The State Fair Community College Board of Trustees approved the hiring of Matt Brown as the new men’s basketball head coach at the April 18 meeting. Brown will be the sixth head coach in the program’s history.
“I know about SFCC from recruiting former Roadrunner Mike Gholston,” said Brown. “SFCC has recruited talented players who have gone on to play at all levels of college basketball, and I believe we have a chance to continue that tradition. I like the college’s proximity to St. Louis and Kansas City, which are areas with potential recruits.”
Brown served as the men’s head coach at Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington in 2016-2017. He was in charge of student-athlete welfare, academic and player development and recruiting. He served as the facilities coordinator of the Wikoff Athletic Center and was an adjunct professor of lifetime fitness. Brown also served as interim women’s head basketball coach in January 2017.
From August 2015 to March 2016, Brown coached the boys’ varsity basketball team at Northland Christian School. Prior to that, he served as the boys’ middle school coach from September 2013 to March 2015.
Brown served as the men’s head basketball coach at the University of Missouri-Kansas City for six years beginning in April 2007. He oversaw the day-to-day operations of the Division I basketball program including academic and player development, recruitment and student-athlete welfare. He coached 13 players selected for the Summit League All-Academic team and seven who were selected for the Commissioner’s List of Academic Excellence. Brown coached eight players who received All-Summit League honors and two players named to the Summit League All-Newcomer Team. His teams earned an overall grade point average of 2.9.
From 2002 to 2007, Brown was an assistant coach at West Virginia University in Morgantown. He helped his team to an NCAA Elite Eight appearance in 2005 and a Sweet 16 appearance in 2006.
Brown was an assistant coach at the University of Richmond from 1997 to 2002. He was responsible for floor coaching, scouting, recruiting, and served as the academic mentor.
He is a member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and received the 2013 Guardians of the Game Service Award from the NABC.
Brown knows the style of basketball he wants to implement at SFCC and is eager to get started.
“Offensively, we will value and share the basketball,” said Brown. “We will be a team that gets up and down the floor. Defensively, we will use a variety of strategies, depending on the team we are playing.”
Brown will look for specific qualities in the student-athletes he brings to SFCC—high character, academics and a strong desire to graduate and transfer. Finally, he wants players who focus more on winning than personal stats.
Brown received a bachelor’s degree in History from Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.
