Dan Brown has been the head coach of the JJC volleyball team for four years after taking over the program prior to the start of the 2018 season.
During his first season, the program returned to the national rankings. The season featured two weeks in the NJCAA Division III top ten, which included eight-game and six-game win streaks. The 2018 team was nationally-ranked in the top 15 in kills, assists, aces and digs after posting a 21-14 overall record. The 21 wins are the most since the 2012 volleyball season.
The 2018 team was also recognized for its individual player successes. Outside hitter Cuay Whitener was named first team all-region and first team N4C all-conference. Cuay was the only NJCAA Division III player to accumulate 400 kills, 400 digs and 400 points in a single season. Setter Isabella Consentino was named second team all-region and second team N4C all-conference. She was ranked in the top ten nationally in assists and aces.
In 2019, Brown coached sophomore libero Emma Sweeney to more than 1,200 career digs. Sweeney and freshman outside hitter Felicity Jones were named to the NJCAA All-Region IV Team as well as the N4C All-Conference Second Team. In addition, Sweeney was named to the Region IV All-Tournament Team and received an NJCAA All-American nomination.
Before coming to Joliet, Brown was part of the Western Illinois University volleyball program. While there, he directed a team defense that went from 300th in the country to top 50, and included a nationally-ranked top 30 libero. Within the Summit League, