Shaun Brown Appointed High Performance Coach at Providence College

High energy training session for Providence College men's basketball team.

News Summary

Shaun Brown has been named the new High Performance Coach for Men’s Basketball at Providence College. With over 33 years of experience, including stints in college athletics and the NBA, Brown brings extensive knowledge to the team. He replaces Chase Campbell and is joined by former Providence All-American Ryan Gomes as an assistant coach. Gomes is expected to play a significant role in developing student-athletes. Head Coach Kim English expressed enthusiasm about both appointments, highlighting their respective backgrounds and contributions to the program.

Providence, Rhode Island – Shaun Brown has been appointed as the new High Performance Coach for Men’s Basketball at Providence College. This marks his return to the Friar Athletic Department after previously serving as head strength coach from 1989 to 1992. Brown takes over the role following the resignation of Chase Campbell, who stepped down last month.

With 33 years of strength and conditioning experience, Brown brings a wealth of knowledge to the team. His career includes 25 years in college athletics and eight years in the NBA. Throughout his career, he has been involved with 20 teams that advanced to the postseason, which includes participation in three Final Fours, two NBA Playoffs, one NIT Championship, and one NCAA Championship. His most recent position was at West Virginia University, where he served from 2018 to 2024.

Kim English, the head coach of Providence College men’s basketball, expressed enthusiasm regarding Brown’s addition to the coaching staff, citing his extensive track record in the field and his commitment to athlete development.

Prior to his work at West Virginia, Brown held strength coaching positions at the University of Minnesota for five years, the University of Southern California (USC) for three seasons, and the University of Virginia for three years. In the NBA, he worked as the head strength coach for the Toronto Raptors from 2003 to 2006 and for the Boston Celtics from 1997 to 2003, where he honed his skills and developed a deep understanding of athlete performance at the professional level.

Throughout his career, Brown has trained 22 players who were selected in the NBA Draft, which includes lottery picks and eight NBA All-Stars. His mentorship has also extended to seven former assistant strength coaches who have gone on to work at Power 5 schools or in the NBA. Notably, he served as head strength coach at Kentucky from 1992 to 1997, leading the Wildcats to three Final Fours and an NCAA Championship victory in 1996. Early in his career, Brown held an assistant strength coach position at Rutgers after earning his bachelor’s degree from Canisius College in 1987 and completing a master’s degree at Ohio State University in 1988, where he also worked as a graduate assistant strength coach.

Alongside Brown’s appointment, Ryan Gomes has been added as an assistant coach for the Providence College men’s basketball team. Announced on June 2, Gomes is a former Providence All-American and is regarded as one of the best players in the college’s history, having scored a record 2,138 points during his impressive four-year career at the school. He averaged 18.4 points per game and secured a total of 1,028 rebounds, making him one of only two players in Providence history to achieve both 2,000 points and over 1,000 rebounds.

In addition to his collegiate accomplishments, which include consensus First Team All-America honors and being the league’s top scorer in 2005, Gomes was inducted into the Providence College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016. He was selected as the 50th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics and enjoyed an eight-season career in the NBA, competing for several teams including the Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers, and Oklahoma City Thunder. Most recently, Gomes served as a player development coach for the Portland Trail Blazers from 2023 to 2025, and he was previously the head coach for Overtime Elite from 2021 to 2023.

Gomes replaces Tim Fuller, who accepted a position as general manager at Missouri. In his new role, Gomes is expected to get involved in summer practices and aid in the further development of Providence’s student-athletes. Coach English has voiced optimism about Gomes’ experience and the positive influence he will have on the program and its players.