Brown spent 14 seasons behind the bench for the Eagles from 2004 to 2018 as an assistant on York’s staff, helping to bring three national championships to the Heights in 2008, 2010, and 2012. After eight seasons as an assistant coach, he was elevated to associate head coach following the 2011-12 season.
During his 14 years coaching at Boston College, Brown helped lead BC to six Hockey East tournament championships, seven Hockey East regular-season championships, 11 NCAA tournament appearances, and seven NCAA Frozen Four berths. Brown was also selected as an assistant coach for Team USA at three different IIHF World Junior Championships.
Brown served as an assistant coach in the NHL for the New York Rangers for three years from 2018 to 2021. This past season as the head coach of Dubuque, he led the Fighting Saints to a second-place finish in the USHL Eastern Conference and an increase of 16 wins from the year prior.
In announcing the appointment, interim director of athletics JM Caparro said that Brown was a great choice to become the next coach of the Eagles, given his successes as a player and college and professional coach, and his experience as a former assistant coach under York.
“Greg Brown had all of the qualities we were looking for in the next coach of BC men’s hockey,” said Caparro in a press release. “He was an All-American defenseman at Boston College who, as an associate head coach, learned from the best under Jerry York. He has had success as an assistant coach in the NHL and head coach in the USHL. We look forward to him leading BC hockey as we begin the next chapter in the program’s history.”
“I cannot be more excited to come back to Boston College, which has been such an important part of my life as a student-athlete, coach, and parent,” added Brown. “I am truly honored to be named coach, and to succeed my coaching mentor and friend Jerry York. I can’t wait to begin this next chapter in my life and in the proud history of BC hockey.”
As a player at Boston College, Brown won back-to-back Hockey East player of the year awards in 1989 and 1990. He was named a first team All-American and a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award both years. In three NCAA seasons, Brown registered 24 goals and 96 assists for 120 points in 119 career games.
He was the captain of the Eagles in 1989-90 for a team that won 28 games and reached the NCAA semifinal. Boston College went 84-33-5 (.709) during his three seasons on the Heights, winning Hockey East championships in 1987 and 1990. He was selected to the U.S. Olympic Team during his sophomore year for the Calgary Olympics in 1988 and again for the Albertville Olympics in 1992.
Brown was drafted 26th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1986 NHL Draft and played four NHL seasons for Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Winnipeg. He played professional hockey in Europe for eight more seasons before retiring in 2003 and made his return to BC in 2004 as an assistant coach for York.
The Brown family has many connections to Boston College men’s hockey. Greg’s older brother Doug was a four-year standout forward for the Eagles from 1982 to 1986, posting 162 points and earning a spot on two All-America teams. Greg and Doug are members of the Boston College Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame. Greg’s nephews Patrick Brown (2010-2014) and Christopher Brown (2015-2019) were also forwards at BC, both serving as captains.
