HONOLULU—University of Hawai’i head baseball coach Mike Trapasso added a new piece to his coaching staff by announcing the hiring of Mike Brown on Tuesday afternoon.
Brown a native of Davis, California comes to UH after serving the last two years with Southeastern Conference powerhouse Mississippi State. His tenure in Starkville began in the summer of 2016 as the MSU baseball volunteer assistant for head coach John Cohen, and later an assistant coach under interim head coach Gary Henderson during the 2018 season.
“We’re excited to add Mike Brown to our staff. The first two things you look for in an assistant coach are character and work ethic, and Mike (Brown) is off the charts in both categories,” said Trapasso. “His experience coaching and recruiting in the SEC, as well as his west coast ties, make him a great fit for our program.”
Last season as a part of the Bulldogs coaching staff, Mississippi St. made it the semifinal round of the College World Series, falling to the eventual National Champion, Oregon State. Brown, a significant piece of the offensive puzzle, saw the Bulldogs rank in the top five of the SEC in runs scored, hits, RBIs, doubles, triples, total bases, total plate appearances, and at-bats.
Prior to his time at MSU, Brown served as an assistant coach at New Mexico State under Head Coach Brian Green from 2014 to 2016 and at the University of Kentucky under Henderson in 2013 and 2014 as a graduate assistant.
During his stint at NMSU, the Aggies’ offense made impressive strides from 2015 and dominated the Western Athletic Conference, leading the way in a multitude of categories. In total, NMSU led the WAC in batting average, slugging percentage, runs, RBIs, doubles, home runs, HBPs, and total bases. At Kentucky, the Wildcats led the SEC in batting average, runs, home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, and HBP.
Over the course of his collegiate coaching career, 23 players who played under Brown have been selected in the major league baseball draft. Including four making it to big league rosters, Collin Cowgill, Andrew Albers, Trevor Gott, and most recently AJ Reed.
Brown also has head coaching experience as he coached in the Valley Baseball League, one of the premier summer collegiate leagues, overseeing the Fulton Railroaders in 2014.
Leading up to his stacked coaching career, was a stellar playing career.As a player at Kentucky from 2006-2007, Brown led the Wildcats to a historic pair of seasons and finished with his name splattered all over the record book. After helping UK to the 2006 SEC Championship and hosting an NCAA Regional in his first season as a reserve utility man, Brown emerged as a star. Leading the club in average and runs scored. He finished 2007 ranked seventh in single-season history in runs, ninth in on-base percentage, fourth in sac bunts, and ninth in hit by pitches.
Brown holds two degrees from the University of Kentucky as he graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture Science, and later a Masters of Education in Sports Management and Leadership in 2014.
