Chris Brown (Wisconsin-River Falls ‘94) enters his 15th season as head coach of the Augsburg men's hockey team in 2020-21.
During his time at Augsburg, Brown has helped guide the Auggies to the top of the MIAC standings, including capturing the MIAC regular season Championships in 2015-16 and 2018-19, and playoff Championships in 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19. Through the last five seasons the Auggies have had tremendous success under Brown's leadership, amassing a 88-39-12 overall record (.633 winning percentage) and 52-18-10 MIAC record (.650 winning percentage). Augsburg has finished as a #3 MIAC playoff seed or higher in all five season, and have gone 8-1 in the MIAC playoffs during those five years.
In addition to Augsburg's on-ice success, Brown's teams have excelled in the classroom as well. The Auggies have lead the MIAC in academic all-conference selections for the past 12 straight seasons, with 53 more all-conference selections than the next highest team over the past 14 years.
In his collegiate coaching career, Brown has earned conference coach of the year honors four times, including being named Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year at Augsburg in 2015-16 and 2018-19. He has also been a finalist for the American Hockey Coaches Association's Division III National Coach of the Year award three times.
Augsburg Coaching Highlights:
2019-20: Led the team to a third place MIAC regular season finish, with a 9-6-1 MIAC record and 14-11-1 overall record. The Auggies advanced to the MIAC playoffs and lost in the semifinals. Augsburg started the season ranked as high as #7 in the national poll.
2018-19: Led Augsburg to its second MIAC regular season title in four years, with a 13-1-2 MIAC record. The Auggies won their fourth consecutive MIAC playoff championship, before losing to St. Norbert in the NCAA quarterfinals. Augsburg finished the season with an overall record of 21-4-3, tying the record for most wins in a NCAA sanctioned season, set in the 1983-84 season and also in the 1997-98 season. The team's highest national ranking during the year was #4. Alex Rodriguez and John O'Connor were named All-Americans.
2017-18: Led the Auggies to a 10-6 MIAC regular season record, finishing in third place, while earning a 19-10 overall record. For the third year in the row, Augsburg won the MIAC playoff tournament and advanced to the NCAA tournament. The Auggies won their first round game at home against Marian before losing to St. Norbert in the NCAA quarterfinals. The team achieved the highest national ranking at #3 in the poll.
2016-17: Led the team to a second place finish in the MIAC regular season, with a 9-2-5 conference record and a 17-5-6 overall record. Augsburg won the MIAC playoffs for the second straight season, advancing to the NCAA tournament where the Auggies lost in overtime to St. Norbert. Rory Vesel and Nate Flynn received All-American honors.
2015-16: Led Augsburg to its first MIAC regular season and playoff Championships since 1997-98. The Auggies qualified for the NCAA tournament where they fell to St. Norbert in the quarterfinals. Coach Chris Brown was named MIAC Coach of the Year and eight Auggies receive post season honors, including Jordyn Kaufer, who earned AHCA Division III All-America honors.
2014-15: Led the team to a 9-7 mark in conference play and a 12-14 overall record. The Auggies qualified for the MIAC post season playoffs.
2011-12: Led the team to an overall record of 10-14-1 while falling two points shy of earning a fourth consecutive bid to the MIAC post-season playoffs; defeated No. 5 ranked St. Thomas 4-3 on Feb. 17, 2012 to break the Tommies 12-game season unbeaten streak; forward Trevor Doden was named to the All-MIAC team, while David Hines earned All-MIAC Honorable Mention honors.
2010-11: Led team to 14-9-3 overall record and third-place finish in the MIAC regular season standings; closed out the regular season with six consecutive victories, including a sweep of Bethel University to earn third consecutive appearance in the MIAC post-season tournament; forward Joel Sauer earned All-American honors while winning the conference scoring title.
2009-10: Led team to 16-10-1 overall record and fourth-place finish in the MIAC regular season standings; 16 regular season win total marked the highest for an Augsburg team since the 2002-03 season; earned 3-2 double overtime win in the first round of the MIAC playoffs against St. Olaf College on Feb. 26, 2010; Participated in the longest game in NCAA Division III history in 6-5 four overtime loss to regular season MIAC champion Gustavus Adolphus College on Feb. 27, 2010; Goalie Justin Lochner set an NCAA record for saves in a single game with 98.
2008-09: Recorded fifth-place finish in the MIAC regular season standings with 8-7-1 conference record and earned a berth into the MIAC post-season playoffs for the second time in three seasons; Scored five goals in the final 4:43 of regulation to force overtime and earn a post-season appearance following 7-7 overtime tie with MIAC regular season champion St. Olaf College on the final day of the regular season; forward Chris Johnson earned All-American honors while winning the conference scoring title during the regular season.
