When Brandi Brown stepped foot onto the campus of Youngstown State University to begin her collegiate career, the Lady Penguins had just finished 3-27 in Cindy Martin’s first year as head coach.
Brandi left the beautiful landscape of Pomona for the gray skies of northeast Ohio. Her first year had to have been a challenging one. Brown averaged a double-double (11.4 ppg, 10.6 rpg) as it was evident that YSU had scored a solid recruit from California. However, the Penguins completed the 2009-10 campaign with a record of 0-30. Coach Martin resigned and the state of YSU women’s basketball seemed so distant from the late 90s when Coach Ed DiGregrio had his group in the NCAA Tournament for a stretch of three appearances in five years.
Enter Bob Boldon, a young Ohio native who had proven himself as an assistant as well as the head coach at Lambuth. The culture began to change and slowly the program was beginning to move in an upward direction. In 2010-11, YSU improved by six wins (6-24) and the following season by another four (10-20).
This year, the Penguins are off to a 10-3 start, their best since 1997-98 (16-1). The same season where YSU defeated Memphis (91-80) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Brown has been brilliant as she ranks first in the Horizon League in rebounding (11.2) and third in scoring (20.4). Brandi has accumulated 38 twenty-plus point performances during her collegiate career and 52 double-digit rebounding days.
Each of the past two seasons, Brandi was named to the All-League Second-Team. This year, one would have to imagine that it’s going to be very difficult to keep her off the First-Team line if she continues on the tear that she’s currently on. In 2004-05, Jen Perugini was named to the Horizon League’s First-Team.
Youngstown State returns to action this Saturday when they travel to Valparaiso (5-8) for the Horizon League opener. The Lady Penguins have a three-game winning streak and Brown has scored 20 or more in each of those outings.
Horizon League Women's Basketball Standings Standings | League | Overall |
Green Bay | 0-0 | 10-2 |
Youngstown State | 0-0 | 10-3 |
Cleveland State | 0-0 | 8-5 |
Detroit | 0-0 | 7-5 |
Wright State | 0-0 | 6-7 |
Valparaiso | 0-0 | 5-8 |
Loyola | 0-0 | 5-8 |
Milwaukee | 0-0 | 4-8 |
UIC | 0-0 | 4-9 |
Youngstown State History Career Points 1. Dorothy Bowers, 2324 (1984-88)
2. Wanda Grant, 1829 (1977-81)
3. Danielle Carson, 1697 (1982-86)
4. Brandi Brown, 1682 (2009-12) 5. Ann Marie Martin, 1631 (1994-98)
Career Rebounds 1. Wanda Grant, 1178 (1977-81)
2. Dorothy Bowers, 1083 (1984-88)
3. Brandi Brown, 1019 (2009-12) Career Free Throws Made 1. Brianne Kenneally, 373 (1997-01)
2. Dorothy Bowers, 370 (1984-88)
3. Brandi Brown, 363 (2009-12) Follow Vince @Vince_MYVS on Twitter