Chris Brown, who has spent 20 years as a Division III head coach and most recently served as the associate head coach at Alaska, has joined the Cornell men’s hockey coaching staff as an assistant coach.
“Finding the right people that fit your program and staff needs are vital to player and team development,” Cornell head coach Casey Jones said in a statement. “From the first conversation with Chris about this opportunity, I knew this was who we needed to add to our staff. He is a hockey guy that has had success wherever he has coached and will offer great energy and knowledge to our team.”
“I’m excited to pour my heart into working for this outstanding hockey program along with its loyal fan base. Cornell University and Big Red athletics are the perfect combination of world-class opportunities, so it’s humbling to become part of these communities,” added Brown. “I’m honored to work with Coach Jones as he takes over the reins from Coach Schafer, who is one of the titans in our sport. I’m inspired by the high level of motivation and talent that their student athletes have and I look forward to working with them to reach their full potential.”
Brown joins the Big Red coaching staff after four seasons as the associate head coach at Alaska. During Brown’s tenure with the Nanooks, Alaska posted a record of 65-56-13 (.534), including a 22-10-2 mark in the 2022-23 season, finishing just one spot short of qualifying for the NCAA tournament. The team’s success was largely attributed to its defense, where Brown served as the primary development coach for defensemen, with the Nanooks ranking fourth in team defense, allowing an average of 2.20 goals per game.
Over Brown’s four years at Alaska, the Nanooks recorded eight victories over ranked opponents, highlighted by wins against No. 6 (2021-22) and No. 3 (2024-25) Minnesota, as well as triumphs over top-ranked Denver in 2022-23 and No. 9 Michigan Tech in 2023-24.
Before his time in Fairbanks, Brown spent 16 years at Augsburg, where he served as an assistant coach for the 2005-06 season before being promoted to head coach the following year.
Across his 15-year tenure as the Auggies’ head coach, Brown compiled a record of 192-153-30 (.552), including a 117-84-24 (.573) mark in conference play, and earned three MIAC coach of the year awards (2007, 2016, 2019). He led Augsburg to four consecutive MIAC championships and NCAA Division III tournament appearances from 2016 to 2019, guiding the Auggies to three consecutive trips to the NCAA quarterfinals from 2016 to 2018.
In addition to excelling on the ice — developing 12 All-Americans, two MIAC players of the year, and 40 All-MIAC selections — Augsburg also impressed in the classroom under Brown’s leadership, having 129 academic all-MIAC selections from 2010 to 2021, along with 71 AHCA/Krampade All-American scholars during Brown’s final four years as head coach. Augsburg led the MIAC in academic all-conference honorees for 12 consecutive seasons.
Brown arrived at Augsburg after serving as the head coach at Marian (2000-04) and Hamline (2004-05). At Marian, he had an overall record of 65-36-7 (.634) and 51-8-3 (.847) ledger in MCHA play. He led the Sabres to MCHA tournament championships in his first two seasons and was named MCHA coach of the year twice (2001 and 2003). Additionally, he served as the head men’s golf coach at Marian, where he received coach of the year honors in 2003.
Before taking the helm as head coach at Marian in 2000, Brown spent time as an assistant coach and sports information director at Augsburg for the 1996-97 season and also served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Alaska Anchorage from 1997 to 2000.
A four-year player on the men’s hockey team at Wisconsin-River Falls from 1990 to 1994, Brown captained the Falcons’ national championship team in 1993-94. In his time with the Falcons, Brown accumulated 100 points (43-57—100) in 115 games and earned NCHA all-academic honors in 1993 as a junior and 1994 as a senior. He also received Wisconsin-River Falls’ John Oostendorp Memorial Award twice, in 1991 and 1993, for having the team’s highest cumulative grade-point average.
Brown earned a bachelor’s degree in print journalism with a minor in economics from Wisconsin-River Falls in 1994 and obtained a master’s degree in organizational leadership and quality from Marian in 2003.
Originally from Minneapolis, Minn., Brown and his wife, Stacey, have a daughter, Corrine, and a son, Conner, who just completed his freshman season with Ferris State’s men’s hockey team.
