The UNC Tar Heels announced today that former Missouri assistant coach Jack Brown will be heading to North Carolina to join the Tar Heels’ staff as the associate head coach for the 2019-2020 season. This is the first hire for new head coach Mark Gangloff, who also was an assistant at Missouri before taking the UNC job last month.
Brown’s hire fills one of at least two vacancies on the Tar Heels’ staff. Mike Blum is heading to Gardner-Webb as the head coach, and Sean Quinn is stepping out of college coaching to join SwimMAC’s staff. Currently, it appears that Michael Baric and Christy Garth will remain in Chapel Hill, as they’re both still listed as assistant coaches on the team’s website.
Brown swam for the University of Arizona during the Frank Busch era, and he was an Olympic Trials finalist in 2008, where he finished 8th in the 400 IM. After graduating in 2010, he served as a volunteer assistant for the Wildcats, and after that coached for the Columbia Swim Club in Missouri. He then spent seven seasons on staff at Mizzou under Greg Rodenbough. Brown holds a Ph.D. in Sports Psychology.
Coupled with the announcement earlier this week that Emily Easton is heading to Indiana, Brown’s departure leaves new Missouri coach Andy Grevers with up to four assistant vacancies to fill in the wake of his promotion to head coach after a year-long investigation of Rhodenbaugh.
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Courtesy of UNC Athletics
CHAPEL HILL — Jack Brown has been named associate head coach for the UNC swimming and diving programs, head coach Mark Gangloff announced Friday. Brown comes to Chapel Hill after seven seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Missouri.
“I am thrilled that Jack Brown will be joining the Carolina swimming and diving staff,” Gangloff says. “Jack has experience on high-performing teams, both as an athlete and as a coach, and he has additional expertise that will benefit our staff and athletes beyond technical coaching. Jack, with a Ph.D. in sport psychology and an emphasis in performance, will be a critical component in fostering a team culture that provides our student-athletes the opportunity grow personally, academically and athletically.”
“I am extremely grateful to Mark Gangloff and the administration at UNC for granting me the opportunity to serve as the associate head coach,” Brown says. “Having grown up in the South, I am very familiar with the tradition and culture of excellence that the University of North Carolina maintains, and I am thrilled to become a part of it. I believe in the values, mission and vision that Coach Gangloff has for the program, and I am excited to get to work building the program over the coming years.
“I would like to thank the University of Missouri for everything that they have done for me. I would also like to thank Coach Rhodenbaugh for the opportunities he has provided me to work, learn and grow as a coach and a person. Finally, I want to thank all the athletes at Mizzou who have given me their best over the last seven seasons. Your efforts have made this opportunity possible, and I couldn’t be prouder to have called myself your coach.
“My wife Sarah and I look forward to the adventure that the future holds and to becoming a part of the University of North Carolina community! Go Heels!”
Brown spent the last three seasons at Missouri as a full-time assistant coach following four years as a volunteer assistant. During his tenure with the Tigers, Brown worked with the middle distance, distance and individual medley groups, serving as the primary coach of the distance group for the past three seasons. While at Missouri, Brown also earned his doctorate in sport psychology. In addition to his role as a full-time coach, Brown served as the swim teams’ mental performance coach.
Prior to becoming a full-time assistant, Brown also served as head group coach of the senior group for the Columbia Swim Club where he had several athletes set Missouri Valley records and qualify for Olympic Trials, U.S. Nationals and Junior Nationals. Brown also has coaching experience with the University of Arizona and Tucson Ford Aquatics, where he was a volunteer coach in 2010.
Before earning his doctorate in sport psychology, Brown graduated with a degree in psychology from the University of Arizona, where he was a member of the NCAA Championship team in 2008. A 10-time All-American, conference champion and former school record holder, Brown’s primary events were the 200 and 400 IMs. He was also named a first-team Academic All-American in 2010.
Following his collegiate career, Brown was a two-time member of the U.S. National team, a multiple-time U.S. Open champion and an Olympic Trials finalist in the 400 IM.
A native of Atlanta, Brown competed with Swim Atlanta and was a standout performer at The Westminster Schools, where he has been inducted into the athletic hall of fame. He and his wife Sarah, a former conference champion diver at Stanford and an orthopedic physician assistant, are expecting their first child in November.
best of luck
Two young men both from powerhouse programs who won NCAA national championships. Both trained under coaching greats: Gangloff with Dave Marsh at Auburn and Brown with Frank Busch at Arizona. They know what it takes to be successful. Ashley Gangloff was a standout diver at Auburn and Sarah Brown Pac 12 conference champ diver at Stanford. Both these families will be all in for the University of North Carolina swim and dive programs.