WACO, Texas – Colorado State University Pueblo assistant football coach and offensive coordinator Brayle Brown has been selected for the 2025 AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute as announced by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) on Monday.

Brown, who is one of two coaches from the NCAA Division II level selection, was chosen from a field of over 200 highly qualified applicants. The other Division II football coach selected was Henderson State University head football coach Greg Holsworth.

"Tremendously proud of Coach Brown being named to the prestigious 2024 AFCA 35 for 35. Coach Brown works hard to continue to grow and progress in this profession and is always trying to find a better way to teach the game or be more efficient.," CSU Pueblo head football coach Philip Vigil said. 

The AFCA 35 Under 35 Leadership Institute is a prestigious program aimed at identifying and developing premier, future leaders in the football coaching profession. Selected participants are invited to attend the one-day institute that features a curriculum of interactive lectures focused on topics specifically tailored to emphasize leadership in the coaching profession, ethics, influential responsibilities, career progression, and family balance.

Brown and the other 34 members of the 2025 AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute receive a stipend to assist with expenses incurred while attending the AFCA Convention. They will be published in the AFCA Magazine, AFCA Insider weekly e-mail blast, and/or have their articles and videos added to the AFCA Educational Library. Additionally, participants will be placed on the AFCA Foundation Committee and become part of a prestigious network of rising coaches in the profession along with many other great benefits.

In order to be eligible for the program, applicants had to be born on or after January 1, 1989, and be currently serving as a high school head coach, two-college full-time assistant or head coach, or NAIA/NCAA (all divisions) full-time assistant or head coach. Applicants were required to submit a resume, five references, and a 1,600-word article or 10-minute live instructional video on an offensive, defensive, special teams, or position-specific topic of the applicant's choosing back in the summer.

Brown just completed his third season with the ThunderWolves as the program's Offensive Coordinator. During the 2024 season, the Pack had one of the top offensive teams in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference as they led the league in scoring (40.2 points per game), passing offense (308.5 yards per game) and was second in total offense (462.3 yards per game) and was sixth in rushing offense (153.8 yards per game). The Pack offense ranked sixth in passing offense, eighth in passing offense and 10th in total offense. The ThunderWolves' offense scored 21 or more points in all 11 of its regular season games and had nine offensive players named All-RMAC selections, including senior receiver Reggie Retzlaff (Corona, Calif./Riverside City College) being named the RMAC Offensive Player of the Year, the D2CCA Super Region Four Offensive Player of the Year and a Harlon Hill Trophy finalist and senior running back Howard Russell V (Phoenix, Ariz./Eastern New Mexico) earning First-Team D2CCA All-Super Region Four and First-Team All-RMAC honors.