Nysier Brooks

Classroom

Nysier Brooks has excelled as a student both at the University of Cincinnati (2016-19) and at the University of Miami (2019-present). Brooks opened his collegiate tenure by posting the best GPA on the Bearcats’ team as a freshman in 2016-17 and has continued to be a standout in the classroom since then.

Brooks was named to the athletic department’s academic honor roll during three semesters at Cincinnati and made the Dean’s List in the Spring of 2019, his last semester there. In 2018-19, Brooks earned All-American Athletic Conference Academic Team distinction.

Brooks sports a 3.2 cumulative GPA at Miami and has earned Book Buster (3.0+ GPA) honors in all three of his semesters as a Hurricane. In two of those semesters, Brooks also garnered Athletic Director’s Honor Roll (3.2+) status. Brooks was a member of the ACC Honor Roll during the 2019-20 academic year, as well. In addition to his major in criminology, Brooks is also minoring in sociology.

Character

“One of the expressions we use is, ‘On defense, you have to talk early, loudly and continuously.’ There is no better example of that than Nysier Brooks. I’ve never had a single player be able to do it at his level in 48 years of coaching.”
-Miami Head Coach Jim Larrañaga

That statement from a two-time ACC Coach of the Year and former AP National Coach of the Year speaks to the type of person Brooks is. One of the essential leaders of the Hurricanes, Brooks is a veteran vocal prescence in numerous ways and communicates both on and off the court. Brooks is a player whom others look to in huddles, and whom others enjoy being around and respect.

Brooks not only says the right things, but also demonstrates them. Nysier Brooks talks the talk and walks the walk when it comes to leadership. The player that others follow, Brooks’ value to the Hurricanes in toughness and competitiveness cannot be understated. The coaches and teammates at Miami value Brooks’ input, and even though a starter and key player on the team, Brooks possesses many of the traits commonly seen in a ‘glue guy.’

Co-Captain on the team, Brooks is an example of the way a student-athlete should act, both in the arena of competition and outside of it.

Community

Few student-athletes are as involved in community service as Nysier Brooks is. Recently, Brooks helped solicit gifts for a toy drive to get gifts to needy children during the holidays, as well as volunteering with Miami Dade Animal Services, spending time with dogs at the shelter. Brooks provided the dogs with enrichment and outside playing time.

Brooks has also volunteered with Best Buddies. Through this group, Brooks spent time with adults who have intellectual disabilities. Second Spoon is another organization Brooks has given his time to, helping package food at an elementary school and taking the time to hand it out to homeless people. Brooks also volunteers with a group that teaches cooking and restaurant skills to local children.

After Hurricane Dorian in 2019, Brooks took part in a relief drive for those in need. Purchasing and donating canned goods for those in impacted areas, as well as other items, Brooks’ impact was felt. Brooks has also spoken on a panel at a local elementary school, sharing with them the importance of both academics and perseverance. Lastly, Brooks serves as a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) representative at Miami, a role in which he is a liaison between student-athletes and administration. All of this has come in just three semesters at Miami, during which Brooks has become a staple of the campus and greater Miami communities.

Competition

Through 18 outings in 2020-21 at Miami, Nysier Brooks is averaging 6.4 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds per game. Brooks also has a team-high 15 blocked shots. Brooks grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds in just his fourth game as a Hurricane, logging his fourth collegiate double-double and becoming the first Miami player to notch 15-plus in a regulation game in over two years. He followed that with a second double-double later in the season.

Additionally, Brooks is an excellent defender and leader, who adds toughness and intelligence for the Hurricanes. A team co-captain, Brooks is second on Miami with 16 starts. In his four seasons playing as a collegian, Brooks has aided his teams to a combined 96-29 record, including a 49-18 ledger in conference play. Brooks helped Cincinnati win two AAC Tournament titles and one regular season crown, as well as reach the NCAA Tournament in each of his three seasons. Brooks makes an impact on his teams in numerous ways, guiding them to success in ways that do and do not show up on the stat sheet.

Between his three seasons at the University of Cincinnati (2016-19) and one at the University of Miami (2020-21), Brooks has appeared in 121 games and earned 53 starts. Over the last two seasons on the hardwood, Brooks has started 51 of the 53 games that he has appeared in, averaging 7.5 points and 6.3 rebounds during that stretch. Brooks is shooting 52.3 percent from the floor in his college career and has over 110 blocked shots.