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Brown hires alum Mike Martin as head coach

Broken Budgets Making Nonprofits Pay

An entrance to the campus of Brown University is seen Monday, May 7, 2012, in Providence, R.I. With a $2.5 billion endowment and property worth an estimated $1 billion, Brown would pay the city of Providence $38 million in property taxes each year if the university were not tax exempt. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

AP

What can Brown do for you?

Hopefully, win an elusive Ivy League title. To that end, the Bears brought back former player Mike Martin, announcing him as the program’s 31st head coach on June 1. Martin played for Brown from 2000-04, and served as a team captain in his senior season. Martin will be one of the youngest head coaches in DI basketball.

The Bears have long struggled to find their niche in the Ivy League hoops scene. The team won its only auto-bid to the NCAA tournament in 1986, falling to Syracuse. Prior to that, the team’s major post-season success was an invitation to the Then-Not-So-Big-Dance in 1939.

That’s not to say that the Bears haven’t had some good seasons along the way. In fact, Martin was a big part of some great seasons in Providence, Rhode Island. Per IvyLeagueSports.com:

Martin was part of the winningest class in the Bears’ basketball history, posting a 63-45 four-year record from 2000-04. He also helped the Class of 2004 to a school-record 39-17 Ivy League mark during that period -- the best by an Ivy League team other than Penn and Princeton since 1970.

That qualifier “other than Penn and Princeton” could be the unofficial motto of Ivy League hoops. For Martin to be considered a success in his new post, he’ll need to put his alma mater in the conversation alongside the league’s twin towers. That won’t be easy.

But look on the bright side: at least he’s one of the few coaches who won’t have to worry about realignment messing up his schedule.

Eric Angevine is the editor of Storming the Floor. He is totally ready to have a Not Bummer Summer.