Kim Nelson-Brown made a name for herself early on in her playing career with the Eagles by setting a new freshman record for most kills in a season with 106. As a senior captain she led the Eagles in a number of statistics including hitting efficiency, blocks, kill percentage, digs, and aces. Kim was named 1st Team All-State and All-Area by several media publications and was named Athlete of the Year her senior year.

In addition to her athletic success, Kim was an all-star in the classroom. She earned honor roll recognition all four years and received the Academic Achievement Award as a senior.

Upon graduating from Carl Sandburg, Kim continued her athletic and academic career at Illinois State University. She holds several ISU records, including being #10 in ISU history in total digs with 1,201. In 2002, she was inducted into Illinois State University’s Athletic Department Hall of Fame.

Kim currently works at Illinois Wesleyan University as the Head Volleyball Coach, Associate Athletic Director, and Associate Professor. Kim has coached her teams to three CCIW Championships and was recognized as CCIW Coach of the Year in 2003. Under Kim’s leadership, Illinois Wesleyan was ranked 11th in the country in 2017 which is the highest national ranking in the program’s history.

Kim Nelson-Brown’s character continues to shine in her community involvements. She has instilled in her players a deep sense of responsibility to give back to their community by getting the team involved with numerous community service programs including the Polar Plunge. Her teams have raised over $45,000 for Special Olympics through their efforts with Polar Plunge.