Western Illinois University Athletics

Stephanie (Brown) Brokaw enters her third year as an assistant coach for the Leathernecks. Stephanie will assist with coaching the middle distance and distance runners. Outside of her coaching obligations, she also serves as an integral part of the program from a Director of Operations standpoint.

In 2023, Brokaw helped coach Logan Lommel to four individual school records. Two records were set during his first year ever running cross country, including the 8K record set at the conference championships with a time of 24:16. During the outdoor season Logan Lommel also broke the 1500 meter and 300 meter steeplechase school records.

Additionally, Brokaw helped guide 2023 WIU Female Student-Athlete of the Year, Paulina Wuestefeld. She anchored the school record distance medley relay, breaking the previous record set in 1982. Wuestefeld also ran top-3 performances in school history for the mile, 3000 meters, and 5000 meters. In cross country, she broke the women’s school record with a time of 21:20 at the conference championships. 

In 2022, Brokaw helped lead Ackeen Colley to the school record in the indoor 800 meters, set at 1:47.98. Colley would go on to sweep in the indoor and outdoor 800 meter races at the conference championships. After winning the 2022 Drake Relays Invitational 800, Colley was named the Male Student-Athlete of the Year for the WIU Athletic department. Additionally, Brokaw guided freshman Maleigha Huston to a third place finish at the outdoor conference championships, with a time of 2:10.48. Huston won the Freshman-of-the-Year award for the WIU Athletics department. 

Prior to Western Illinois, Brokaw, then Brown, served as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Akron (2018-2021), Montana State University (2016-2018), and the University of Arkansas (2014-2015). During most of that time, she also ran professionally for Nike. Brown qualified for the 2012 and 2016 USA Olympic Trials, making the finals of the 1500 meters in 2016. From 2009 - 2018 she qualified for the USA Championships 10x in a row. With personal bests of 2:01.71 in the 800 and 4:06.71 in the 1500, she still trains professionally with aspirations to make the 2024 USA Olympic team. 

A graduate from the University of Arkansas, Brown was the 2009 SEC freshman-of-the-year, an SEC champion, a 12x NCAA national qualifier, 8x NCAA first team All-American (top-8 finisher), and she won an NCAA title in the distance medley relay for the Razorbacks. Brown graduated from the University of Arkansas with degrees in Communications and Advertising & Public Relations.

A graduate of Downs Tri-Valley High School near Bloomington-Normal, Illinois, Brown was an 8x state champion in the 800 meters, mile, and 4x800 relay. She is still the Illinois class 1A state record holder in the 800 meters. She also holds the Bix 7 Brady Street sprint record for the fastest 400 meter time up Brady Street Hill in the Quad Cities.