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Brown named Horizon’s best
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YSU's Brandi Brown and IPFW's Stephanie Rosado go for the ball during Saturday action at YSU.
By Jon Moffett
YOUNGSTOWN
It didn’t take first-year head coach Bob Boldon long to realize he had a special player in Brandi Brown.
Now the rest of the conference is catching on.
Brown, an 18-year-old sophomore forward from Pomona, Calif., was named the Horizon League Player of the Week for Nov. 22, the conference announced Monday. Brown becomes the first women’s player to earn the award since Jen Perugini did so on Feb. 28, 2005.
“It means a lot to me,” Brown said. “It means that some of the hard work that we’ve all been putting in as a team is finally paying off. I think it speaks a lot for this program and the progression and strides we’ve been making.”
Brown is leading the conference in scoring with 20.2 points per game. She leads the Penguins in several categories, including rebounds (35), three-point shooting percentage (.348) and points (101).
Boldon said he’s not surprised Brown has gained such notoriety in just her second year — even before the team has played a conference game this year.
“She’s phenomenal,” he said. “She’s playing great for us right now. She’s rebounding the ball, she’s starting to defend better and she’s doing it in a limited amount of time. She’s only playing 30 minutes a game.”
Brown, who had to deal with speculation of transferring after suffering through an 0-30 season last year, is one of the main reasons the Penguins have won two games in a row. Her presence on the court brings a calmness to her team.
As a freshman, Brown averaged a double-double in points and rebounds. She also broke the school’s record for most rebounds by a freshman. She was named to the conference’s All-Newcomer team and was runner-up for the Newcomer of the Year award.
But Brown said the award is more about the team getting recognition.
“I really do feel like the whole team is helped,” she said. “I can’t win these games by myself; it’s a team effort. We all shoot the ball, we all rebound the ball and when we win, we all win.”
Boldon said Brown has grown into more of a leadership role this year. With the installation of a new offensive scheme, Boldon said it is critical to have a player like Brown leading on the floor.