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Shawn Heilbron

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Billy Cosh

Stony Brook University Director of Athletics Shawn Heilbron and Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis have named Billy Cosh the third head coach in Stony Brook football’s Division I era, as announced on Dec. 13. 

“This is an incredibly exciting day for Stony Brook and the future of our football program as we welcome Billy Cosh to Long Island as our new head coach,” said Heilbron. “Billy is an innovative coach who will bring energy, intensity and a specific plan for building a championship-level program at Stony Brook. More importantly, he genuinely cares about creating a positive environment for our student-athletes, and I am so happy that he is joining our Seawolves family along with his wife Kelsey and daughter Charli.” 

 “We’re so thrilled to welcome Coach Cosh and his family to ours here at Stony Brook. As a former accomplished student-athlete himself, he understands the importance of being a coach, as well as a teacher and mentor for his players to excel at the highest levels of competition. During the interview process, it was evident Billy is a dynamic leader and innovative coach who cares deeply about student-athletes contributing on the field as well as in the classroom and in the Stony Brook community. Today marks the beginning of an exciting chapter in Stony Brook’s football history,” said President McInnis.

Cosh joins Stony Brook for his first career head coaching job after spending the 2023 season at Western Michigan as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

“My family and I are excited for this opportunity to join the Stony Brook family and to lead this football program to new heights moving forward! I want to thank President McInnis, Director of Athletics Shawn Heilbron, and the search committee for giving me this tremendous opportunity,” said Cosh. “Great location, academics, athletics and, more importantly, people really excites me about being the head football coach here. Being a FCS coach over the years, I have always admired Stony Brook from afar. I know we will develop these young men the right way and play a brand of football that will return us to the top in a great league in the CAA! I am ready to get to work and build the trust that is needed to have success.”

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Coach Ashley Langford. Photo from SBU

Stony Brook Director of Athletics Shawn Heilbron has announced that women’s basketball head coach Ashley Langford has signed a contract extension through 2028.
 

Ashley Langford

“Our women’s basketball program is thriving under Ashley’s leadership, and I am very excited to extend our partnership together. Ashley is a tremendous competitor and a caring mentor who invests so much of herself in our student-athletes on and off of the court. I look forward to celebrating many successes for our women’s basketball team this year and into the future.”
 
Over her two seasons on Long Island, Langford has guided the Seawolves to a stellar 41-19 record, including a 23-5 mark at Island Federal Arena. Coach Langford has posted the highest winning percentage (.683) of any head coach in program history and the team has averaged 20 wins per season under her watch.
 
“I’d like to thank President McInnis and Shawn Heilbron for their continued belief in me and our program. I’d also like to thank my staff – you continuously pour into our women, and each of you has a tremendous, positive impact on the program. I love this University, the players, staff, and our community. I’m elated to serve as your head coach through 2028, as I know our future will be full of many wins on and off the court,” said coach Langford.
 
In her second year at the helm in 2022-23, Langford guided the program into a new era as the team embarked on its first season in the CAA. The Seawolves finished the year 18-13, 11-7 CAA, earning the No. 6 seed in the CAA Tournament where they defeated Elon in the first round to pick up their first-ever win in the tournament.
 
Langford’s offensive style proved to be pivotal in the CAA as the team finished the season second in the conference in scoring average with 67.9 points per game.  
 
Under coach Langford’s tutelage, three student-athletes were tabbed to the All-CAA Team and helped them have career seasons on the Island. Anastasia Warren was named to the All-Conference First Team, forward Sherese Pittman claimed All-Conference Second Team honors, and guard Gigi Gonzalez was selected to the Third Team.
 
The trio of Warren, Pittman, and Gonzalez all upped their scoring outputs from the season prior under coach Langford. Warren averaged 12.0 points per game in 2021-22 and finished at 16.4 points per game, the fourth-most in the CAA. Pittman averaged 0.5 points per game in 2021-22 at JMU and finished the 2022-23 season averaging 13.7 points per game at Stony Brook. Lastly, Gonzalez went from 9.6 points per game to 12.5 points per game last season.
 
