OKLAHOMA CITY (April 21, 2022) – Markeith Brown, one of the top assistant women's basketball coaches in the nation the past seven seasons while at Texas A&M-Commerce, will be Oklahoma Christian's new head coach, OC Athletic Director David Lynn said Thursday.

Brown, 40, has assisted TAMUC coach Jason Burton as the Lions' program has established itself as one of the best in NCAA Division II. TAMUC now is a perennial top-25 team and the Lions spent a week this past season atop the Division II-Sports Information Directors Association national poll before falling in the second round of the NCAA tournament, capping a 27-5 season.

Brown was named as the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Small College Women's Assistant Coach of the Year in May 2017 and as the NCAA Division II World Exposure Women's Assistant Coach of the Year in March 2020. He will be only the third coach in the history of the OC program, following Max Dobson (1977-1985) and Stephanie Findley (1985-2022), both members of the OC Athletic Hall of Fame.

"We are extremely excited to name Markeith Brown as our next women's basketball coach at Oklahoma Christian University," Lynn said. "I believe to be successful in today's coaching world, you need to have a coach that invests highly in the lives of student-athletes, mentoring and leading them on and off the court. I believe coach Brown to be extremely authentic and very relational. He is a strong family man who is grounded by his faith.

"Coach Brown has seven years of experience recruiting and coaching in the Lone Star Conference helping Texas A&M-Commerce's women's basketball program to new heights. I believe coach Brown to be the ideal person to build upon Oklahoma Christian's women's basketball's successful foundation and to help take our program to the next level. I look forward to providing him and his staff the support they need to compete at a very high level. It's a great day to be an Eagle!"

During Brown's tenure at TAMUC, which began in July 2015, the Lions posted a 143-57 record and qualified for the Division II tournament in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. He has helped coach four All-America players at TAMUC, including 2021-22 LSC player of the year Dyani Robinson.

"Oklahoma Christian has something special about it," Brown said. "It's a different place. First off, it's a Christian university and that right there sets it apart from a lot of universities. I think it's my time to be a head coach. I served my dues as an assistant and this was an opportunity. I am blessed that Oklahoma Christian has given me the opportunity. They had to believe in me to give me the opportunity to be the head coach here. I've got to thank David for that. The Lord has blessed me and I am just thankful and grateful."

Brown joined the TAMUC staff after six seasons as an assistant women's basketball coach and head women's cross country coach at NCAA Division III LeTourneau (Texas). In cross country, he led the LeTourneau to its best American Southwest Conference finish in school history, a third-place showing in 2013. In women's basketball, he helped recruit and coach a team that in 2013-14 became the first from LeTourneau to reach the ASC tournament.

Before arriving at LeTourneau, Brown served as the owner of the Texas City Rangers of the American Basketball Association (2008-09) and the head coach of the Lake Jackson Lakers of the Texas Professional League (2007-08).

He served as the head boys basketball coach at Vermillion Catholic High School in Abbeville, La., in 2006-07, where they were bi-district champion and regional finalist. Brown was recognized as the Vermillion Parish Coach of the Year and also served as the school's head cross country and head girls track and field coach.

He founded MB Basketball Training from 2005-07 while serving as the head freshman and assistant boys varsity basketball coach at Central Lafourche High School in Raceland, La. Brown was also the head coach of Nike-sponsored Louisiana Select, a 16-year old team that won two major national tournaments in 2006 (Next Level Ballers in Dallas and Kingwood Classic in Houston).

Brown, from Jackson, Miss., starred at Provine High School, leading his squad to a state title in 1998. He played collegiately at East Central (Miss.) Community College and Nicholls State, graduating from the latter with a bachelor's degree in General Studies in 2004. He led Nicholls State in assists during the 2002-03 season.

He and his wife, Julie, and have three children – daughters Jayda and Mia and son Mayson.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT MARKEITH BROWN:
Tim McMurray, Texas A&M-Commerce athletic director:
"Oklahoma Christian's women's basketball program got better today. Markeith Brown is an exceptional coach, leader, mentor and talent developer. His fingerprints are all over the success of A&M-Commerce women's basketball and his influence will be missed. More importantly, he is an excellent father, husband, man of faith and friend. I commend David Lynn and his administration on this astute hire."

Jason Burton, Texas A&M-Commerce women's basketball coach:
"OC got the perfect person to be the next leader of their program. He's a Christian man with character that is going to win a lot of games there and change even more lives. Brown was a huge part of building Commerce into a national power and I'm excited to see how he elevates the Oklahoma Christian brand! OC got it right with Brown!"

Josh Prock, West Texas A&M women's basketball coach:
"Markeith is definitely is a rising star in the profession. He is an very knowledgeable coach and has always put his players and others first. One of the best traits I have seen in Markeith is he is a true servant leader. Markeith is a relentless recruiter and will do a great job in targeting the right kids for Oklahoma Christian. Beyond all that he is one of the best husbands and fathers I know, he has tremendous integrity and will always operate that way."