Saint Rose graduate, at the school.
Anctil expressed her admiration for Brown’s coaching abilities and believes he is the best person for the job. She had the opportunity to witness his coaching skills firsthand when he led The Basketball League’s Albany Patroons to the league Finals last season. Anctil became acquainted with Brown and his love for Saint Rose since she became the athletic director in 2019.
Before accepting the position, Brown sought advice from coaches who have experience coaching women’s teams, such as Sean Organ and Richard Barron. He also consulted with Julie McBride and Colleen Mullen, with whom he has a strong relationship. Their positive feedback and encouragement helped solidify his decision.
Despite transitioning from coaching men’s basketball, Brown is fully committed to the women’s basketball program. He views this opportunity as a chance to focus entirely on taking the team to new heights and devoting himself to its success. Saint Rose had an 11-16 record last season, and Brown aims to improve upon that with the returning players and incoming recruits from Edwards’ tenure.
It is worth noting that Brown will be working alongside Brian Beaury, the men’s basketball coach at Saint Rose. Beaury recently came out of retirement, and Brown served as his assistant in the past. Beaury has complete faith in Brown’s ability to not only uplift the women’s basketball program but also contribute to the overall growth and success of the college.
As Brown settles into his new role, he is considering retaining assistant coach Kathleen Payne and plans to heavily recruit from Section II. Additionally, he is exploring international talent, including a recruit from Australia, a country he successfully recruited from during his tenure at UAlbany.
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