Sam Brown - Field Hockey Coach - James Madison University Athletics

Sam Brown

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
brown5sk@jmu.edu
Phone:
540-568-3927

After serving as an assistant coach for three seasons, Sam Brown was promoted to associate head coach on March 10, 2022.

The 2022 season saw JMU compete as an independent with a rigorous schedule that included eight ranked opponents, six in the top 15. Nonetheless, the Dukes came away with four wins over nationally-ranked teams, including two NCAA Tournament teams in Liberty and Wake Forest. Overall, James Madison finished 10-7, with five of the seven losses decided by one goal, three of which were in overtime. Three Dukes earned All-South Region honors in Eveline Zwager (First Team), Diede Remijnse (Second Team), and Kara McClure (Second Team). JMU was ranked as high as 17th in the NFCHA National Coaches Poll and finished the year 22nd.

In his third season with the Dukes, JMU went undefeated in conference play with an unblemished 6-0 mark. As the No. 1 seed in the CAA Tournament, the team took down Northeastern in the semifinals, 2-1, before falling in the championship game to Delaware, 1-3. The successful season saw eight Dukes pick up all-conference honors: Eveline Zwager (CAA Player of the Year, First Team), Caroline Cahill (First Team), Diede Remijnse (First Team), Emily Harrison (Second Team), Florien Marcussen (Second Team), Kara McClure (Second Team), Cassidy Strittmatter (All-Rookie Team), and Samantha Grimes (All-Rookie Team). JMU finished the season ranked No. 24 in the country per the National Field Hockey Coaches Association.

Moreover, Zwager was named a Third Team All-American by the NFHCA, all-region, All-ECAC, and VaSID All-State following her 16-goal, six-assist junior campaign. Additionally, Remijnse was also tabbed with all-region and VaSID honors in her breakout season.

Brown's second season at the helm was slightly different as the season was played in the spring due to the CoVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, the Dukes conquered the crazy season as JMU won the regular season title to clinch the No. 1 seed in the CAA Tournament for the first time since 2015. He helped coach six Dukes that earned all-conference honors - Eveline Zwager (CAA Player of the Year, First Team), Caroline Cahill (First Team), Morgan Merritt (Second Team), Kara McClure (Second Team), Brandelynn Heinbaugh (Second Team, All-Rookie Team) and Lauren Satchell (All-Rookie Team). At the conclusion of the regular season, JMU entered the national rankings at No. 20.

Additionally, Zwager and Cahill earned a spot on the NFHCA Division I South Region Second Team and both earned VaSID All-State honors as Cahill was placed on the First Team and Zwager on the Second Team.

In his first season, Brown helped JMU earn a spot in the CAA Tournament. Additionally, Miranda Rigg earned a First Team selection while Rachel Yeager, Ongeziwe Mali, and Caroline Cahill picked up Second Team honors, and Cahill and Diede Remijnse were tabbed to the CAA All-Rookie Team. Rigg also earned NFHCA First Team All-Region South honors following her senior campaign.

Brown comes to JMU after being the head performance coach at the Wakefield Hockey Club in England. He led and coordinated all aspects of the men’s and women’s first and second team programs. Brown was also responsible for creating long-term plans for the continued development of the juniors within the clubs' memberships.

Before that, he worked in New Zealand and was the Hockey Development Manager at Waikato Hockey Association. He coaches at the WHA Academy for children aged 9-18, while also helping to put on the WHA U-15 club competition and Premier Hockey 5’s Tournament. Before his time at WHA, Brown worked for St. Paul’s Collegiate as the Hockey Program Coordinator. He created a development plan for both current players and created ongoing resources that could be utilized by all coaches within the St. Paul’s programs for athletic development.

Brown spent time as the head coach, assistant coach, and technical analyst for many campaigns within the Midlands Performance Program for Midlands Hockey Inc. During that time, he also coached at squad training sessions for U18 and senior levels. Brown has also spent time as the facility, hockey, and events manager dealing with all of the upkeep and maintenance of the facility while also being in charge of budgets.

He comes to JMU with an FIH Academy Coach Qualification of Level 3, Hockey NZ Coach Qualification Level 1 and Level 2. He has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Sport and Exercise Nutrition with a business management minor for the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand.