Tom Brennan returns for his second season as an NCAA Basketball analyst. He is a former men’s basketball head coach, most notably at the University of Vermont from 1986 to 2005.
Raised in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, Brennan graduated as the all-time leading scorer at Phillipsburg Catholic High School. He then went on to graduate from the University of Georgia in 1971, where as a senior he received the men’s basketball team leadership award.
He began his coaching after graduating in the fall of 1971, as a graduate assistant at Georgia under Ken Rosemond. Sandwiched around a year as head basketball and baseball coach at Division III Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, New Jersey, Brennan was an assistant, under college basketball legends, Rollie Massimino at Villanova, Bill Raftery at Seton Hall and Bruce Parkhill at William & Mary.
In 1982 he was named head coach at Yale where he crafted a four-year record of 46-58 including back-to-back seasons of 14-12 and 13-13. At Yale he coached future NBA players such as Earl G. “Butch” Graves, Jr. and Chris Dudley.
In 1986, Brennan began his 19 year-tenure, at University of Vermont. The longest of any coach in the history of the America East and is tied for the longest current stint at one school, among New England Division I programs. During his 19 years, as the head coach of the Vermont Catamounts, he led the team to several America East Championships, along with the defeat of Syracuse University in the first round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament. Brennan has been honored as America East Coach of the Year three times in 1992, 1998, and 2002; as well NABC District I (New England) Coach of the Year on two occasions in 1992 and 2002. He was also named National Coach of the Year by the New Jersey Sportswriters in 2005.
Formerly Brennan co-hosted a morning radio show in Burlington, Vermont called the “Corm and the Coach Show,” with radio personality Steve Cormier. In 1996 and 2000, his radio show received the Vermont Associated Press award for the state’s top radio sports feature. The “Corm and the Coach Show” ended in July 2008.
In addition to his duties for Westwood One, Brennan is an analyst for SiriusXM; a position he also held at ESPN.
One of the more popular public speakers in the State of Vermont, Brennan has spoken at many charity events, business seminars, youth sports functions and high school graduations.
Tom Brennan's Posts
Midwest Regional 3rd Round: (2) Kansas 63 – (10) Purdue 60
OMAHA, NE – Kansas trailed almost the entire game but managed to rally in the final minute of regulation behind Elijah Johnson to beat 10th-seeded Purdue, 63-60 on Sunday. The Jayhawks were led by Johnson, who scored… Read More »
West Regional 3rd Round: (7) Florida 84 – (15) Norfolk State 50
OMAHA, NE – A penny for your thoughts, Missouri Tigers? After two days celebrating an historic upset of 2nd-seeded Missouri – perhaps a little too much – Norfolk State came crashing back to reality after being obliterated by Florida, 84-50. Kenny Boynton led Florida with 20 points and 8rebounds, as… Read More »
Norfolk State’s Anthony Evans: Full Interview
OMAHA, NE – It had been 11 years since a 15-seed had upset a 2-seed in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, and with the exception of Kentucky, the Missouri Tigers were perhaps the most popular Final Four pick amongst hoops fans. None of it mattered to Norfolk State.… Read More »Norfolk State, Florida, Kansas and Purdue in action…
OMAHA, NE – Kevin Kugler and Tom Brennan will be on hand to call all of the third-round action from CenturyLink Center in Omaha on the Westwood One Radio Network. First up Sunday at 6PM Eastern, the 15th-seeded Spartans of Norfolk State will try to follow their upset of Missouri… Read More »
UPSET FOR THE AGES: (15) Norfolk State shocks (2) Missouri
OMAHA, NE – So, how’s your bracket looking now? For just the fifth time in NCAA Tournament history, a 15th-seeded team defeated a 2nd-seeded team, as Norfolk State prevailed over Missouri by an 86-84 final in West regional. The Tigers, ranked #3 in the nation, had a chance to win… Read More »
Midwest Regional 2nd Round: (2) Kansas 65 – (15) Detroit 50
OMAHA, NE – Kansas overcame a slow start, and avoided becoming the third 2nd-seeded team to fall on Friday, as the Jayhawks disposed of 15th-seeded Detroit, 65-50. Three Jayhawks scored in double-figures, led by Thomas Robinson’s 16. Robinson also hauled down 13 rebounds. Detroit’s high-flyer, Doug Anderson scored a team-high… Read More »
Midwest Regional 2nd Round: (10) Purdue 72 – (7) St. Mary’s (CA) 69
OMAHA, NE – Rob Jones missed a potential game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds, as 10th-seeded Purdue held on to defeat 7th-seeded St. Mary’s, 72-69, after surrendering a double-digit lead late in regulation. After trailing by as many as a dozen points in the second half, Jorden Page drilled a… Read More »
