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Rick Brownell
Rick Brownell is entering his 21st season leading the women's soccer program at Arcadia University in 2023. He has guided the Knights to an overall record of 228-116-39 (.663) through his first 20 seasons at the helm, giving him the most wins in program history by a wide margin.
During his tenure, Arcadia has made five NCAA Tournament appearance, qualified for the conference tournament 15 times and recorded 12 10-win seasons, including a program-record 18 victories in 2014. The Knights captured their first MAC Commonwealth title, ending an 11-year run by Messiah, with a 1-0 win in 2OT in the 2017 championships. That same year, the Knights picked up their first NCAA Tournament victory, a 3-1 win over Franklin.
Brownell is a two-time MAC Commonwealth Coach of the Year, receiving the honor in 2009 and 2016. He was also recognized by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) as the Regional Coach of the Year in 2009. Brownell and his staff were also named the United Soccer Coaches Mid-Atlantic Coaching Staff of the Year in 2017.
Brownell’s players have been widely recognized for their individual efforts, earning a total of 79 All-Conference selections. There have been a total of 26 All-Region selections under Brownell, and he has coached the program’s only NSCAA/USC All-Americans in Jackie Law, Jess Kelly, Brianna Crowley, and Brianna Williams. Kelly was the 2017 MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Year, the first such award for an Arcadia Player, and in 2018 Brianna Crowley was tabbed as the league's Rookie of the Year before earning Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2019. He coached Lennon Kramer to MAC Commonwealth and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Rookie of the Year laurels in 2013.
Under Brownell’s watch, the women’s soccer program has earned the NSCAA’s Team Academic Award in each of the past 10 seasons. In 2014, Kim Canfield became the first player in program history to be named to all-academic teams by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), MAC, NSCAA, and Philadelphia Sports Information Directors Association (Philly-SIDA) that reward student-athletes for their combined performance academically and athletically. Canfield, along with 2014 graduate Alex Stoner and 2016 graduate Jackie Glanfield were also selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team while playing for Brownell.
Brownell led the Knights to their fourth-consecutive NCAA Divison III Tournament appearance after receiving an at-large bid following a 15-win season in 2019. The Knights ranked as high as 13th in the United Soccer Coaches Top-25 and advanced to the MAC Commonwealth Championship for the fifth-straight season. The Knights had five all-conference selections at season's end, headlined by first-team picks Brianna Crowley, Brianna Williams, and Karlie Flowers - while Crowley was also named the MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Year. Arcadia also had a program-record four players named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Mid Atlantic Region team with Crowley and Williams earning first-team honors while Flowers and Erin Vander Plaat received third-team recognition. Crowley and Willaims also were named Second-team All-Americans by United Soccer Coaches, marking the third and fourth such selections in program history.
The Knights battled to a 12-6-3 overall record in 2018 and were ranked as high as 14th in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25. Arcadia advanced to the finals of the MAC Championship for the fourth consecutive year, falling to Messiah in 2OT. The Knights also qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year by virtue of an at-large berth. Brianna Crowley, who was named the league's top rookie, was one of seven Knights to earn postseason recognition from the MAC Commonwealth. Three players were tabbed to the USC All-Mid Atlantic Region squad, and Crowley and Veronica Pontis were each named All-ECAC, while Pontis was also selected as a Scholar All-Region performer.
2017 was a banner year for the Knights as Arcadia toppled long-time league heavyweight Messiah 1-0 in 2OT in the title game of the MAC Commonwealth Championship to earn the first league title in program history and end a four-year run by the Falcons. The defeat of Messiah was marked the Falcons' first loss to a conference foe since 2006. In all, AU posted a 16-6-0 overall record and had five players earn all-conference recognition, including Offensive POY Jess Kelly. The Knights capped their season in the NCAA Tournament, picking up the program's first-ever win in the tournament.
In the 2016 season, Brownell guided the Knights to their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2005, and the first at-large bid in school history. Arcadia went 17-4 on the year, while reaching as high as No. 6 during its nine week run in the top-25 of the NSCAA Division III National Poll. In six weeks in the D3soccer.com National Poll, the Knights reached as high as No. 16. In their fourth straight trip to the MAC Commonwealth Championship, the Knights found themselves in the conference title game for the second consecutive season.
