University of Massachusets Athletics
Brown Inducted Into Norwich University Athletic Hall of Fame
September 22, 2007 | Football
Sept. 22, 2007
NORWICH, Vt. - UMass head coach Don Brown was inducted into the Norwich University Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday night. Brown, who graduated from Vermont's military academy in 1977, was recognized after being a four-year letterwinner in football and a two-year letterwinner in basketball. He was honored for his successful career as a football coach in th 30 years following his college graduation. Brown, of course, was coaching the UMass football team to a 38-7 win at Maine on Saturday, so his wife Deborah accepted the honor on his behalf.
Brown was inducted along with John Hughes '42 - Football, Basketball, Track; Mary Clouatre Mason '82 - Field Hockey, Basketball, Track; Portia Babcock '87 - Soccer; Bill Avery '92 - Hockey; Geoff Liska '97 - Hockey; Paul Pecor '97 - Basketball; Mike Yesalonia '82 - Distinguished Letterwinner - Football; William Harding '61 - Distinguished Letterwinner - Football; Linda Mitchell - Honorary - Athletic Secretary and the 1981-82 Cross Country Team.
Here is his profile from the Hall of Fame program:
Donald Brown '77 Distinguished letter winner Football
Donald Brown arrived at Norwich from Spencer, Mass., and played football for the CadetÂÂ?fs his entire career, earning a letter each year. He was a star running back and coÂÂ?]captain of the team his senior year. Brown also played basketball and was a two year letter winner. He received a BS from Norwich in Physical Education. Football has continued to be a part of BrownÂÂ?fs life since leaving the Hill. A long and successful career brought him to his current position as head football coach at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Brown started coaching at Hartford High School in White River Junction, Vt., where he was an assistant coach and a physical education instructor for five years. He began his collegiate coaching career assisting at Dartmouth College. Brown also coached at Mansfield University in Pa. As defensive coordinator at Yale University for five years, he was part of the team that won the Ivy League title in 1989.
BrownÂÂ?fs first experience as a head football coach was at Plymouth State College in Plymouth, N.H., during which he received several honors. He was the Freedom Conference Coach of the Year each year, and in 1994 he was named the American Football Coaches Association District I Coach of the Year.
He moved on to be the defensive coordinator at both Brown University then at UMass-Amherst. For four seasons (2000-2003) Brown was the head coach for Northeastern University in Boston, Mass., and moved the Huskies into the winning column. In 2002 he was honored with several awards; the 2002 Atlantic 10 Conference Coach of the Year, the 2002 New England Football Writers Coach of the Year, and the 2002 American Football Coach Association Region I Coach of the Year.
In 2004 Brown became head coach for the UMass football program. Once again, his skills as a coach showed through the accomplishments of his team. This past season, UMass set a school record for wins at home and crowd attendance. In 2006, Brown became the 2 nd coach to win the A-10 title with two teams having previously won with Northeastern.
Brown recalls that his time at Norwich gave him a sense of direction. He learned he could be a good student, and is grateful for NorwichÂÂ?fs quality faculty. Brown also remembers that being surrounded by coaches who were both skilled and passionate about what they do were a big influence on him and his career choice. He notes with pride that his UMass playersÂÂ?f academic records have improved since he started there.
Residing in South Hadley, Mass., with his wife Deborah, the couple has four children and one grandchild.
