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Clemson, Brownell agree on 6-year deal

By WTOP Staff

PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer

Clemson plans to keep basketball coach Brad Brownell around a while.

The school announced Friday that it had agreed to a six-year deal with Brownell worth $10.6 million. The agreement will bring Brownell a $350,000 raise for next season to $1.55 million and will eventually grow to $2 million in the contract’s final year of 2019-20.

Brownell’s chances of lasting past last season were not good with some after his 2013 team went 13-18, the Tigers first losing season in nine years. But Brownell turned things around behind high-flying forward K.J. McDaniels to go 23-13 and advance to the NIT national semifinals this past season.

Brownell thanked Clemson administrators for their confidence in his leadership.

“I look forward to building on the success of this past season and believe there is a great deal of positive momentum within the program,” Brownell said in a statement.

Brownell can earn a series of bonuses that range from $10,000 for reaching the NIT to $100,000 for winning the ACC or NCAA tournaments.

Should the school fire Brownell without cause next year, it would owe him $5 million. That figure falls to $3.5 million halfway through the six years and to $3 million in the final two years.

If Brownell decides to leave next season, he would owe Clemson $1.5 million. That total also reduces over the length of the deal.

Brownell has gone 74-58 in four seasons. He reached the NCAA tournament his first season in 2011 after replacing Oliver Purnell before two straight non-winning seasons.

Brownell won’t the easiest path to keep Clemson strong in the super-sized Atlantic Coast Conference. After next season, the Tigers will have to relocate for a season from campus as Littlejohn Coliseum undergoes a massive renovation expected to cost between $60 million and $80 million.

The team will play in Greenville, about 45 minutes away, before returning to the revamped building for the 2016-17 season.

It’s the second time Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich locked up a coach for the long term. In January, the school and coach Dabo Swinney agreed to an eight-year deal that will pay him $3.15 million next season.

“We’re excited to have him lead our program into the future for a long time to come,” Radakovich said.

Clemson came into this season picked 14th in the 15-team ACC. Instead, the Tigers won 10 league games for just the fourth time since joining the ACC in 1953.

A big reason was McDaniels, who became the face of the program this season with his jams and dunks. McDaniels finished the year with 100 blocks and was named the ACC’s defensive player of the year.

Brownell will have his hands full trying to replace McDaniels next season after the junior gave up his final season to enter the NBA draft. Brownell, though, believes that the players he brought in the past few years will prove they belong in the ACC as McDaniels did during his time.

“I’m very proud of what we got done this season,” Brownell said. “We’d certainly love to take the next step.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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