BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - Gardner-Webb University Vice President and Director of Athletics Brendan Fahey has announced Mike Brown, a 15-year football coaching veteran, as the first head coach in Gardner-Webb women's flag football history
"We are excited to welcome Mike to the Gardner-Webb family," Fahey said. "He is a proven winner and has a great understanding of what it takes to be successful. We look forward to seeing our student-athletes compete on the field, excel in the classroom under his leadership, and helping to establish this new program"
Brown arrives at Gardner-Webb after helping to start the program at Lees-McRae in 2025. In one season under Brown's tutelage, the Bobcats immediately emerged as one of the best programs in Conference Carolinas, finishing 11-8 overall and with a 7-2 mark in conference play. Along with a solid record and a second place finish in Conference Carolinas, Brown turned Lees-McRae into one of the best two-way teams in America in his lone season on the mountain, leading a group that averaged 44 points per game on offense and allowed just 14 per game on defense. Furthermore, Brown also served as the Conference Carolina coaches chairman in the league's inaugural season sponsoring flag football.
Prior to arriving at Lees-McRae, Brown was the head women's flag football coach at Mandarin High School in Florida. Brown took over a team in 2021 fresh off a 5-11 season, and worked to turn the Mustangs program into a consistent winner. Mandarin made the playoffs each year of his tenure, going 36-22 over four seasons. Brown's time at Mandarin ended with a District Championship, the first for the school since 2014
Brown's career in football extends far beyond serving as a head coach and far beyond the women's flag game. Brown has coached at several different levels, including 7v7 and 5v5 with USA Football and NFL Flag. In addition, Brown served as the varsity offensive line and quarterbacks coach at Mandarin in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons, and spent time at Prescott High School in Arizona where he served as the program's passing game coordinator between 2015 and 2019.
Off the field, Brown has been selected to numerous different positions in and around the sport. In 2022, Brown represented Northeast Florida on the FHSAA Flag Football Advisory Committee Board, where he was eventually being picked to coach in the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Game for the North Team in 2024.
Brown received a unique honor in 2024, being selected as one of 18 coaches nationally for the USA Select Bowl in Los Angeles. One of the premier events on the national flag football calendar, the Select Bowl brings the best players from across the nation to train and play in front of national team scouts. As part of his role, Brown helped to design training camps, performance evaluations, and make roster decisions for US Junior and Senior national teams. He continues to
work with USA Football, currently serving as one of three national team scouts to assist the national team in evaluation of top talent.
Brown has also coached at the club level, with his teams earning bids to compete in the NFL Flag Championships, held every year at the NFL Pro Bowl. As the head coach of the Duval Divas and Prime GP teams, Brown has won nearly 100 games with a winning percentage above 71% across several different national tournaments and circuits.
Helping to elevate the women's flag football side of the game even further, Brown also founded the Girl Power 7v7 Flag Football League, as well as the Queen Bee Sport Academy. Through various camps, combines, challenges, sessions and more, Brown has worked with over 500 athletes directly through his own programs.
Brown also comes to Gardner-Webb with a strong background in quarterback development, having worked as a coach and camp director with QBImpact based in Oklahoma from 2017 to 2020. Brown helped to expand the brand in Arizona during his tenure there as well. In 2026, Brown to QBImpact once again to focus on shaping and advising training programs for female athletes within the organization
"I am incredibly honored to step into this role and lead this program at Gardner-Webb" says Brown. From the very beginning, it was clear that the leadership of President Evans and our athletic administration here share a powerful vision - not just to compete in the Big South, but to build a nationally respected destination for flag football athletes who want to learn, grow, and compete at the highest level."
"Everything we build will be grounded in our core values: Faith, Family, and Flag Football. That means creating an environment where our student-athletes are developed as people first, supported as a family, and challenge each other every day to pursue excellence on and off the field."
"I'm deeply appreciative of the trust in me to lead this program. Their commitment to doing this the right way, investing in the program, our culture, and a shared vision for long-term success, makes this a truly special opportunity! My family and I are thrilled to be a part of Gardner-Webb and the community! We're not just building a team; we are building to be the standard! We are looking for athletes who embrace that challenge"
A veteran of the United States Navy of nearly a decade, Brown served as a Naval Air Crewman at NAS Jacksonville between 2002 and 2011. A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Brown arrives at Gardner-Webb with his wife, Brandi and his children Michael, Grace and Avaya
