3 minute read
BRIAN NIEMUTH
In 35 years on the sidelines, Brian Niemuth has transformed the women’s basketball program at Simpson into one of the most well-respected in the American Rivers Conference, the region and the nation. Niemuth’s up-tempo, full-court style of play produces points – and wins – in bunches.
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The 2022-23 season marks Niemuth’s 36th year at the helm. Since taking over in 1987, the Storm are 660-285 under Niemuth, winning 13 conference titles, eight conference tournament championships and making 12 NCAA Tournament appearances. He owns nine Conference Coach of the Year awards, three Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) District Coach of the Year awards and two D3hoops.com West Region Coach of the Year award. He led the Storm to Sweet 16 appearances in 2007, 2008 and 2013.
Niemuth guided the Storm to a perfect 12-0 season in 2020-21 after the campaign was shortened due to COVID-19. He earned A-R-C and D3hoops.com Coach of the Year honors, while Jenna Taylor was named to the WBCA and D3hoops.com All-American First Teams, in addition to taking home the CoSIDA Academic All-America of the Year for Women’s Basketball; the first in program history.
Entering the 2022-23 season, Niemuth ranked seventh among active Division III coaches with 649 wins and was tied for 16th in Division III history. The winningest coach in the history of women’s basketball at Simpson, Niemuth won the 650th game of his career against Marian on Nov. 12, 2022 (96-39).
Niemuth fielded one of the finest Simpson teams ever in 2012-13, guiding the Storm to a school-record tying 27 wins, an Iowa Conference Championship, a trip to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament and climbing as high as No. 6 in the USA Today/ WBCA Top 25 Coaches Poll. He also added to his list of individual achievements, becoming the 20th women’s basketball coach in NCAA Division III history to reach the 500-win mark when Simpson beat Loras 75-62 on Feb. 9. He earned Iowa Conference Coach of the Year honors, D3hoops.com West Region Coach of the Year honors and saw senior forward, Kate Nielsen, take home Iowa Conference Player of the Year honors. Nielsen also became the first Simpson women’s basketball player to be named as a finalist for WBCA Division III Player of the Year.
The 2011-12 season was another one of milestones for Niemuth, who became the winningest coach in Iowa Conference play when he picked up No. 294 in a win over Wartburg on Jan. 21, passing legendary Luther coach Jane Hildebrand (293 IIAC wins in 27 seasons from 1984-2011). He went on to earn his 300th league win Feb. 15 when Simpson beat Central 81-63, clinching the conference title. At season’s end, Niemuth took home Iowa Conference Coach of the Year honors for the sixth time in his illustrious career.
In a career full conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances, it is difficult to decipher one as the best. But in 1999, Niemuth’s Storm achieved a feat unequaled in the history of the conference, going a perfect 20-0 during league play. Simpson has been ranked as high as No. 2 in both the USA Today/WBCA Division III and D3hoops.com polls during Niemuth’s tenure.
Prior to his arrival at Simpson, Niemuth served as an assistant basketball coach at Park College in Kansas City, Mo. for two years; one with the men’s team and one with the women’s team. He was an assistant coach at Dallas Center-Grimes (Iowa) High School. Niemuth also served as an assistant baseball coach for Simpson from 1991-1997.
The Kansas City, Mo. native was an All-Conference player and team co-captain for two years at Park. He also earned honorable mention All-American honors in baseball for Park after beginning his baseball career at Missouri.
The Niemuth File
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Hometown: Altoona, Iowa
Spouse: Beth
Daughter: Brooke
Coaching Experience
1987-present: Simpson College
Head Coach
1986-87: Simpson College
Assistant Coach
1984-86: Dallas Center-Grimes HS
Assistant Coach (boys)
1982-84: Park University
Assistant Coach (women)
Playing Experience
1980-82: Park University
Education
GRAND VIEW COLLEGE, 1988
BACHELOR OF ARTS
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY, 1997
MASTER OF SCIENCE
SPORTS ADMINISTRATION
SCHEDULE & RESULTS
2021-22 SEASON REVIEW
% Daytona Beach Shootout (Daytona, Fla.)
# Loras Holiday Classic (Dubuque, Iowa) & A-R-C Tournament (Indianola, Iowa)
^ NCAA Tournament (Indianola, Iowa)
Ncaa Diii Statistical Champions
At the end of the season, Simpson along with seniors Cameron Kincaid and Kia Rasmussen earned seven statistical champion plaques (pictured right). The Storm led all NCAA Division III programs in the following categories:
Field Goal Percentage - 48.5
Three-Point Field Goal Percentage - 37.6
Free Throw Percentage - 79.1
Assists Per Game - 20.7
Assist-to-Turnover Ratio - 1.47
Individual Assist-to-Turnover Ratio (Rasmussen) - 4.54 Individual
