Photo Courtesy: Quinnipiac Athletics

By: Shane Dennehy
Follow @ShaneDennehy15
There is no correct way to become a college basketball coach and the same thing can be said for the new voice that you will hear on Quinnipiac’s sideline this season.

Quinnipiac named Brian Wilson as one of its new assistants following the departure of Mountain MacGillivray who took the head coaching job at La Salle in his hometown of Philadelphia, Pa.

Wilson did not get a scholarship to play basketball in college but while he attended the University of Virginia he got the opportunity to be a practice player for its women’s basketball team. As a practice player, he also took on other responsibilities that helped shape his coaching future.

“I did some film work for them and that’s how I got my foot in the door,” Wilson said.

Despite getting his first opportunity to be around women’s basketball at the University of Virginia, Wilson also got the opportunity to work with a men’s team when he interned at Williams College in Massachusetts.

At Williams, Wilson got to work with both the men’s and women’s programs.

After graduating from the University of Virginia, Wilson took the next step in his coaching journey when he became a graduate assistant for the women’s basketball team at Western Kentucky University.

Wilson is no stranger to Quinnipiac basketball because when he was an assistant at Holy Cross, his team played against Quinnipiac. Wilson also knew MacGillivray and Fabbri prior to taking the job at Quinnipiac. Wilson tried to recruit Tricia Fabbri’s daughter Carly to Connecticut College but Cary ultimately chose to play for her mother at Quinnipiac.

Fabbri likes a balance on her coaching staff and that is why she brought in Wilson. He brings something different to the Quinnipiac coaching staff.

“I always look for balance,” Fabbri said. “I don’t ever want anything to be the same. I don’t want my personality to be the same as Destini (Hughes-Santos), Danielle (Brennan), Telia (Marks-McCall) and Brian (Wilson). Having a male assistant on staff allows us to be different and creative.”

Wilson brings a wide range of experience to the staff. He has experience coaching at not only the Division 1 level but also the Division 3 level where he just spent the past nine years helping turning Connecticut College into a consistent winner.

Fabbri admired the hard work that Wilson put into building his program, since at the Division 3 level it is about the education as there are no scholarships to play basketball.

Despite only being at Quinnipiac since May, Wilson has already been able to contribute to his new coaching staff.

“Calmness,” Fabbri said when asked what Wilson has taught her so far. “He has been a great equalizer, listening and trying to learn to himself what is important to me.”

Not only does Wilson have to adjust to a new school, a new town and new players but the coaching staff and most importantly the players also have to adjust to him.

“(Wilson) is a great guy,” Strautmane said. “He is really caring and whatever you need he will be there for you.”

Quinnipiac’s goal is not to produce WNBA caliber players but rather to help produce high quality women and Wilson’s goals are no different when it comes to the impact that coaches have on players.

“My favorite part is the impact that we strive to have on the lives of young people,” Wilson said when asked what his favorite part about being a basketball coach.

Wilson left a lasting impact with one of his former players at Connecticut College and he will look to continue to impact his players at Quinnipiac too.

“I got a text from one of my former players at Connecticut College and she thanked me for the two years that we shared together and what I meant to her,” Wilson said. “That just makes your heart sing. That’s what this is all about. I added some value to her life and that’s what we should get into (coaching) to do.”

Wilson will be on the sideline for a Division 1 women’s basketball game for the first time in nine years when the Quinnipiac Bobcats take on the Drexel Dragons on Friday night at 7 p.m.