In 38 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.
The 2025-26 season marks Niemuth’s 39th year at the helm. Since taking over in 1987, the Storm are 694-309 under Niemuth, winning 14 conference titles, eight conference tournament championships and making 14 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 2025-26 season, Niemuth ranked seventh among active Division III coaches with 694 wins and was 12th 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.
Game: 51, vs. Crown, 12/10/10; vs. Central, 2/7/08
Season: 930, 2007-08
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
Game: 64.9, vs. Luther, 11/30/99
Season: 48.5, 2021-22
TEAM RECORD BOOK
3-POINT FIELD GOALS MADE
Game: 20, at Dubuque, 1/5/2019
Season: 288, 2018-19
3-POINT PERCENTAGE (MIN. 10 MADE)
Game: 76.9, vs. Cornell, 2/23/08
Season: 40.2, 2024-25
FREE THROWS MADE
Game: 39, vs. Upper Iowa, 11/27/01
Season: 538, 2001-02
FREE THROW PERCENTAGE (MIN. 10 MADE)
Game: 100.0, five times
Season: 80.0, 2008-09
REBOUNDS
Game: 66, vs. Central, 2/7/08
Season: 1,319, 2007-08
ASSISTS
Game: 35, vs. Central, 2/7/08; vs. Wil. Penn, 2/6/01
Season: 615, 2007-08
STEALS
Game: 33, vs. Wartburg, 1/6/05; vs. Loras, 12/1/98
Season: 466, 2004-05
BLOCKED SHOTS
Game: 20, vs. William Penn, 12/9/06
Season: 257, 2007-08
515-559-4103
563-380-8824
SCORED 100+ POINTS
Simpson: vs Neb. Wesleyan, 2/13/2025 (100)
Opponent: vs Wis.-La Crosse, 11/10/2024 (101)
SCORED 90-99 POINTS
Simpson: vs Central, 11/26/2024 (95) Opponent: vs Central, 2/25/2025 (96)
40-POINT WIN vs Neb. Wesleyan, 1/8/2025 (105-54)
OVERTIME GAME
Win: vs Luther, 2/8/2025 (88-83)
Loss: at Dubuque, 1/20/2024 (83-76, 2OT)
MADE 40+ FIELD GOALS vs Neb. Wesleyan, 1/8/2025 (40)
MADE FEWER THAN 20 FIELD GOALS at Wartburg, 2/1/2025, (15)
SHOT OVER 60% FROM THE FIELD vs Dubuque, 2/21/2023 (63.3%)
SHOT LESS THAN 30% FROM THE FIELD vs Wartburg, 1/27/2024, (29.7%)
MADE 15+ 3-POINTERS at Neb. Wesleyan, 2/13/2025 (16)
MADE 0 3-POINTERS Under research
HAD 35+ 3-POINT ATTEMPTS vs Wartburg, 12/11/2021 (36)
THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED
SHOT OVER 60% BEHIND THE ARC vs Concordia M’head, 11/29/2019 (61.9%)
SHOT LESS THAN 20% BEHIND THE ARC vs Wartburg, 1/4/2025 (13.6%)
MADE 30+ FREE THROWS vs Wartburg, 1/25/2014 (30)
MADE 0 FREE THROWS at Wartburg, 1/20/2016 (0-1)
HAD 40+ FREE THROW ATTEMPTS vs Wis. Stevens Point, 3/2/2013 (40)
HAD 30-35 FREE THROW ATTEMPTS at Central, 1/18/2023 (32)
SHOT 100% AT FREE THROW LINE (MIN 10) at Coe, 2/25/2020 (17-17)
CONVERTED 90-99% OF FREE THROWS at Buena Vista, 2/14/2024 (91.7%)
HAD 50+ REBOUNDS vs Neb. Wesleyan, 1/8/2025 (50)
HAD 25+ ASSISTS vs Neb. Wesleyan, 1/8/2025 (27)
HAD 25+ STEALS vs Faith Baptist Bible, 12/14/2024 (28)
HAD 10+ BLOCKED SHOTS vs Coe, 2/18/2015 (10)
CAUSED 35+ TURNOVERS
vs Faith Baptist Bible, 12/14/2024 (40)
COMMITTED 0-5 TURNOVERS
Under research
40+ POINTS BY A PLAYER
Carla Horstmann, vs NWMSU, 1/15/1978 (42)
30-39 POINTS BY A PLAYER
Molly Lutmer, vs Luther, 2/8/2025 (37)
15+ FIELD GOALS MADE BY A PLAYER
Kerri Karsten, vs Loras, 1/12/1996 (17)
10-14 FIELD GOALS MADE BY A PLAYER
Maddax DeVault, vs Saint Mary’s, 11/30/2025 (10)
5+ 3-POINTERS MADE BY A PLAYER
Maddax DeVault, vs Saint Mary’s, 11/30/2025 (5)
10+ FREE THROWS MADE BY A PLAYER
Haley Rasmussen, vs Wis.-La Crosse, 11/10/2024 (10)
15+ REBOUNDS BY A PLAYER
Cassie Nash, at Luther, 2/3/2024 (17)
10+ ASSISTS BY A PLAYER
Cassie Nash, vs Central, 2/18/2023 (14)
5+ BLOCKED SHOTS BY A PLAYER
Cassie Nash, vs Loras, 2/10/2024 (5)
5+ STEALS BY A PLAYER
Molly Lutmer, vs Faith Baptist Bible, 12/14/2024 (6)
THIS IS SIMPSON
FACILITIES
Steven Johnson Fitness Center
The Steven Johnson Fitness Center opened to the Simpson community in January 2014, creating a first-class, comprehensive fitness complex located at the heart of campus. The $6 million project is highlighted by a two-tier workout facility consisting of a 5,500 square foot strength and conditioning center and a 4,500-square foot exercise and fitness center. The picturesque facility overlooks Buxton Stadium.
In addition to the Fitness Center, the 2014 renovation included additional classroom and meeting space, administrative and academic suites, an expanded wrestling room, a cheer, dance and multipurpose room, a new Hall of Fame display, an exercise science and athletic training lab and a Swim Ex rehabilitation and therapy pool.
Cowles Fieldhouse
Opened in 1976, Cowles Fieldhouse is located inside of the Cowles Center, a multipurpose athletic and physical education facility. It has served as home to Simpson volleyball and basketball teams since the late 70s, with the basketball teams beginning competition in 1976 when it opened followed by volleyball in 1977. The Simpson gymnastics teams began competing in the fieldhouse in 2023.
The fieldhouse seats 3,000 spectators and features a new HVAC system and hardwood floor installed in 2022 as well as a LED videoboard display introduced in 2013. In 2023, both the men’s and women’s locker rooms located south of the fieldhouse were renovated.
Simpson College is dedicated to preparing tomorrow’s future business leaders today.
Did you know that 89 percent of the jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t even been created yet?
Simpson College recognizes that students must be ready with a diverse set of skills to lead multi-faceted organizations. Simpson College students’ determination and drive enables them to push boundaries through our unique Exploreship® program which allows students to define their career path and practice skills so they are ready for ANYTHING.
With more than 70 majors, minors and professional programs, Simpson College is redefining what education means, not just for traditional four-year degree students, but for those individuals seeking to complete a degree or pursue graduate studies.
