Sarah Brown has been named the new head coach at Eastern Michigan and will begin her duties as head coach on Wednesday, July 27.

After an incredible career as a gymnast, Brown began coaching at Southeast Missouri, where she was an assistant from 2012-2015. After that, she served as a volunteer coach at Michigan for the 2015-2016 season. She brings an impressive resume and great excitement to her first head coaching position at Eastern Michigan.

The welcome response has been overwhelming, and I can't wait to start preparing for the 2017 season.

Release via EMU Athletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Eastern Michigan University Vice President/Director of Athletics Heather Lyke announced today, July 25, the hiring of Sarah Brown as the new women's gymnastics head coach at EMU. Brown, who spent the past year working at the University of Michigan, will officially begin her duties as head coach on Wednesday, July 27. 

"Not only was Sarah incredibly impressive and prepared throughout the interview process, but her competitive background as a student-athlete and coaching experience make her an ideal person to lead our women's gymnastics team," said Lyke. "Sarah's preparation, positive energy, and confidence is evident.  We are looking forward to her continuing to lead our team on the trajectory of competing annually for the Mid-American Conference Championship and advancing to the NCAA Championships."

Brown arrives in Ypsilanti following a year-long stint as the volunteer assistant coach at the University of Michigan. While at Michigan, she assisted on all four events, including beam and floor choreography, as well as the development of daily practice plans. Her lone year as a Wolverine saw the team capture the Big Ten Conference Championship, in addition to bringing home individual Big Ten titles on uneven bars, beam, and floor exercise. Additionally, she helped coach the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

"I'd like to thank Heather and the entire athletic department for the opportunity to continue building upon Eastern Michigan's success," added Brown. "My husband I are thrilled to be a part of the EMU family, and I'm looking forward to another strong season of Eagle gymnastics.  The welcome response has been overwhelming and I can't wait to start preparing for the 2017 season."

She was also involved in on-campus recruiting, which saw her assist with campus tours for prospective student-athletes and their parents, among other duties. On the operations side, Brown coordinated the planning for meet judges, including hotel accommodations and travel, while also helping with team travel plans, community service opportunities, social media, and other daily operations.

Before joining the Maize and Blue, Brown was an assistant gymnastics coach at Southeast Missouri State University for three seasons. There, she was the head beam coach, in addition to the beam and floor choreographer, helping create unique routines while also mentally preparing her student-athletes for the rigors of the competitive season. She found plenty of success at SEMO, earning Midwest Independent Conference Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2014. Brown also coached the 2014 MIC floor, vault, and bars champions, in addition to the 2013 and 2014 MIC Freshman of the Year. Finally, she helped coach four individual all-around competitors that qualified to the NCAA Regionals in 2013, 2014, and 2015.

Similar to her time at Michigan, she also helped with recruiting and attracting prospective student-athletes to SEMO. In her role, she assisted in all team functions, including monthly community service projects, ordering team apparel, and organizing team activities and events.

Prior to being a collegiate coach, Brown worked as the Director of Operations for the University of Missouri women's gymnastics team. Her duties as director of operations included being the primary travel coordinator for the team, which encompassed booking flights, arranging buses, and planning team meals. In addition, Brown helped coordinate summer camps, specifically assisting with registration, scheduling, and rotations, both inside and outside of the gym. During her time at Mizzou, she was also a sport psychology intern and an administrative assistant, helping the athletic director with various administrative tasks.

She got her coaching start at Flipz USA Gymnastics, spending six years instructing children between the ages of two and 18 in coordination, motor skills, and fundamental gymnastics basics. Not only did she coach beginners, but she also helped with advanced and team classes ranging from level three to level 10. Specifically within the team side, she choreographed beam and floor routines for levels seven through 10, in addition to creating workout plans for all four events.

Brown was an accomplished gymnast at Missouri and Utah from 2006 through 2010, being named to the Mizzou Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015. A four-time All-American, Brown earned a Honda Broderick Cup Award nomination in 2010. In 2009 and 2010, she was named the Women's Intersport Network Collegiate Sportswoman of the Year, in addition to being named the University of Missouri Female Athlete of the Year, South Central Regional Gymnast of the Year, and Big 12 Gymnast of the Year. The 2010 recipient of the Director of Athletics Leadership Award, she was a nine-time All-Big 12 honoree and the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year in 2008. As a freshman at Utah in 2007, she helped the Utes to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships.

Brown is a double-graduate of Missouri, earning a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies with an emphasis in communication and business in 2010, in addition to a master's of education in counseling psychology with an emphasis in sport psychology in 2012.


The Sarah Brown File

Name: Sarah Shire Brown
High School: Archbishop O'Hara H.S. - Raytown, Mo.
College: University of Missouri - Bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies - 2010 
              University of Missouri - Master's degree in counseling psychology - 2012
Family: Husband - Antonio Brown

Coaching/Playing Experience
Year         School                                               Position    
2015-16    University of Michigan                       Volunteer Assistant Gymnastics Coach
2012-15    Southeast Missouri State University  Assistant Gymnastics Coach
2011-12    University of Missouri                         Director of Operations
2011-12    University of Missouri                         Sport Psychology Intern
2010-11    University of Missouri                         Administrative Assistant
2007-10    University of Missouri                         Student-Athlete
2006-07    University of Utah                               Student-Athlete