The 2015 season saw Brownell lead Arcadia to the MAC Commonwealth title game against eventual national semifinalist Messiah. The 16-6 campaign came to a close with a third-straight ECAC Division III South title, as the top-seeded Knights claimed a 2-0 win over second-seeded Lebanon Valley.
Brownell led Arcadia to a program-record 18 wins in the 2014 campaign and finished the season with just six losses. The Knights claimed their second consecutive ECAC South Championship on a goal in the 98th minute from Alyssa Ferraro to defeat McDaniel.
Brownell led the 2013 squad to an overall record of 13-4-6 and the University’s first-ever ECAC South Championship. The numerous accolades that season included Canfield being named the Philadelphia Inquirer/Philly-SIDA Academic Performer of the Year, and Lennon Kramer being selected both the 2013 ECAC and MAC Commonwealth Rookie of the Year.
A personal highlight in the 2011 season saw Brownell record his 100th career win with a 2-1 home victory over conference rival Lycoming on October 18. The 2011 season marked a program-high ranking of 24th in the nation. The 2011 season also produced three All-Conference players and two NSCAA All-Region selections. In January 2011, Brownell received an invitation from Adidas and Major League Soccer to coach one of four teams in the MLS Draft Combines in Broward County, Florida.
The 2010 team matched the previous season’s win total with an overall mark of 15-4-1 and once again advanced to the MAC Commonwealth championship final. Former standout goalkeeper Jackie Law was named a Third-Team NSCAA All-American that season after going 14-4-1 with 10 shutouts, a 0.84 goals against average and a .843 save percentage.
Brownell was named the 2009 NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Region and MAC Commonwealth Coach of the Year after leading Arcadia to an overall record of 15-2-3, setting a then-school record for wins in a season, and a second-place finish in the conference with a league record of 6-1-0. The Knights’ only losses of the season were against conference rival and eventual national champion Messiah, once in the regular season and then again in the MAC Commonwealth title game.
In just his third season, Brownell led Arcadia to an 11-7-2 overall record and the program’s fourth Pennsylvania Athletic Conference championship in 2005. The Knights went on to battle Haverford to a 1-1 draw in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament before falling on penalty kicks.
In addition to coaching the women's soccer team, Brownell has served Assistant Athletic Director since 2008, and was promoted to Associate Athletic Director in July 2014. He holds various administrative duties within the athletic department, including the supervision of Arcadia’s athletic facilities. Brownell also served as head men's golf coach from 2006-14 and head women's golf coach from 2012-14, which were the women’s program’s first two varsity seasons. He coached a pair of All-Conference performers on the men’s side in Kevin Gallagher (2008) and Bobby Santiago (2014), and a two-time All-Conference performer in Shannon Massott (2013, 2014) for the women’s team. Massott was also honored for her prowess in the classroom during the 2013-14 season, being named to the Philadelphia Inquirer/Philly-SIDA and MAC Academic All-Conference teams. In addition, Colin Pippert was also named a MAC Academic All-Conference selection for the men’s team.
Brownell has also seen tremendous success coaching at the club level… his current Flemington Flames U-17 team was ranked No. 1 in the nation throughout much of the 2013 spring season. He had similar success in 2010 while guiding FC Bucks Fusion, which achieved a top-10 national ranking for almost the entire year.
Prior to his arrival at Arcadia, Brownell turned the program at Bucks County Community College into a championship caliber program in just three seasons, taking the team from a winless 2000 season to a 16-1 record and the 2002 conference title, for which he was named the conference Coach of the Year.
As a player, Brownell was a four-year starter and an All-State performer at Trenton State College (now the College of New Jersey), where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Physical Education (Corporate Fitness). Brownell has also completed graduate coursework in Exercise Science program at Temple University and holds national certifications from the NSCAA, the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the American College of Sports Medicine.
Brownell currently resides in Jamison, Pa. with his wife, Colleen, and two children, Jacqueline and David. Jacqueline graduated from Arcadia in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree.
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