In her first season at Stony Brook in 2021-22, Langford had an immediate impact as Stony Brook’s offensive output increased by nearly nine points per game and seven student-athletes increased their scoring from the season prior.
 
The squad finished with a 23-6, 14-4 record and earned an at-large berth into the WNIT, which marked its sixth appearance in a national postseason tournament and third in the WNIT. The 23 wins in 2021-22 were tied for the fourth-most in a season in program history and were the most by a first-year head coach in program history.
 
Stony Brook received votes in the WBCA Top 25 and were ranked as high as No. 7 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 during their stellar 2021-22 campaign. The Seawolves also picked up marquee wins over two Power Five opponents in Washington State (69-62) and Rutgers (53-44). The wins were the third and fourth over Power Five opponents in program history. India Pagan and Warren both claimed All-Conference honors. 

Under coach Langford, the Seawolves have maintained a 3.14 GPA or better over her two seasons and the team earned WBCA Academic Top 25 Special Mention following the 2021-22 season. 
 
Langford has been named to the Advancement of Blacks In Sports (ABIS) Mid-Major Head Coaches Watch List in back-to-back seasons and this summer she was invited to the inaugural Women’s Coaching Development Seminar hosted by the WNBA, NBA, and G League.
 
Over the course of her coaching career, she has coached two WNBA Draft picks, 11 players playing professionally overseas, one Olympian, and four players competing for the Puerto Rican National Team. She has also recruited and coached 19 All-Conference selections, one Player of the Year, two Rookies of the Year, one two-time Defensive Player of the Year.
 
Before Stony Brook, Langford spent four seasons at James Madison. Prior to the 2020-21 season at JMU, Langford was elevated from assistant coach to associate head coach. While at JMU, Langford helped lead a team that produced a 91-31 overall and 58-11 conference record as well as three CAA regular season titles.
 
During her playing days, Langford was a standout point guard at Tulane from 2005-09. She is the Green Wave’s career leader in assists (722) and assists per game (6.0). She graduated as the program’s leader in games started (119) and minutes played (4,162) as well. Langford scored 1,047 points during her collegiate career and was inducted into the school’s athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.

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SBU Athletic Director Shawn Heilbron accepts the 2019 Commissioner’s Cup from America East Commisioner Amy Huchthausen. Photo from SBU

SARATOGA SPRINGS: Following a historic 2018-19 season, Stony Brook University has claimed the Stuart P. Haskell, Jr. Commissioner’s Cup for the first time in school history, the league announce at its annual awards dinner at the Saratoga Hilton on June 6. University at Albany came in second place followed by UMass Lowell in third.

The trophy was accepted by SBU Athletic Director Shawn Heilbron.

“The Cup is coming home to Long Island,” announced  Heilbron shortly after the event. “This belongs to our Stony Brook Athletics coaches, staff and — most importantly — student-athletes,” he said. Stony Brook is just the fourth America East school to win the Commissioner’s Cup. Past recipients have been the University of Albany, Boston University and the University of Delaware.

Michael Watts accepts his award for 2018-19 America East Man of the Year from Amy Hutchhausen. Photo from SBU

The Commissioner’s Cup annually recognizes the strongest athletic program in America East as determined by a scoring system that rewards a school for success both during the regular season and championship competition in the conference’s 18 sports.

At the same event, Stony Brook men’s track and field and cross-country member Michael Watts of Islip was named the 2018-19 America East Man of the Year.

Watts had a decorated career on the track and cross-country course as a Seawolf, winning two individual conference track and field titles while helping the cross-country team to two consecutive America East Championships in 2016 and 2017. The team captain also holds the program record in the 3,000 meters and garnered several All-Conference, All-IC4A and MVP honors throughout his career.

Most importantly, Watts was a leader in the community as well. On campus, he volunteered and was involved with a myriad of organizations including the Stony Brook PACK program, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and PAWS. The Islip native also helped raise and allocate funds for numerous events and charities such as 9/11 Vets, the EJ Autism Foundation and the annual Midnight Run to help clothe the homeless.

