Simpson College Women's Basketball

Niemuth's Credentials In 29 years on the sidelines, Brian Niemuth has transformed the womens basketball program at Simpson into one of the most well-respected in the Iowa Conference, the region and the nation. Niemuths up-tempo, full-court style of play produces points and wins in bunches. Niemuth also serves as Simpson's Director of Athletics, a role he assumed on July 1, 2013. Niemuth had been the interim director since Jan. 21 when long-time Director of Athletics, John Sirianni, announced his impending retirement in 2014.  The 2016-17 season marks Niemuths 30th year at the helm. Since taking over in 1987, the Storm are 550-229 under Niemuth, winning 11 conference titles, seven conference tournament championships and making 11 NCAA Tournament appearances. He owns seven Iowa Conference Coach of the Year awards, three Womens Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) District Coach of the Year awards and one D3hoops.com West Region Coach of the Year award. He led the Storm to Sweet 16 appearances in 2007, 2008 and 2013. 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 seasons end, Niemuth took home Iowa Conference Coach of the Year honors for the sixth time in his illustrious career. The winningest coach in the history of womens basketball at Simpson, Niemuth won the 400th game of his career at home against Luther on Jan. 7, 2009 (73-43). Entering the 2015-16 season, Niemuth ranked 10th among active Division III coaches with 535 wins and was 19th in Division III history.  In addition to performing on the floor, Niemuths teams also excel in the classroom. Simpson makes an annual appearance on the WBCAs Academic Top 25 Honor Roll, ranking first in the Iowa Conference and fifth in the nation with a 3.559 team GPA in 2012-13. Simpson led the Iowa Conference and ranked in the top-10 nationally in team GPA for six straight seasons. In a career full conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances, it is difficult to decipher one as the best. But in 1999, Niemuths 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 Niemuths 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 mens team and one with the womens 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 the University of Missouri.  Niemuth received his bachelors degree from Grand View College in 1988 and earned his masters degree in sports management at Iowa State University during the summer of 1997. Brian and his wife, Beth, reside in Altoona, Iowa. Their daughter, Brooke, is a 2015 Simpson graduate. Niemuth at Simpson