Celeste Brown

Biography

Celeste Brown '15 enters her sixth season as the Bruce B. Bates Women's Hockey Coach at her alma mater in 2025-26. Brown was a member of RIT's 2012 NCAA Division III National Championship team before starring the next three seasons during the Tigers' move to Division I. She went on to become the first player in program history to sign a professional contract before kicking off a coaching career, which included last three years as an assistant coach at Penn State University. Brown returned to Rochester following a stint at Penn State where she worked primarily with the Nittany Lions' forwards and power play unit. Under her tutelage, Penn State advanced to three-consecutive College Hockey America Tournament semifinals. Brown played for the New York Riveters during the inaugural season of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) in 2015-16 while also kicking off her coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Division III Manhattanville. She played the following season with the NWHL's Connecticut Whale while also serving as an assistant coach at Division III Connecticut College. Brown's prolific career in a Tiger uniform started with 21 points on 12 goals and nine assists during her freshman campaign, culminating with the go-ahead goal and two assists in the third period of RIT's 4-1 victory over Norwich (Vt.) to clinch the national title. She was also on the ice when the Tigers scored the overtime game-winner to defeat Plattsburgh, 2-1, in the national semifinals. Brown contin