Stephanie Brown DeBrisco (2004) - Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame

Stephanie Brown DeBrisco

Induction:
2004

The road from Newton, New Jersey to Hattiesburg, Mississippi and the University of Southern Mississippi would seem pretty long to you and me. But for someone that had the skills and the endurance of a distance runner like Stephanie Brown-DeBisco, the journey was probably shorter than you think.

Unlike most sports the life of a distance runner can be a lonely existence. Hours upon hours of running through the streets or the woods or around a golf course, piling up the miles, honing your skills, realizing that your competitors might be running just a little bit further than you and if you don’t keep going they might gain the advantage. Through rain and cold and ice and snow, you must keep going for your team, but for yourself as well.

Stephanie Brown attended Mountain Lakes High School where she was in addition to a competitive runner, starred in field hockey and basketball as well. She began her collegiate career at Salisbury State where she earned letters in both cross-country and field hockey.

But as her path led her to Southern Miss, the emphasis would be placed on distance running as a part of Marshall Bell’s track and field squad.

As a sophomore in 1989-90 she competed in outdoor track where her top finish that season was a first place run in the 3,000-meters in the Arkansas State Invitational with a time of 20:43.83. But early on in her career she showed the Southern Miss coaching staff that she had the potential to be a consistent point scorer for the Lady Eagles over the next few years. And she certainly didn’t disappoint them.

A strenuous off-season program and a dedication to get even better motivated Brown as she prepared for the 1990-991 season. And those efforts paid dividends right away for Brown and the Lady Golden Eagles.

During the cross country season of 1990 she made an immediate impact on the squad, where she finished first in the in the state cross country meet with a 5K time of 20:57 and helped the Lady Eagle cross county team advance to the NCAA regional. During the indoor season she was a solid performer in the distance events and won the 5,000 meters at the Arkansas State Relays with a time of 20:43.83. The outdoor season was equally as successful for Brown as she set three school records. She ran a personal best 11:18.50 in the 3,000 meters in a dual meet with the University of New Orleans to set a record, then set two more in the Metro Conference Championships by running a 19:42.03 in the 5,000 meters and a 40:59 in the 10,000 meters.

During her senior year in 1991-1992, she had another magnificent year with three top ten finishes including a fourth place finish in the LSU Invitational with a time of 19:40 over three miles, a seventh place finish in the USM Invitational with a time of 20:54.57 over five kilometers and a seventh place finish in the Mississippi College Invitational with a 5K time of 20:18. During the indoor season she performed well for the Lady Eagles including fourth place finish in the Metro Conference Championships in the 5,000 meters with a time of 19:59.7.

That 1991-1992 squad won the Metro Conference outdoor championship with Brown performing consistently well in the distance events like the 3,000 and meter events.

Stephanie tonight as we honor you for your great dedication to Southern Miss track and field and your achievements on the cross country trails and on the tracks around the country, we also honor many of the women who have helped to make the track and field program at Southern Miss what it is today. Without you and your devotion and accomplishments the program would never be where it is today.

Mr. President, I present for induction into the M-Club Alumni Association Sports Hall of Fame, one of the finest distance runners ever produced by Coach Marshall Bell and the Southern Miss track and field program, Stephanie Brown-DeBisco.