CHICAGO – UIC women's basketball head coach Tasha Pointer announced the additions of Tim Valentine and Danielle Brown to her staff on Friday. Both Valentine and Brown will be joining the Flames as assistant coaches for the upcoming 2020-21 season. 

Valentine brings 20 years of experience in player development and recruiting to the Flames, highlighted by two NCAA Tournament appearances, as well as a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) regular season and tournament championship.

"We are thrilled to have Tim Valentine join our staff," Pointer said. "His wealth of experience and knowledge surrounding player development and recruiting will prove itself valuable for the current and future of our program and its successes. Tim knows what it takes to win and we are happy to have him join us here in Chicago."

Valentine makes his way to Chicago following a six-year stint as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Hampton University. In his first season with the Lady Pirates (2014-15), Valentine was named MEAC Assistant Coach of the Year, guiding Hampton to a 19-win season that culminated in the team's fifth-straight MEAC Regular Championship and a Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) Second Round appearance. Under Valentine's direction, The Lady Pirates went on to be crowned MEAC Tournament Champions in 2017 and MEAC Tournament Runners Up in 2018.

While at Hampton, Valentine assisted with practice planning, organized game plans, coordinated strength and conditioning programs and helped scouted opponents. Valentine also assisted with the team's budget, game scheduling and game preparation management during his time with the Lady Pirates.

Prior to his stint in Virginia, Valentine spent two years in our nation's capital as the First Assistant Coach at Georgetown University, where he served as the team's academic administrator, study hall coordinator, strength coach, and was also the team's liaison for potential WNBA draftees.

Before his role with the Hoyas, Valentine spent time as the recruiting coordinator at Elon University, coordinating player development while also assisting with practice planning, game plans, player development and scouting.

From 2010-11, Valentine served as the recruiting coordinator and assistant coach at Saint Augustine's College, where he was responsible for player development and performance enhancement. Valentine also contributed as the Falcons' academic administrator, study hall coordinator, and strength coach.

Valentine got his start in collegiate athletics at Southern Wesleyan University, where he held both a head assistant coach role and an exercise science instructor role. As the head assistant, Valentine oversaw academic intervention and support for student-athletes and helped direct coaches in academic monitoring of all student-athletes. While at Southern Wesleyan, Valentine was awarded the Minority Leadership Award in 2009. He was also named a Who's Who amongst strength/conditioning coaches in 2009.

In addition to his collegiate coaching roles, Valentine boasts 10 years of experience as the Head Women's Basketball Coach for the SC Flames AAU Travel Team (2000-10). Valentine also spent 11 years working various UNC Lady Tar Heels Basketball Camps (2000-11) and served as the Hilcrest High School Assistant Coach from 2000-06.

"Tim will be a great fit here at UIC," Pointer continued. "His ability to develop student-athletes into successful individuals in all facets of life will make him a great resource for our players and program."

Valentine received a Bachelor of Science in physical education from Southern Wesleyan with a minor in athletic coaching. He went on to receive a Master of Science in Sport Administration from Hampton University.

Brown will be joining the Flames as an assistant coach after spending the last two seasons as an assistant at Yale. In her first season with the Bulldogs (2018-19), Brown helped Yale to a 16-win season, tying for third most in school history. The 2019-20 Bulldogs continued to build success under Brown's tutelage, accumulating 19 wins to tie the program record. 

Prior to her stint at Yale, Brown spent the 2017-18 season on staff at Rutgers-Newark, where she helped the Scarlet Raiders finish first in offensive rebounding, third in scoring defense and fifth in steals in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play. Brown helped coach All-NJAC Honorable Mention selection Faith Ashby, who ranked second in the league in steals (13th nationally), fifth in scoring and fifth in assists.

Brown served as head coach at Rahway High School in New Jersey from 2011-17, where she led the Indians to six-straight State Tournament appearances and a conference title in 2015-16. Brown took the team on its deepest postseason run since 2001, leading the team to the quarterfinals of the county tournament and the semifinals of the state tournament sectional.

From 2010-17, Brown also served as an assistant coach with the Bishop Ahr High School track program in Edison, N.J., and was an assistant for the KJ Basketball 15U AAU program starting in the summer of 2016. In 2010-11, she was also an assistant coach at Franklin High School in Somerset, N.J., where she helped develop the school's all-time leader in scoring, rebounding and steals.

As a forward at Kean, Brown helped the Cougars to four NCAA DIII Tournament appearances and three Elite Eight appearances, accumulating a 106-18 record over the course of her career. Brown served as team captain for the 2009-10 season and was given the team's Unsung Hero Award, just one year after earning the team's Most Improved Player Award and earning an All-NJAC Honorable Mention selection.

"I'm so excited to have Danielle join us here at UIC." Pointer said. "Her success as a coach and player will help her serve as an excellent role model to our players. Danielle has been a part of several winning teams while displaying a strong work-ethic in growing a successful program."

A native of New Brunswick, N.J., Brown graduated cum laude from Kean in 2010 with a degree in health/physical education.