University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- bcarey@unca.edu
- Phone:
- 251-6927
Brett Carey recently finished his eighth season on the sidelines for Asheville in 2016-2017, which was his second year as Associate Head Coach after seeing his title elevated in September 2015 by head coach Nick McDevitt.
A former standout player for the Bulldogs, Carey played key roles in helping the Bulldogs to back-to-back Big South Conference championships in 2011 and 2012 as an assistant coach. Since his ascension to Associate Head Coach the Bulldogs have had back-to-back 20-win seasons and claimed the 2016 Big South Tournament title and a share of the 2016-17 Big South Conference regular-season championship. The Bulldogs advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2016 and played in the 2017 CollegeInsider.com Tournament.
Carey was a two-year letterman for UNC Asheville from 1999-2001 where he started in the backcourt both years he was with the Bulldogs. He helped guide a young Asheville team to the Big South Conference championship game in 2000 and earned All-Tournament honors for his play. As a senior, he led the Bulldogs in three-pointers made and free throw percentage. Carey earned second-team All-Conference honors for his play and was named UNC Asheville Male Athlete of the Year and was chosen the Bulldog MVP. He was also third in the nation in three-point field goal percentage.
Carey, a native of Lincolnton, came back to UNC Asheville in the fall of 2008 after serving as an assistant coach at national prep power Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va. The Warriors went 34-4 in the 2007-08 season and had some of the top high school players in the nation on their team, including current Washington Wizards standout Brandon Jennings. They were ranked third in the nation for high school programs by ESPN. He also worked at Oak Hill during the 2002-03 year where he coached Marcus Williams, who was the 22nd pick in the 2006 NBA Draft.
Carey worked for Dave Odom at the University of South Carolina as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons. He was a part of the Gamecocks’ 2006 NIT championship squad. Carey coached Renaldo Balkman while he was at South Carolina. Balkman was a first-round draft pick of the New York Knicks in 2006. He also coached Tarence Kinsey and Tre Kelly, who also played in the NBA.
Upon graduation from UNC Asheville in 2001, Brett was placed on the NBDL’s Asheville Altitude before playing professional basketball in Norway for a year.
