Micah Brand Named Assistant Director of Athletics

MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. – The SUNY Orange athletic department announces the hiring of Micah Brand as Assistant Director of Athletics, replacing SUNY Orange Hall of Famer Stacey Morris.

A Middletown native, Brand currently serves as the head coach of the SUNY Orange women’s basketball team. He took over the reins of the program in July 2021, leading the Colts to back to back appearances in the NJCAA Region XV championship game in 2023 and 2024.Previously, Brand had served as an assistant coach on the men’s basketball staff under current head coach Thomas Rickard. 

“We are excited for Micah to start this new chapter of his career with us here at SUNY Orange,” said Brian Burns, SUNY Orange Director of Athletics. “Micah has a long successful career in basketball, but more importantly for us, he has shown a strong commitment to bettering the lives and experience of our student-athletes. His focus on the student-athlete experience as well as his experience as a mentor will help provide SUNY Orange students with the best experience.”

"I want to thank Executive Director of Communications, Mike Albright, and Director of Athletics, Brian Burns for their confidence in giving me this opportunity,” Brand said. “SUNY Orange athletics has played such a significant role in my life. Growing up playing basketball in Middletown, I spent countless summers on this campus attending basketball camps first as a student and eventually as a counselor, playing in the summer leagues, AAU tournaments and open gyms - then being able to coach here. This program has provided me with so many opportunities throughout my life, and I am beyond blessed to now be a part of its continued growth."

During the 2016-17 season, Brand served as a player development coach for Region XV rival Sullivan County Community College where he helped develop Second-Team All American Ardella Brown.

From 2010 to 2017, Brand returned to his alma mater, Middletown High School, to assist the Middies in a player development role.

Before joining the coaching ranks, Brand enjoyed a successful 10-year professional career overseas. Over the course of his professional career, Brand was named all-league seven times (2005-2012) and was twice named Center of the Year (2005 and 2009). He was named to over a dozen All-Import teams throughout his career, including being named Korean Basketball League Import Player of the Year in 2009 while also being named First Team All-KBL that same year. Brand earned Arab Championship All-Tournament honors while playing for Sagesse Club in Lebanon in 2010.

Brand earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from UMass-Amherst and his master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Capella University. Micah and his wife, Danielle, have been married since 2010 and have four children