Vicki Brown dismissed as head coach of Iowa volleyball

Per a release, Iowa Athletics terminated its head volleyball coach Vicki Brown Thursday afternoon.

Head+coach+Vicki+Brown+is+seen+smiling+during+the+volleyball+match+between+Iowa+and+Ball+State+on+Friday%2C+Sept+10%2C+2021.+The+Cardinals+defeated+the+Hawkeyes+3-2.+

Larry Phan

Head coach Vicki Brown is seen smiling during the volleyball match between Iowa and Ball State on Friday, Sept 10, 2021. The Cardinals defeated the Hawkeyes 3-2.

Austin Hanson, Sports Editor


The Vicki Brown era of Iowa volleyball has come to a close.

Per a Thursday Iowa Athletics release, Hawkeye head volleyball coach Vicki Brown has been terminated, without cause.

“We appreciate coach Brown’s five years of service with our volleyball program, especially during a difficult transition prior to the 2019 season and the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic,” Iowa Athletics Director Gary Barta said via release. “We wish her the best of luck moving forward.”

Brown first took the helm with Iowa volleyball as an interim head coach. She was appointed Iowa’s interim head coach on June 19, 2019.

She assumed the role after Iowa fired Bond Shymansky. Shymansky was relieved of his head coaching duties at Iowa after he gave a player  “impermissible benefit.”

Before she was promoted to head coach, Brown joined Shymansky’s staff in 2017 as an assistant coach.

Brown was just the 10th head coach in the history of the Iowa volleyball program. In 73 games as the Hawkeyes’ head coach, Brown went 17-56.

The interim tag was removed from Brown’s title on Sept. 26, 2019. Iowa Athletics inked Brown to a five-year contract on that date.

According to records made public by the University of Iowa, Brown was paid $165,000 and $171,125 salaries in 2019 and 2020. Brown was slated to earn $185,000 in 2021.

Eight matchups remain on the Hawkeyes’ 2021 schedule.

Assistant coaches Dave Brown and William Tatge will oversee the Iowa volleyball program on an interim basis going forward. 

2021 is Dave Brown’s second at Iowa. Before Vicki Brown’s termination, Dave Brown was Iowa’s recruiting coordinator.

Tatge was welcomed to Iowa’s staff in June. He served as an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech before he moved to Iowa City. 

The best win-loss record Louisiana Tech had while Tatge was there was 13-15. In his last season at Louisiana Tech, Tatge’s team went 1-19.

Per Iowa Athletics, a national search for Brown’s replacement will begin immediately.