With upward 17 years of coaching experience the Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) Department of Athletics has announced the hiring of Brion Dunlap as its 12th head men’s basketball coach during the NAIA era.
Dunlap will take the helm of the HSSU men’s basketball program after one season as an assistant coach at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU).
“After a national search Brion surfaced as the best fit for our men’s basketball program”, says director of athletics, Jamaal Mayo. “We feel with Brion’s passion for developing young men on and off of the court and his ability to recruit high caliber student-athletes, we will have all of the pieces to compete for championships here at Harris-Stowe”.
Prior to WSSU Dunlap spent five seasons as an assistant coach at the College of the Holy Cross. He helped the Crusaders to an overall record of 34-30 the last two seasons. In the 2013-14 season, Holy Cross finished with a 20-14 record, which was their first 20-win season since 2006-2007. Holy Cross also placed third in the Patriot League with a 12-6 record in conference and received a bid to post season play to compete in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. Holy Cross’ 68-65 victory over Ivy league Brown in the first round of the 2014 CIT was the institution’s first win in a national postseason tournament since 2004-2005.
Dunlap came to Holy Cross with his professional mentor Milan Brown after holding the same position under Brown at Mount St. Mary’s University for seven years. During his final three seasons at Mount St. Mary’s, Dunlap helped lead the Mountaineers to an overall record of 54-44 and a 35-19 mark in the Northeast Conference. Mount St. Mary’s also saw postseason action twice in the seven years, reaching the NCAA Tournament in 2008 and the College Insider Tournament in 2009. In 2008, the Mountaineers won the Northeast Conference Tournament title and posted the first NCAA Division I Tournament victory in school history, with a 69-60 win over Coppin State in the opening round.
Before heading to the collegiate ranks, Dunlap served as the head coach at Forest Park High School in Woodbridge, Virginia. He was the first head coach in the history of the program at Forest Park, which opened as a new school in 2000. Preceding Forest Park, Dunlap spent two years as an assistant coach at Woodbridge (Va.) High School. He was also selected as the head coach for the 2003 NOVA Hoops Classic, and served as the head coach of the Prince William Pacers AAU team in 2002-2003.
Dunlap is a 1998 graduate of Old Dominion University with a bachelor’s degree in human services counseling. He was a four-year starter for the Monarchs under head coach Jeff Capel, leading ODU to two NCAA Tournament appearances and two Colonial Athletic Association titles. Dunlap was named to the CAA All-Rookie team in 1995 and the CAA All-Tournament team in 1997, also earning Chevrolet Player of the Game honors following Old Dominion’s 59-55 loss to New Mexico in the first round of the 1997 NCAA Tournament. Dulap still ranks second all-time in the CAA and third all-time at Old Dominion with 680 career assists.
