New Jersey City University head men’s basketball coach Charles Brown has been named the NABC Atlantic Region Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. He will now be on the ballot for national coach of the year. The award marks the second time in his career he has been the Region Coach of the Year, also claiming the honor in 1986.

Now in his 22^nd season at the helm of his alma mater, Brown, who was named New Jersey Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for the fifth time in the last 19 years last month, guided the Gothic Knights to a 22-7 record, an unprecedented 11^th NJAC Men’s Basketball Championship, a first round bye in the NCAA Division III Tournament, a win in the second round, and a berth in the NCAA Sweet 16. He owns a career record of 426-189, is the fourth winningest coach in New Jersey college basketball history, and is just six victories shy of moving into second place in state history at all levels of the collegiate game.

“Once again this has been a special year for me as a coach and for this team,” said Brown. “I’m extremely honored and excited about it. I feel I’m blessed to be receiving all these coaching awards. I feel humbled by the whole situation. It’s been an outstanding season for us. I hope I represented the University well.”

Brown previously claimed NJAC Coach of the Year honors in 1994-95, 1989-90, 1988-90, and 1985-86.  He was named the Kodak Division III National Coach of the Year in 1986. That same year, the Star Ledger tabbed him as the All-State Coach of the Year. He earned Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association Coach of the Year honors in 1990 and shared the award in 1992. 

After finishing fifth in the league last season with an 8-10 record—the club’s first sub .500 NJAC finish since 1976-77 and the only such placing in Brown’s career—and missing the NJAC Tournament for only sixth time since the event began in 1977-78, NJCU was picked to finish fourth of five teams in the new-look NJAC Blue Division this season. Such a finish would mean the Knights would not make the new six-team conference tournament field. The Gothic Knights exceed all expectations, remained the only team out of 10 still unbeaten in conference play until January 24, and wrapped up the #1 overall seed and the 2003-04 NJAC regular season title behind the guiding force of this coaching legend, who was inducted into the New Jersey Sports Writers’ Association Hall of Fame and presented its Coaching Legends Award on January 25.

He became the all-time winningest coach in conference history on January 30, 1999 when he won the 222^nd game of his career in league play, passing his former collegiate head coach at then-Jersey City State, Ollie Gelston. He currently owns a 277-110 ledger in 387 NJAC games. He is second to Gelston (429) for most total wins (conference and non-conference) in NJAC history.

In 22 seasons at his alma mater, Brown has averaged more than 19 wins per season, winning 20 or more on seven occasions, including the 22-7 mark of the 2003-04 club. He has never had a losing season and has never missed the post-season. Brown has guided 11 teams to the NCAA Division III Tournament (1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2004), and reached the Division III Final Four in 1986 and 1992. When not in the NCAA’s, his clubs have still reached the ECAC Metro New York/New Jersey tournament on 11 occasions, winning  four championships (1983, 1993, 1994, 2001).