LOGAN, Utah – Utah State head men's basketball coach Jerrod Calhoun announced on Friday that Eric Brown will remain on staff as an assistant coach for the Aggies.
 
Brown, who spent the 2023-24 season as an assistant at Utah State, has over 20 years of Division I coaching experience, including six seasons in the Mountain West. In all, Brown has coached five NCAA tournament teams at five different programs.
 
"I am happy we were able to retain coach Brown," said Calhoun. "He was a key member of coach (Danny) Sprinkle's staff here last season and will be an integral part of our defensive staff. Eric has great connections with his 20-plus years in the west and that is an area we want to attack in recruiting."
 
Brown joined Utah State prior to the 2023-24 season and helped USU win its first-ever outright regular season Mountain West Championship with a 14-4 league record after being picked ninth in the preseason polls. The Aggies also posted their first win in the NCAA Tournament in 23 years with an 88-72 victory against TCU in the first round as they finished the season with a 28-7 record, which is tied for the third-most wins in school history.
 
"I'm excited to join coach Calhoun and his staff. He is one of the best young coaches in the country," said Brown. "Coach Calhoun has tremendous energy, develops great relationships and is a proven winner. Utah State is an unbelievable program with great leadership and Logan is an amazing place to live and raise a family."
 
Under Brown, Utah State had four players garner postseason honors, including the program's eighth Associated Press All-American.
 
Utah State finished the 2023-24 season ranked No. 22 in the nation, marking just the fifth time in program history that it has been nationally ranked at the end of the season.
 
Utah State finished the season ranked sixth in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.293), ninth in field goal percentage (.491), 24th in assists per game (16.3), 34th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.49), 41st in scoring margin (+8.3) and 41st in points per game (79.7).
 
Prior to Utah State, Brown spent two seasons with New Mexico (2021-23) and three years at UNLV (2016-19) prior to his stint with Arizona State in the 2019-20 season. The Los Angeles, California, native also spent nine seasons at Long Beach State (2007-16), one year at Iowa State (2005-06), four years at USC (2001-05) and three years at CSUN (1999-01).
 
In his second season in Albuquerque in 2022-23, New Mexico's 22 victories marked a nine-win improvement over his first season with the Lobos. That first season in Albuquerque, in 2021-22, saw the Lobos make a seven-win improvement from the previous year. During his two seasons, the Lobos earned five all-conference nods.
 
At New Mexico, Brown was instrumental in recruiting and developing all conference guards Donovan Dent and Jaelen House.
 
While at Arizona State, Brown served as an assistant coach for the 2019-20 team that posted its first seven-game Pac-12 win streak since the 1980-81 team won 11 straight. The squad went 20-11, after being picked to finish sixth in the annual preseason media poll and took down No. 22 Arizona and No. 14 Oregon on its way to the Sun Devils' third straight 20-win season for just the third time in program history.
 
In his tenure at UNLV, Brown helped bring in a recruiting class for the 2017-18 season that was ranked as high as No. 12 in the country and included McDonald's High School All-American Brandon McCoy. While at UNLV, Brown also recruited Shakur Juiston (2016 National JC Player of the Year), Bryce Hamilton (two-time first team all-MW), Ethan Anderson, as well as local talents Noah Robothom, Nick Blair and Marvin Coleman.
 
He helped the 2017-18 team to a 20-win season, a first for the Runnin' Rebels in four years, as part of a nine-win improvement over the previous season. With Brown on staff, the Runnin' Rebels also performed well academically, setting a program record with a 3.17 grade point average for spring 2018.
 
In his nine years at Long Beach State, Brown helped the 49ers to three Big West Conference regular-season titles, three NIT appearances and a spot in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. During that three-year conference run, Long Beach State posted a league record of 43-7.
 
Brown spent his time with the 49ers serving as offensive coordinator, helping the team finish second in the conference in points per game while leading the league in 3-point percentage.
 
While at Long Beach State, Brown recruited and helped develop all-Big West Conference players Casper Ware, Larry Anderson, Eugene Phelps, T.J. Robinson, James Ennis, Mike Caffey, Dan Jennings, David Samuels, Gabe Levin, Nick Faust, Justin Bibbins, Travis Hammonds, Stephan Gilling and Donovan Morris. Ennis and Ware have both played in the NBA.
 
At USC, Brown helped the program to several offensive marks in the top 10 of the school's all-time history in just his first season serving as the offensive coordinator. The Trojans' scoring averages in 2003 (76.5) and 2004 (75.4) were among the top 45 in the country. He helped coach the 2004 Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year (Jeff McMillan), as well as 2002 Pac-10 Player of the Year (Sam Clancy).
 
As a recruiter at USC, Brown signed three players that were ranked in the top 100 nationally, as well as 2004 McDonald's All-American Robert Swift. In the 2007 NBA Draft, Brown had two players he recruited earn spots with NBA teams. Nick Young was a lottery pick by the Washington Wizards, while Gabe Pruitt went in the second round to the Boston Celtics.
 
While at Iowa State, Brown coached a pair of all-conference selections (Curtis Stinson and Will Blaylock) while helping the Cyclones to the top of the Big 12 in scoring. Blaylock was a second-round pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, while Stinson was the 2011 NBA D-League Most Valuable Player.
 
In his time at CSUN, Brown helped lead the Matadors to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history in 2001. In his three years, he coached eight all-Big Sky players, including the 2001 Big Sky MVP (Brian Heinle) and 2001 first-team Big Sky point guard Markus Carr. That season, Carr led the nation in assists per game.
 
In his final season at CSUN, he signed six players, three of which earned 2002 Big West All-Freshman honors, including three-time, first-team Big West selection and 2004 Big West Tournament MVP Ian Boylan.
 
Brown lettered four years at Grant High School in Van Nuys, California, and played one year at Valley College in 1993. He received his bachelor's degree in sociology from CSUN in 1998.
 
Brown began his coaching career at Grant HS (1995-97). While there, he coached a pair of all-city players, including former Washington Wizards guard and NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas. From there, he served as an assistant coach at Los Angeles Valley College in 1998 and helped the Monarchs to a 22-10 mark. Brown recruited five players from the 1998 L.A. Valley team who went on to play for NCAA Division I schools.
 
Brown and his wife have four children.
 
Season ticket deposits for the 2024-25 season are available now. Save your seat today by clicking on the following link https://utahstateaggies.evenue.net/events/MBST
 
For more information on Utah State's men's basketball program, follow the Aggies on Facebook at usumensbasketball, on Twitter at @usubasketball and on Instagram at @usubasketball. Fans can also watch USU men's basketball highlights by visiting youtube.com/utahstateathletics.