Bio

In April 2023, Brianna Brennan was named the ninth head coach in Hillsdale College women’s basketball history, completing a meteoric rise for the talented young professional, going from a successful two-sport athlete at NCAA DII Gannon University to running her own program in seven seasons.

Prior to being named head coach of the Chargers, Brennan spent two seasons as the lead assistant at Hillsdale, and helped lead the Chargers to 30 wins after Hillsdale had finished with just 10 in the two seasons prior. Brennan was active in recruiting, scouting, assembling game plans and running practices, playing an important role in big improvements for the Chargers at both ends of the floor.

Her success in that role, and her familiarity with the program and the current roster made her a natural choice for the position after it came open in April. 

"We were extremely fortunate in this search to have a great head coaching candidate already on staff in Brie," Athletic Director John Tharp said. "She's played an important role in the women's basketball team's success the last two seasons and she's proven herself ready for this opportunity. We're excited about the future of the program and looking forward to the season to come."

Brennan's goal is to continue to build the Hillsdale College basketball program towards conference and regional success, while maintaining the high standards of academic achievement and character the program has been known for over the years.

“I’m excited and beyond humbled to be entrusted with the opportunity to be the next women’s basketball head coach at Hillsdale College,” Brennan said. “Having worked in this program the last two years, I understand how special a place this is, and the level of trust shown in me by everyone involved in the hiring process is something I’m extremely grateful for.

"I've seen firsthand the level of support for this program from the Athletic Department and the campus at large, and it's inspiring. It allows us to keep growing as a program and chasing success, and our goal is to continue to repay that trust by representing Hillsdale well on the court, in the classroom and in the community."

Prior to Hillsdale, Brennan spent two years as a graduate assistant with Eastern Illinois, working with a program that posted a 30-27 record the past two seasons and made the Ohio Valley Conference tournament in both 2020 and 2021.

At Eastern Illinois, she helped the program with scouting, managed game day operations and equipment, and played an important role in individual skill development as well.

A Michigan native who grew up in Woodhaven, a suburb of Detroit, and starred at Woodhaven High School, Brennan played three years of women’s basketball at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania, helping the Knights to two NCAA Tournament appearances during her time with the team and finishing 11th in Gannon history in career blocked shots with 80.

Brennan also starred on Gannon’s volleyball team as a middle blocker, appearing in the NCAA Tournament in both 2016 and 2017 and helping the Knights to their first-ever NCAA Division II Final Four appearance in volleyball in 2017.

During her time at Gannon, she also created the Shooting for Smiles Basketball Clinic, developing and helping fund and direct an annual basketball camp for people with special needs.

After graduating from Gannon in 2017 with a B.A. in Education, Brennan spent a year coaching at the AAU level with the Erie Irish program, as well as teaching in the Fairview School District in Fairview, Pennsylvania, before taking the graduate assistant job at Eastern Illinois. She also earned a master’s degree in Sports Administration while coaching the Panthers, in 2021.