MBB's Browne Named NECC Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year
MANSFIELD, Mass. - Mitchell College senior Ahmani Browne (St. John's, Antigua) was selected as the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Male Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year, as announced by the conference on Friday morning. Browne becomes the fourth Mitchell student-athlete, and second from the men's basketball team, to win the award, which is given annually and recognizes athletic and academic successes while also factoring in leadership and community service components. The winner is determined by a vote of the conference's Athletic Directors.
A four-year letterwinner on the men's basketball team, Browne helped guide the Mariners to back to back NECC Championship titles and appearances in the NCAA Tournament during his final two seasons. As a senior, he started in 22 games, averaging 4.8 points and 4.0 rebounds as Mitchell posted a 23-5 overall record, the most wins in the program's Division III history. Browne was named to the NECC All-Tournament team during the 2021-22 season after putting up 11 points and nine rebounds in the semifinals against New England College, before netting a career-high 19 points with 10 boards in the title game against Eastern Nazarene College. Over the course of his career, Browne averaged 5.4 points and 3.8 rebounds over 61 games, earning Del Malloy Sportsmanship team honors as well.
"Ahmani's impact within our program was significant and I know his growth as a player and leader coincided with our success," said head men's basketball coach and Associate Athletics Director, Todd Peretz. "He was also very supportive and one of our most vocal fans for all athletic contest/teams. His smile and ability to get his classmates engaged was infectious. His impact was not limited to the athletic side as he was a spokesperson for the college at some of our admissions events speaking to families and future Mariners."
Browne's impact went far beyond the court, as he was a NECC Academic All-Conference selection each of his eligable years, as well as member of Chi Alpha Sigma. A recent graduate with a degree in Marine Biology, Browne was the 2023 recipient of the Mariner Excellence Award, presented annually to the male and female graduating student-athletes who have excelled athletically while also attaining an outstanding academic record.
"Ahmani has changed in so many ways from the first time he set foot on the campus," shared Peretz. "He was always a disciplined and conscientious student but through his experiences, internships, etc., his love for Marine Biology and academics blossomed. From a basketball standpoint he came in as a hardworking, undersized forward and over the four years his transformation in regards to his skill set, physical strength and leadership improved exponentially each year."
Active both on campus and in the community, Browne worked as an intern at the Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut, and this past winter he attended the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Conference in Austin, Texas, to present research on invasive marine fouling organisms. The summer before his senior year, he interned at the University of Illinois's Prairie Research Institute in the Summer Research Opportunities Program. During the 10-week hands on program, Browne studied the risks of winter severity in the Midwest due to climate change.
"The legacy he has left behind is one that should be the guiding principle for all future students who attend Mitchell College," continued Peretz. "From day one he immersed himself within the campus academically, socially and athletically and exemplified 'being a big fish in a small pond'".
Browne graduated in May with a 3.55 GPA and plans to attend grad school at Louisiana State University to further his academic career in the field of marine biology.