In late July, Framingham State introduced 28-year-old T.J. Brown as its new head coach. Brown spent the last two seasons as an assistant for the Rams and replaces former head coach Jeff Pellegrini, who resigned after being named in the spring, before even coaching one game. He had replaced Chris Heaney.
Brown, a 2002 graduate of the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, enjoyed a successful playing career for the Corsairs, tallying 77 goals, 78 assists and 155 points. At the time of his graduation, he was the ECAC Northeast all-time leading scorer and was twice elected to the all-conference team.
Speaking to the MetroWest Daily News, the Framingham native said he has been “running around Loring Arena for 20 years” and expressed a vested interest in turning around a program that has only won a combined eight games in the previous four seasons. Included in that span is a winless season a year ago.
“The way we’ve been going in the last couple years, we’ve been doing alright starting games, but we’ve been falling apart late,” said Brown. “The number one priority is to make us the best conditioned team in the conference, and we’ll plan on things getting a little more physical.
“If that’s what I have to do to get through these guys’ heads, I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”
The Rams, formerly of the ECACNE, will participate in the newly-formed MASCAC this fall.
“I’m absolutely thrilled — it’s one of the best opportunities I’ve ever been given,” Brown said. “Now it’s up to me to capitalize on it.”
