The Winston-Salem State University men’s basketball program has announced the hiring of Brion Dunlap as an assistant coach for the Rams for the upcoming 2015-16 season.
Brion Dunlap will join the Winston-Salem State University men’s basketball coaching staff after previously spending the past five seasons as an assistant coach at the College of the Holy Cross.
“Brion Dunlap is an extremely well-rounded coach with recruiting contacts all over the country”, says WSSU head coach, James Wilhelmi. “His experiences as a Division I player at Old Dominion, a high school coach and as a division one assistant coach make him a rising star in the coaching business and a valuable asset to our program. We are very fortunate to have him join the WSSU Ram family”, added Wilhelmi.
He helped the Crusaders to an overall record of 34-30 the last two seasons, and in the 2013-14 season, Holy Cross finished with a 20-14 record, good for their first 20-win season since 2006-2007. Holy Cross also placed third in the Patriot League with a 12-6 mark in conference games, and received an invitation to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. Holy Cross’ 68-65 victory at Brown in the first round of the 2014 CIT was its first in a national postseason tournament since 2004-2005.
Overall, Dunlap helped the Crusaders to three finishes in the top half of the Patriot League standings in five seasons. Holy Cross placed third in the conference in both 2010-2011 and 2013-2014, and fourth in 2011-2012.
Dunlap came to Holy Cross after serving as an assistant coach at Mount St. Mary’s University for the previous seven years. During his final three seasons at Mount St. Mary’s, Dunlap helped the Mountaineers to an overall record of 54-44 and a 35-19 mark in the Northeast Conference. Mount St. Mary’s also appeared in postseason play twice during that time frame, advancing to 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.
Prior to his time with the Mountaineers, Dunlap served as the head coach at Forest Park High School in Woodbridge, Va., for three seasons. He was the first head coach in the history of the program at Forest Park, which opened as a new school in 2000. Dunlap previously 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 on the hardwood, helping lead the team 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, in addition to 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. He still ranks second all-time in the CAA and third all-time at Old Dominion with 680 career assists.
http://wssurams.com/sports/m-baskbl/2014-15/releases/201508050hy40t
Photo Courtesy WSSU Athletics