2007-08: earned 4-3 road win over MIAC playoff participant Gustavus Adolphus College on Feb. 1, 2008; had five players earn MIAC All-Conference honors following the season.
2006-07: named MIAC Coach of the Year following third-place finish in MIAC regular season standings; 9-3-4 league record clinched the program's first MIAC playoff berth since the 2002-03 season; one of 12 finalist for AHCA Division III National Coach of the Year Award; forward Aaron Johnson selected as MIAC Player of the Year, first team All American, and finalist for the Sid Watson Division III National Player of the Year Award.
Previous Coaching Experience:
Assistant Coach- Augsburg College (2005-06)
Head Coach- Hamline University (2004-05)
Head Coach- Marian University (2000-04)
Assistant Coach- University of Alaska-Anchorage (1997-2000)
Assistant Coach- Augsburg College (1996-97)
Playing Experience/Achievements:
Brown played collegiate hockey at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, where he was a captain of the Falcons' 1993-94 NCAA Division III national championship team. He scored 43 goals and had 57 assists for his 100 points in his 115-game collegiate career, earning Northern Collegiate Hockey Association All-Academic honors twice. He also played two seasons of junior hockey for Waterloo in the USHL (United States Hockey League), prior to playing at Wisconsin-River Falls.
Other Duties/Campus Involvement at Augsburg:
Serves as a mentor for the Student Athlete Academic Services program.
Personal/Family Notes:
A native of Watertown, Minn., Brown and his wife
Stacey reside in Maplewood, Minn. with their daughter
Corrine and son
Conner. Brown earned his bachelor's degree in journalism with an economics minor from Wisconsin-River Falls in 1994, and earned a master's degree in organizational leadership and quality while at Marian.
Coach Brown Season Records:
| Year |
Overall Record |
Overall Pct. |
MIAC Record |
MIAC Pct. |
MIAC Finish |
Notes |
| 2000-04 |
65-36-7 |
.634 |
|
|
|
HC at Marian College |
| 2004-05 |
4-20-1 |
.180 |
1-14-1 |
.094 |
9th/9 |
HC at Hamline University |
| 2006-07 |
12-10-4 |
.539 |
9-3-4 |
.688 |
3rd/9 |
MIAC Playoffs |
| 2007-08 |
6-17-2 |
.286 |
4-12 |
.250 |
8th/9 |
|
| 2008-09 |
9-16-1 |
.365 |
8-7-1 |
.531 |
5th/9 |
MIAC Playoffs |
| 2009-10 |
16-10-1 |
.611 |
8-7-1 |
.531 |
4th/9 |
MIAC Playoffs |
| 2010-11 |
14-9-3 |
.596 |
8-6-2 |
.562 |
5th/9 |
MIAC Playoffs |
| 2011-12 |
10-14-1 |
.420 |
6-9-1 |
.406 |
8th/9 |
|
| 2012-13 |
8-14-3 |
.380 |
7-8-2 |
.471 |
6th/9 |
|
| 2013-14 |
13-9-3 |
.580 |
6-7-3 |
.469 |
6th/9 |
|
| 2014-15 |
12-14 |
.462 |
9-7 |
.562 |
4th/9 |
MIAC Playoffs |
| 2015-16 |
17-9-2 |
.643 |
11-3-2 |
.750 |
1st/9 |
MIAC Playoff Champions
MIAC Champions
NCAA Tournament Qualifier |
| 2016-17 |
17-5-6 |
.714 |
9-2-5 |
.719 |
1st/9 |
MIAC Champions
MIAC Playoffs
NCAA Qualifier
NCAA Quarterfinals |
| 2017-18 |
19-10 |
.655 |
10-6 |
.625 |
1st/9 |
MIAC Playoff Champions
NCAA Qualifier |
| 2018-19 |
21-4-3 |
.804 |
13-1-2 |
.875 |
1st/9 |
MIAC Champions
MIAC Playoff Champions
NCAA Qualifier |
| 2019-20 |
14-11-1 |
.558 |
9-6-1 |
.594 |
3rd/9 |
MIAC Semifinalist |
| At Augsburg |
188-152-30 |
.549 |
117-84-24 |
.573 |
|
MIAC Coach of the Year (2006-07, 2015-16, 2018-19) |
| Overall |
257-208-38 |
.549 |
118-98-25 |
.541 |
|
|
