Chris Brown appointed as head coach of USF women’s soccer program

TAMPA, FL. – University of South Florida Vice President for Athletics Michael Kelly has named Chris Brown, a longtime associate head coach with the program with 11 years of professional playing experience, as the third head coach in USF women’s soccer history.

Brown, who has previously served as a head coach at VCU and for both the Guyana senior and U20 national teams, has been an integral part of the most successful era in the 28-year history of USF women’s soccer, serving on the staff since 2007 and helping to guide the Bulls to a 184-97-43 record over the past 17 seasons.

Brown helped lead the Bulls to three AAC regular season titles, three AAC Tournament titles and eight NCAA Tournament appearances – winning a conference title every year from 2017-21 while making five straight NCAA appearances during that period.

“Chris has been a major part of the tremendous success we have had in women’s soccer over the last two decades and we are thrilled to have him leading our program into a very bright future,” Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly said. “From recruiting and developing All-Americans and Conference Players of the Year to winning big matches, conference championships and NCAA Tournament games, Chris has been integral to our success. I’m excited for him to lead our program from out front, and show the vision and passion he has to take USF women’s soccer to another level.”

Brown helped lead the Bulls to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2010, a program-record 16 wins and program-best NCAA Tournament third-round appearance in 2019, both conference regular season and tournament titles in 2020, and a string of 10 straight seasons with 10 or more wins (2012-21). Brown has helped lead the Bulls to every NCAA appearance in program history, including two appearances in the second round, and three AAC Championship Game appearances.

“USF and the Tampa Bay community have been my home since 2007. I am very excited for the opportunity to lead the USF women’s soccer program and build on the tremendous tradition and high-level success our student-athletes have established,” Brown said. “We have everything we need at USF to continue to be one of the nation’s elite women’s soccer programs. I thank Michael Kelly and Kris Pierce for their support and belief in giving me this opportunity, as well as the many players – current and past – that advocated on my behalf. I would especially like to thank my family and particularly my wife, Denise, who through a great partnership the last 17 years put USF women’s soccer on the map as a conference champion and national power.”

As associate head coach, he mentored the program’s first All-American and recent USF Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Evelyne Viens, who went on to earn three total All-America honors and an Olympic gold medal with the Canadian National Team at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. Goalie Sydney Martinez (2020) and forward Sydny Nasello (2020 and 2021) also earned All-America honors and were among the Bulls that have earned a total of eight AAC Offensive Player of the Year, AAC Midfielder of the Year, AAC Defensive Player of the Year or AAC Goalkeeper of the Year honors. Players he has coached hold every program individual record and most, if not all, of the top 10 marks in every category.

Brown also worked with the Guyana Football Federation from 2009-2014, serving as assistant coach for the Guyana Senior Women’s National Team in 2009 before being promoted to head coach from 2010-2014. He helped the team to qualify for both the Central American and Caribbean Games and the final round of the 2010 Gold Cup. Brown also served as head coach of the U20 Women’s Team from 2012-2013.

Brown came to USF from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he worked with the Rams for seven seasons, six of which serving as co-head coach alongside his wife, Denise Schilte-Brown, who he would follow to USF to lead the Bulls program.

Brown joined VCU for the 2000 season as an assistant coach and helped lead the team, which finished just 3-15-2 the previous year, to a breakthrough campaign as the Rams finished with a 9-10-1 record and advanced to the semifinals of the CAA tournament for the first time in school history. He was elevated to co-head coach in April of 2001 and directed the 2001 VCU squad to seven wins and another appearance in the league tournament semifinals, which earned the husband-and-wife tandem CAA Coach-of-the-Year honors.

In 2004, the pair guided the Rams to their first CAA regular season and CAA Tournament titles and first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament. VCU continued its success the next season, winning the 2005 CAA regular season title and advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season while also winning the program’s first and only game in the tournament, a 3-1 victory over Clemson.

Brown played collegiately at both UNC Charlotte and American University before graduating with honors from American in 1994. He went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Sport Administration and Management with honors from VCU in 2004.

He played professionally for 11 seasons (1994-2004), including the last five with the Richmond Kickers of the A-League. Brown was also a member of the A-League’s New Orleans Storm from 1996-99 and played briefly for Major League Soccer’s Dallas Burn during the 1998 season. In addition, he spent two years with TusCelle of the German Third Division.

Brown’s collegiate coaching career began as an assistant with the University of Tampa men’s team in 1997. He then joined future wife Denise Schilte during her two-year stint as head coach at Maryland-Baltimore County before the pair arrived at VCU.

Born in London, England, Brown grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and holds citizenship in three countries: the United States, England and Canada. He possesses a USSF “A” coaching license and a USSF National Youth coaching license.

Brown’s wife, Denise Schilte-Brown, is the head coach of Tampa Bay Sun FC, a professional team that will compete in the USL Super League, and previously served as head coach at USF for 17 seasons (2007-23). The couple have two children, a set of twins named Ethan and Kenza.