Kirkwood volleyball maintains success with new coach Dave Brown

CEDAR RAPIDS — New coach, new team, new philosophy.

Same success.

Dave Brown has taken a long journey leading up to his new head coaching position at Kirkwood Commuity College.

Brown has coached at four different collegiate programs — Iowa, Loyola Chicago, Southern Mississippi and UC Santa Barbara.

During his time at Loyola, he was named a 30 under 30 Award recipient from the American Volleyball Coaches Association for up-and-coming young coaches.

Brown's coaching philosophy has instantly led the Eagles to success. They are ranked fourth nationally and play Iowa Central on Saturday in the semifinals of the Region XI tournament. Kirkwood is 30-7 overall and 10-1 in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference.

“I have a great staff and great assistant coaches who have helped me,” Brown said. “The kids buy into what I am saying, they have done a great job of accepting how I do things.”

He believes his prior coaching experiences have helped him put his best foot forward for the Eagles.

“(My previous experiences) showed me things that I want to emulate and some things I didn't want to emulate,” he said. “It's kind of taught me bits and pieces and I am putting it all together right now.”

One idea he has put a lot of emphasis on this season is the pass and set.

“(There's) a lot of emphasis on the first pass. At any level, you have to pass good so it's a big focus for us,” he said. “I have learned from a lot of people and kind of figured out what philosophies, what drills, and what things that I value to put importance on.

"All of my stops have taught me how to be a better coach, but also kind of a better person.”

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Lily Van Severen and Emma Cross have stood out for Kirkwood this fall and taken on a big role.

“Our (freshman) libero, Lily Van Severen, she is a libero I would take mostly any place I have ever coached,” Brown said. “She’s got a big heart, she’s extremely technical and just kind of lays it all out there.”

Brown credits Van Severen’s mental approach.

“She hates to lose as much as she loves to win, which I really appreciate,” he said.

Gardner-Webb transfer Emma Cross has taken on a huge role for the team, as well. The outside hitter has 398 kills on the season.

“We have put a large burden on her,” Brown said. “She is a workhorse and she's bought in. Without her, we would definitely have a hard time.”

Brown has many hopes and goals to accomplish while coaching at Kirkwood. Of course, he hopes to win a national championship, but also wants to make an impact on the players outside of volleyball.

“I want to make them first and foremost better people than when they came in,” Brown said. “I want them to be better volleyball players, but also better people and better prepared for the world outside of here.”

After regionals, the Eagles are hosting the NJCAA championships again this season at the Alliant Engery PowerHouse.

Brown wants the women to know it’s “business as usual” and to treat it like any other game.

“We don't have to be bigger than ourselves,” he said. “I want them to understand that it's a big moment, but it's nothing that they are not capable of.”