Gannon University Athletics

Brunelli begins his sixth season as the Gannon women's basketball head coach in 2018-19. His first five seasons at Gannon were nothing short of tremendous, resulting in 91 victories, four Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament appearances and a pair of NCAA Division II Tournament bids.

Brunelli won more games during his first three seasons than any coach in program history. In addition, he guided teams to the NCAA Tournament during each of his first two seasons. No previous Gannon coach had coached teams in the national tournament earlier than their third season.

The Lady Knights recorded their fourth winning season (16-13) under Brunelli's five-year leadership in 2017-18, also earning its fourth PSAC Tournament appearance in five years. Maggie Mitchell was named a PSAC Top 10 winner for representing one of the league's best combinations of academics and athletic performances.

Gannon posted its third consecutive winning season under Brunelli and fifth straight overall with a 17-11 record in 2015-16. The Lady Knights started the campaign with 11 victories during their first 14 contests. A 64-58 win at the Hammermill Center during the PSAC Tournament First Round propelled the team into the conference quarterfinals for the fifth consecutive year. The squad’s highest national ranking of the season came at No. 18 in November.

Academically, Gannon has flourished under Brunelli. Lady Knights have been named PSAC Scholar-Athletes 48 times during his five-year tenure. Lady Knights received the NCAA Division II Athletics Directors Association (ADA) Academic Achievement Award 25 times during that same time span.

Gannon has been among the nation’s top 25 in team grade point average four times in five years with Brunelli on the sideline. The Lady Knights ranked 19th in 2017-18 (3.615), 20th in 2013-14 (3.550), 20th in 2014-15 (3.550) and 24th in 2015-16 (3.530). The team GPA finished first among PSAC programs in 2017-18, second in 2013-14, second in 2014-15 and third in 2015-16.

Community awareness and volunteerism have been a focal point for Brunelli. The program’s Pink Zone effort eclipsed the $100,000 mark in 2014-15. The event honors and recognizes breast cancer survivors, as well as educates about breast cancer while helping raise funds for breast cancer research and those affected by the disease. Cancer survivors are also recognized throughout the Pink Zone games. The Lady Knights have raised over $141,427 for cancer research through these games.

On a personal level, Brunelli reached a milestone with his 100th career victory on January 22, 2014 after an 86-47 decision against Pitt-Johnstown. He secured career win No. 150 with a 71-63 overtime decision against Bloomsburg at the Hammermill Center on December 4, 2016.

Gannon recorded its second 20-win season in as many years under Brunelli in 2014-15, finishing 21-8 overall and 18-4 in the PSAC. The Lady Knights roared down the stretch, winning 14 of their last 16 regular-season games. The streak included a pair of victories against eventual national champion California (Pa.). Gannon posted a 71-63 home victory on January 22, before completing the sweep with a 69-63 overtime verdict February 21 on the Vulcan’s home floor. Gannon was ranked as high as No. 3 in the USA Today Sports Top 25 Poll early in the season.

Brunelli led the Lady Knights to a 28-4 overall record, the PSAC Championship Game and the NCAA Division II Tournament second round during his first season in 2013-14. It represents the best first-year performance by a Gannon women’s basketball head coach during the program’s 43-year history. The previous first-season best was 15 victories set by Lea Austin in 1980-81 and Joe Spinelli in 1984-85.

Gannon rose as high as No. 2 in the USA Today Sports Top 25 Poll, before finishing ninth in the final national rankings. The Lady Knights sprinted out of the gates under Brunelli, winning their first 17 games. The squad’s first loss didn’t occur until January 18.

The program led the PSAC in winning percentage (.875), scoring margin (14.4), rebounding margin (5.9) and scoring defense (60.1) during Brunelli’s first season. Gannon finished second in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.09) and assists per game (17.1). Overall, the Lady Knights were among the conference’s top five in 15 of 18 statistical categories. Nationally, Gannon had the eighth-best winning percentage and 11th-highest scoring margin.

