Illinois Sports Information Director Kent Brown Retiring Following 36-Year Career
Long-time Lieutenant Derrick Burson to Assume Leadership of Fighting Illini Athletics Communications
CHAMPAIGN, Ill.– Illinois Associate Athletic Director Kent Brown, the longest serving Sports Information Director in Fighting Illini history, will retire at the conclusion of the 2022-23 school year. Brown steps away after 23 years in charge of the UI athletics communication office, and total of 36 years in the athletics communication industry.
Brown has led the Illinois SID office since May 2000, following four years as Sports Information Director at Kansas State. It was a return to Champaign for Brown, who previously served as UI assistant SID from 1989-96. His ties to the Illini SID office date back to 1986, when he started as an undergraduate student worker before serving as a graduate assistant from 1987-89. In all, Brown has spent 32 years devoted to Fighting Illini Athletics.
"I want to thank my friend and colleague Kent Brown for his many years of incredible service to Illinois Athletics," said Director of Athletics Josh Whitman. "Kent has filled a variety roles, both formal and informal, in our organization, including serving as our resident historian, and his wealth of experience and thoughtful perspective has been an invaluable resource to this program for more than 20 years. His good nature and true Fighting Illini spirit have been examples for all of us. On a personal level, dating back to my days in law school when Kent and I first grew close, he has been a valued friend and confidante, and our relationship has only deepened since I started in this role. I want to congratulate him on his retirement and wish him and Amy nothing but the best in the next exciting chapter of their lives."
During his total career in intercollegiate athletics, Brown has helped publicize teams in two men's basketball Final Fours (1989 and 2005) and 19 NCAA Tournaments, along with 17 football bowl games, including the 1997 Fiesta Bowl, 2002 Sugar Bowl, 2008 Rose Bowl and, most recently, the 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl.
Brown has been integral in spearheading such initiatives as the UI Athletics Hall of Fame, which began in 2017, the Illinois Basketball Honored Jerseys and Honored Coaches programs, the Basketball Centennial celebration in 2004-05, and the Football Centennial season-long campaign in 1990.
"Working in collegiate athletics for the past 36 years, with 32 of those years at the University of Illinois, has been an incredibly fortunate and fulfilling journey," Brown said. "I've had the privilege of working alongside some amazing colleagues, coaches, student-athletes, and media professionals who are truly inspiring in their expertise and passion. As a sports information director, I've always believed that we are some of the most talented and versatile people in the industry.
"I'm grateful for the trust and guidance of my athletics directors, including John Mackovic, Ron Guenther, Mike Thomas, and Josh Whitman at Illinois, and Max Urick at Kansas State. Their leadership has been invaluable to me.
"The relationships I've built over my career will remain the most cherished aspect of my journey. Being able to witness and promote some of the greatest moments in Fighting Illini history has been a privilege. As someone who grew up on a farm near Hammond, just 40 miles from the UI campus, I could never have imagined the career path I've been fortunate enough to follow.
"I first heard about Big Ten sports information directors as a young person watching football and basketball games on TV and was fascinated by their role. Discovering that it was a possible career path in athletics was a defining moment for me. I feel incredibly fortunate to have been one of those lucky people who have been able to pursue their passion for more than three decades."
During his career, Brown has worked with Hall of Fame Coaches Lou Henson, Bill Snyder, Bill Self, Lon Kruger, Theresa Grentz, Gary Wieneke and Itch Jones and worked under Athletic Directors Neale Stoner, John Mackovic, Ron Guenther, Mike Thomas and Josh Whitman at Illinois, and Max Urick at Kansas State.
"Since Lou and Kent worked together for a number of years, the two formed a close friendship. Lou greatly respected Kent's excellent abilities and work ethic, unmatched integrity, and complete dedication to transparency concerning all facets of Illinois Athletics," said Lou Henson's wife, Mary. "Kent's natural charisma and great sense of humor made him a favorite with Lou and the other coaches, athletes, and news media. I know that Lou would agree with me, that Kent Brown may best be described as having been a fabulous ambassador for University of Illinois Athletics. He is wished the best of all futures."
"Since I first met with Kent during my first day on the job, his knowledge of Illinois' history and media relations has been so valuable," said head football coach Bret Bielema. "He is another great example of the passionate people here at Illinois that bleed orange and blue and make this place special. I wish him nothing but the best in retirement."
"Kent is as well respected as they come in the sports information profession, and he has been a valuable asset during my six years here," said head men's basketball coach Brad Underwood. "He is a walking historian, cares deeply for the University of Illinois, and is a strong member of our local community. With more than 30 years of dedicated service, Kent is a tie that connects different eras of our programs together, and his love for Illini Athletics is truly unmatched."
"Kent is woven into the fabric that is Illinois athletics," said head soccer coach Janet Rayfield. "His passion for and investment in the program, its history, the athletes, and the coaches has been unmatched. Kent knows in detail the athletes, coaches and administrators and understands the legacies they have left. Thankfully he was here when Illinois initiated the Hall of Fame; his knowledge and his passion will both be missed. He will leave his own legacy!"
At Illinois, Brown has helped lead publicity efforts in men's basketball for two National Players of the Year (Dee Brown, Ayo Dosunmu), three Big Ten Players of the Year (Frank Williams, Brian Cook and Dee Brown) and seven consensus All-Americans (Dee Brown-twice, Luther Head, Deron Williams, Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn-twice). With the football program, he helped lead publicity efforts for 1994 Butkus Award winner Dana Howard, 1995 Butkus Award winner Kevin Hardy and 2011 Hendricks Award winner Whitney Mercilus. At Kansas State, he publicized 13 national football award finalists, including the 1998 Davey O'Brien Award winner and Heisman Trophy runner-up (Michael Bishop).
"Kent and I go way back. He was just starting out when I was playing at Illinois, and he did so much to help us as young players, to understand how to work with the media and use it to our advantage," said Illini great Howard Griffith, who set an NCAA record with eight touchdowns in a game, won two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos, and now serves as lead football analyst for Big Ten Network. "People on the outside do not understand how difficult the SID's job is, because they are always having to ask for something. But Kent communicated so well with the players and coaches and built a trust with us to where we knew he always had our best interest in mind."
"Kent is the best. He is family, and I am forever grateful for what he has done for me, our program and the whole Illini Nation," said Illini legend Dee Brown, the two-time consensus All-American and 2005 Sporting News National Player of the Year. "I appreciate him, and I wish him and his family the best!"
Brown's greatest strength in an ever-changing industry has been the forming of meaningful and long-lasting relationships with media across the local, regional, and national levels.
"Kent Brown's greatest asset was his ability to walk that fine line between representing Illini coaches-staff and providing the working media with an understanding of ongoing developments," said Loren Tate of the Champaign News-Gazette, who has spent 57 years covering Illinois Athletics. "He has been particularly helpful in explaining the ever-changing NCAA rules as those regulations run into conflict with court-discerned legality, most recently regarding NIL operations, conference expansion and multi-transfer eligibility. Personally, on those occasions when UI coaches-staff were unhappy with me, he never allowed those feelings to carry into our working relationship. He was always aware that our jobs were different, and he seemed to respect that."
A native of Hammond, Illinois, Brown earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Illinois. He and his wife Amy have a combined family of six children and five grandchildren and reside in Urbana. His last day with the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics is expected to be in mid-June.
In addition, Whitman announced that Derrick Burson, himself a 24-year veteran with the DIA, has been promoted to Associate Athletic Director and Sports Information Director for Fighting Illini Athletics. Burson, who has spent much of his career working closely with the Illinois men's basketball program, will succeed Brown in providing daily leadership to the UI athletics communication office.
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