Watts is pursuing his MBA in health care management, holding a 3.8 GPA. He received his undergraduate degree in 2018 with a 3.4 GPA in health science with a concentration in health care policy and management.

During his time at Stony Brook, Watts was put on the America East All-Academic Team, America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Dean’s List and America East Honor Roll. He was also a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, the Stony Brook Society of Distinguished Scholar Athletes and a recipient of the Joel Mitofsky Memorial Scholarship.

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Stony Brook softball player Danni Kemp died after a battle with cancer. Photo from SBU

The Stony Brook family is mourning the loss of student-athlete Danni Kemp, who passed away on the morning of March 10 surrounded by family following her battle with cancer.

The Seawolves, who had dedicated their softball season to the sophomore, 19, postponed March 10 games against Santa Clara and New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Danni Kemp up to bat for the Seawolves. Photo from SBU

“Our hearts are heavy today and our love goes out to Danni and her family,” Stony Brook softball coach Megan Bryant said. “In all too short of a young life, Danni touched so many in a beautiful way. She fought so hard against this terrible disease, and showed us what true courage is. May Danni only know peace now.”

In July, Kemp was hit in the head by a pitch while playing in a summer league game. When she began feeling dizzy, had trouble focusing and couldn’t keep her balance, doctors tested her for a concussion. An MRI revealed a cancerous brain tumor.

Due to the location, surgery was not an option, and Kemp began radiation therapy Aug. 29, receiving treatment Monday through Friday for a total of six weeks.

A GoFundMe page was created on behalf of the family Aug. 22, and in six months had raised nearly $130,000 of the $150,000 goal, with donations from 1,575 people.

“Danni is the toughest young woman we have all ever met,” wrote Bradley Taylor, who created the GoFundMe page. “Her strong and indomitable will has already proven to be more than enough to battle and beat a rare kidney disease while she was in high school. This will be a battle, but with so many people who know and love Danni and her family, they’ve got an army behind them.”

Since her death, hundreds more dollars have poured in from those touched by the loss of Kemp, even those who didn’t know her.

“I felt very sad when I read the story,” wrote John Colombo.

Janis Matton was also saddened upon hearing the news.

“I am so very sorry for your loss,” she wrote. “Danni was truly an inspiration to all. Prayers for your family.”

“We got an angel in the outfield behind us. Heavy hearts with a little something more to play for this season.”

—Kevin Kernan

Kemp hit .446 as a junior for J.A. Foran High School in Connecticut en route to All-Conference and first team All-State honors. In her first three seasons at Foran, she collected more than 100 hits and 40 stolen bases. She was also a member of the Connecticut Charmers, an Under-18 fast pitch showcase team coached by Neil Swanchak.

As a Seawolf, she scored her first career hit against Charlotte University Feb. 20 of last year; had a double and scored a run at Florida Atlantic University Feb. 26; had two hits, including a bases-clearing double in a win over Columbia University Feb. 27; walked twice and drove in a run at Manhattan College March 30; drew three walks in another contest; and walked and scored a run at the University of Massachusetts Lowell April 16.

Kemp’s death had an impact that reverberated beyond just her softball family. After news of her death spread around campus, many student-athletes took to social media.

Tiffany Zullo, a midfielder on the women’s lacrosse team from Connetquot High School, tweeted: “We all play for Danni and will forever be Danni Strong. Rest in peace to a beautiful soul.”

Kevin Kernan, a baseball pitcher, posted, “We got an angel in the outfield behind us. Heavy hearts with a little something more to play for this season.”

Details for services will be forthcoming once the Kemp family makes arrangements.

“Danni had her entire life in front of her,” Stony Brook athletic director Shawn Heilbron said. “I am devastated beyond words and heartbroken for her family and everyone who loved her. Her valiant fight over the past several months was an inspiration to all of us, and her impact on the Stony Brook Athletics family will be felt for many years to come.”

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