Gannon introduced Brunelli June 17, 2013 during a press conference held in the Boardroom of Gannon’s Old Main. He became the program’s ninth head coach as the Lady Knights embarked on their 40th year. A 19-year coaching veteran at both the NCAA Division I and II levels, Brunelli came to Gannon after serving as the head coach at Anderson (S.C.) University during the previous five seasons. The Trojans won three conference tournament titles (two in Conference Carolinas and one in the South Atlantic Conference) and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament three times during his five seasons at the helm.

Brunelli was named SAC Coach of the Year in 2012-13 after guiding Anderson to the conference regular-season and tournament championships. The Trojans began the season with a 72-65 victory at NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) member Clemson, before finishing 23-9 overall.

The coaching veteran hit the pavement running at Anderson, immediately leading the program to back-to-back NCAA Division II Tournament appearances during his first two seasons in 2008-09 and 2009-10. His Anderson resume included 82 victories, six all-conference selections, three conference tournament Most Valuable Players, six all-tournament team selections, three conference tournament titles, three NCAA Tournament appearances and one conference Player of the Year.

Brunelli’s Anderson teams showed a knack for peaking at the right time. The Trojans closed out his first campaign in 2008-09 by winning five of their last six regular-season games, before winning four straight to claim the conference tournament title by an average margin of 24.5 points. Three of those tournament victories came on the road. The 2009-10 season saw Anderson win seven of its final eight regular-season contests and claim hosting rights for the conference tournament where the program capture its second consecutive title and eighth straight trip to the NCAA Regional. The Trojans rattled off 13 victories in their final 16 regular-season contests during his final season.

Anderson ranked among the NCAA Division II top 50 during the 2012-13 campaign in fewest turnovers per game (15.3), free throw percentage (74.0), scoring defense (57.8), won-loss percentage (71.9) and three-point field goals per game (6.6). Ironically, Gannon was also among the top 40 in the last three categories.

Prior to arriving at Anderson, Brunelli spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach and the recruiting coordinator under former Gannon head coach Jodi Kest at the University of Akron. Kest, who ranks second in overall victories (105) at Gannon, led Akron to a 23-10 record, the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament championship game and a Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) bid in 2012-13.

Brunelli was an assistant coach for six seasons (2000-06) at the University at Albany, including the last two as the top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. During his tenure with the NCAA Division I Great Danes, he was responsible for the signing of All-America East selection Danielle Hutcheson. He also served as interim head coach at Albany for five months at the completion of the 2001-02 season.

“I like to be up-tempo on the offensive end and aggressive on the defensive end,” Brunelli notes of his style. “I’m not afraid to mix it up and play zone, but we’re not going to sit back in a zone with our hands up. We will do some trapping and some other concepts. I like to run and push the ball. I want a lot of players to shoot the three, but I also want to have inside presence.”

The Force, Pa., native began his coaching career at PSAC member Clarion University where he was a graduate assistant from 1998 to 2000. Brunelli played for the Clarion men’s basketball team in 1993-94 and earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Clarion in 1996. He later received a master’s degree in communication education and mass media in 2000. Brunelli and his wife, Stacey, have two daughters, Baylee Ann and Jaylynn.



Brunelli’s Coaching Career

• Head Coach - Gannon University (2013-14 to present)
• Head Coach – Anderson (S.C.) University (2008-09 through 2012-13)
• Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator – University of Akron (2006-07 through 2007-08)
• Interim Head Coach – University at Albany (2001-02)
• Top Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator – University at Albany (2004-05 through 2005-06)
• Assistant Coach – University at Albany (2000-01 through 2003-04)
• Graduate Assistant Coach – Clarion University (1998-99 through 1999-00)

 

Year	Overall Record	Overall Win %	Conference Record	Conference Win %	Regular-Season Finish	Conference Tournament	NCAA Tournament
2013-14	28-4	.875	14-2	.875	2nd - PSAC West	PSAC Finals	Second Round
2014-15	21-8	.724	18-4	.818	3rd - PSAC West	PSAC Quarterfinals	First Round
2015-16	17-11	.607	14-8	.636	3rd - PSAC West	PSAC Quarterfinals
2016-17	9-19	.321	9-13	.409	7th - PSAC West
2017-18	16-13	.552	13-9	.591	5th - PSAC West	PSAC First Round
Totals (5 yrs)	91-55	.623	68-36	.654