Penn State Adds Samantha Brown As Assistant
Penn State Adds Samantha Brown As Assistant
Release via Penn State Athletics
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA.; July 21, 2015 – Penn State women's gymnastics head coach Jeff Thompson has announced the addition of Samantha Brown to the coaching staff as an assistant coach.
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA.; July 21, 2015 – Penn State women's gymnastics head coach Jeff Thompson has announced the addition of Samantha Brown to the coaching staff as an assistant coach.
Brown has over 30 years of gymnastics experience as a competitor, coach and judge and has achieved the highest levels in every discipline. As a teenager at Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy, she represented the United States in International competition as a member of the USA National Team from 1993 to 1995.
As a member of the University of Georgia gymnastics team, she earned first team All-America honors while her team swept four straight Southeastern Conference titles (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999) and won two NCAA Championships (1998, 1999). After earning her business degree in Risk Management and Insurance, Brown owned and operated All American Gymnastics Academy in Savannah, Georgia before also joining the gymnastics judging ranks where she has earned the rank of Brevet. Last season, Brown was one of only 51 Brevet judges in the NCAA.
"We are excited to have Samantha Brown join our staff," said head coach Jeff Thompson. "Rachelle and I have known Samantha for a long time. We have watched her compete in club and college, and followed her coaching career closely. Her love of the sport, strong desire to coach in the NCAA and her high-level judging background will help us to continue to build upon the strong foundation of our team.
"She is a great coach and her knowledge, passion and enthusiasm, along with her expertise from a judge’s perspective, is something we are looking forward to adding to our staff. We also believe her relationships with gymnastics club coaches across the country will help our program continue to attract elite student-athletes to Penn State."
"First, I want to thank Jeff and Rachelle for giving me this opportunity to join an amazing university and gymnastics program at Penn State,” said Brown. “I am excited about the opportunity to get back into collegiate gymnastics and feel my experience as a former student-athlete, coach, and judge will allow me to help develop our student-athletes and enable us to reach our goals of winning championships. I am passionate about the sport and look forward to contributing to the continued success of Penn State women's gymnastics both academically and athletically."
Brown was born in Kettering, Ohio and is married to Harry Brown. The couple has three daughters, Cassidy (15), Chloe (12) and Charlotte (8).
Related:
2015 Offseason Coaching Shuffle
Related:
2015 Offseason Coaching Shuffle