BEREA, OHIO -- Former Baldwin-Wallace College men's basketball standout Willis Brown will return to Berea as a graduate assistant basketball coach with veteran mentor Steve Bankson and the Yellow Jacket program. Brown has spent the past three and a half seasons as the head basketball coach at Lakeland Community College in Mentor.
"We are pleased to welcome Willis back to Baldwin-Wallace College and as a member of our coaching staff," said Bankson, who is the winningest basketball coach in B-W history.
"Willis was an outstanding player at B-W," said Bankson. "He was a team leader both on and off the floor, earned All-Ohio Athletic Conference honors twice and was among the OAC's leading rebounders for three years. He always played with great intensity. In addition, Willis was a team captain and a good role model for our younger players.
"At Lakeland, Willis did an outstanding job and led his team to one conference championship," said Bankson. "His team was well-schooled in the fundamentals, and like Willis, played with great intensity. Willis will be a great addition to our staff."
In addition to being the head coach at L.C.C., Brown served as an assistant coach at Lakeland from 1995-99 until being named as the Interim Head Coach.
While at B-W, Brown played four years of varsity basketball, was selected All-OAC and served as a team captain as both a junior and senior. The sport management/ business administration major was the 1994 Cleveland Cavaliers Lenny Wilkens Award recipient. Brown is a graduate of Kenston High School and grew up in Chagrin Falls.
Prior to becoming the head coach at L.C.C., Brown worked in private business and was the President of Ballstar Inc., a company that specialized in youth basketball camps.
At B-W, Brown will assist Bankson and Assistant Coach Chris Kibler in games and practices and help with scouting and recruiting.
FOR MORE SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact B-W Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at (440) 826-2327, by FAX machine at (440) 826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. To contact Head Coach Steve Bankson, please call him at (440) 826-2039, FAX him at (440) 826-2192 or e-mail him at sbankson@bw.edu.
275 Eastland Rd.