Kim Nelson-Brown Year-by-Year Record
In 2024-25, Kim Nelson-Brown will begin her 29th season as head women's volleyball coach at Illinois Wesleyan University.
Nelson-Brown’s 29-year overall record is 565-398 (.587 winning percentage) with six College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championships (outright in 1997, outright in 2003, shared in 2015, outright in 2018, outright in 2021, and outright in 2024) and seven NCAA Division III tournament appearances (1997, 1998, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2024). She was chosen as the 2015 Midwest Region "Coach of the Year" by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
Nelson-Brown's teams have a conference record of 130-81 (.616 winning percentage). She was named CCIW "Coach of the Year" in 2003, 2018, 2021, and 2024.
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".
Since coming to Illinois Wesleyan in 1996, Nelson-Brown has coached 16 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; and Taylor French, third team in 2022, second team in 2023); 24 All-Region selections; 90 All-CCIW selections, and eight 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).
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 1993 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 and 2008.
