Programmed for Success

As any gamer will tell you, the only thing that matters is owning the high score. Senior forward Kourtney Brown has brought that mentality to Alumni Arena and the women's basketball team.

Brown is the dominating force that has led the Bulls with a season that has been nothing short of impressive. The team captain has broken the all-time career records for points, rebounds, and blocks, and it's only the halfway point of the season. Her leadership, both directly to her teammates and through the example she sets on the floor, is invaluable to the Bulls.

"She's such a factor in everything that we do," said head coach Linda Hill-MacDonald. "Whether it's offense or defense, Kourtney plays a tremendous role."

Despite her immense success on the court, Brown has not lost sight of her studies or the career that she wants to pursue. Her passion off the court is video games. That's right; the most dominant athlete on campus is a video game nerd.

After her career in basketball is finished, Brown would like nothing more than to enter the field of video game programming.

"I love video games," Brown said. "I really like the idea of creating something that someone else can control in any way that they want."

That dream may have to wait a while, however, because of the success that Brown is having in her final season. There has been talk of extending her playing career beyond college. Although it is a bit early to think about the possibility of professional play, those around Brown know that it is not unrealistic.

"I know she can play at the next level," said Hill-MacDonald, who has coached in the WNBA. "The only thing that might hold her back initially is her size, but the coach that gives her an opportunity is going to be very pleased, and the others will be shaking their heads thinking about why they didn't take a look at her."

Brown's path to Buffalo began about three hours down the I-90W. She grew up in Solon, Ohio with her parents, Kalvin Sr. and Kim, and older siblings, Kalvin Jr. and Brandie. She was introduced to basketball by her older brother, who also played the sport.

Her parents were very supportive of her athletic aspirations and helped her succeed throughout her high school career. In her first two years at Solon High School, however, she saw her future panning out differently than it turned out.

"When I was a freshman and sophomore in high school, I really thought I was going to be a cross-country runner in college," Brown said. "I don't know what happened, but over my sophomore summer, I fell in love with basketball and realized that I could not give it up."

Her decision to stick with basketball may have been influenced by the deep understanding of the game that she received during her time with the Solon Comets. When she first entered high school, she stood at 5-foot 7-inches, and her coaches had her playing point and shooting guard. By the end of her career in high school, she had grown to 5-foot 11-inches and had begun playing in the post.

Having the opportunity to play every position gave her insight into every aspect of the game.

"I really think it helped me realize what other people are going through on the floor," Brown said. "I remember when I was a guard and wished my post player had been in a place for me to make a play. It definitely has given me a better awareness on the floor."

Brown's knowledge of the game helped her lead the Comets to the state championship her senior year. She was also able to set school records for points in a game (41) and rebounds in a game (21).

As great as her high school stats were, it wasn't until she started to compete in the Amateur Athletics Union tournaments that she began to garner interest from college programs.

"I came late to recruiting because I didn't play AAU until the summer before my junior year," Brown said. "That's how you get to college, through AAU."

It was after one of the AAU tournaments that Buffalo first contacted Brown. She had been approached by schools located closer to her hometown, such as Toledo and Akron, but she preferred Buffalo because of a special connection she had to one of the university's biggest rivals.

"My mom had grown up in Buffalo," Brown said. "She had gone to Niagara [University] and had told me that they were rivals, so I had to give it a look."

She fell in love with the campus and people at the university, but it was the school's engineering program that sealed her decision.

Even with the prospect of professional play on the horizon, Brown is still focused on the season at hand. There is a great deal that she wishes to accomplish before her time with the Bulls comes to an end.

If Brown continues to play at the level she's demonstrated, it could be game over for the rest of the Mid-American Conference come March.

E-mail: sports@ubspectrum.com