Kim Nelson-Brown Year-by-Year Record
In 2025-26, Kim Nelson-Brown will begin her 30th season as head women's volleyball coach at Illinois Wesleyan University. She was promoted to Senior Associate AD in the summer of 2025 and also serves as the department's Senior Woman Administrator.Â
Nelson-Brown’s 30-year overall record is 593-401 (.597 winning percentage) with seven College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championships (outright in 1997, outright in 2003, shared in 2015, outright in 2018, outright in 2021, outright in 2024, and outright in 2025) and eight NCAA Division III tournament appearances (1997, 1998, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2024, 2025). She has been chosen as the Midwest Region "Coach of the Year" by the American Volleyball Coaches Association twice, earning it in 2015 and 2025.
Nelson-Brown's teams have a conference record of 138-81 (.630 winning percentage). She was named CCIW "Coach of the Year" in 2003, 2018, 2021, and 2024, and her and her staff earned CCIW "Coaching Staff of the Year" in 2025.
In her role on the administrative team, Nelson-Brown oversees academic support and student-athlete retention, Title IX compliance, and department awards. She has sports oversight of swimming & diving, bowling, men's volleyball, and sports performance.
The 2015 Titans earned AVCA Division III national ranking for the first time in school history and were ranked No. 23 heading into the NCAA tournament. IWU won its first-ever NCAA contest, sweeping Dominican 3-0 in the first round. In addition, Nelson-Brown's daughter, Tyler, was chosen as the AVCA 2015 national "Freshman of the Year".
The 2025 Titans reached unprecedented heights, as the team won the CCIW Regular Season and Tournament Championship for the second straight season, the first time the program has gone back-to-back. IWU also reached the NCAA Regional Championship for the second straight year, and third appearance all-time, tying the program's best finish. The Titans achieved their highest ranking, as IWU checked in at No. 2 in week 12 of the AVCA Coaches Poll. The team weith 28-3, recording the most wins under Nelson-Brown, and the most since 1989, and hosted an NCAA Regional for the second time in school history.
Since coming to Illinois Wesleyan in 1996, Nelson-Brown has coached 19Â All-American selections (Tiffany Hamblin, third team in 2002; Beth Crowley, honorable mention in 2003; Molly May, honorable mention in 2004; Jenna Passananti, third team in 2006; Michele Malinowski and Emily Hagen, both honorable mention in 2008; Kyleigh Block, honorable mention in 2015; Tyler Brown, honorable mention in 2015, first team in 2016, 2017, and 2018; Maddie Williams, honorable mention in 2017; Rachel Burkman, honorable mention in 2018; Courtney McAuliffe, honorable mention in 2021; Taylor French, third team in 2022, second team in 2023, honorable mention in 2024, and first team in 2025; and Alex Bardouniotis, honorable mention in 2025); 27Â All-Region selections; 97Â All-CCIW selections, and 10 CCIW "Players of the Year" (Kellie Schmidt in 1999; Beth Crowley in 2003; Molly May in 2004; Tyler Brown in 2018; Madi Corey in 2021; Taylor French (Offensive) and Faith Washko (Defensive) in 2023; Taylor French (Offensive) in 2024; Taylor French (Offensive) and Sophia Feeney (Setter) in 2025).
Nelson-Brown got her 300th coaching win on Oct. 31, 2009, against Wartburg, collected her 400th win on Oct. 30, 2016, vs. DePauw, and earned her 500th victory against Carroll on Oct. 13, 2021.
In research conducted by the NCAA (July 2009), Nelson-Brown was the 12th youngest coach in Division III with more than 200 career wins and the 16th youngest with more than 200 victories across all divisions.
Nelson-Brown was a four-year letterwinner at Division I Illinois State University, from 1990-93, and was the Missouri Valley Conference "Most Valuable Player" in both 1992 and 1993. She was elected to the Illinois State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002.
A 1994 ISU graduate, Nelson-Brown was the Redbirds' MVP in 1992 and 1993Â and three-time "Most Inspirational Player."
Kim and her husband, Brian, are the parents of a daughter (Tyler) and a son (McCade).
Nelson-Brown is also an associate athletic director and senior women’s administrator for athletics at Illinois Wesleyan and was instrumental in hosting the NCAA Division III national volleyball tournaments in 2007, 2008, and 2025.
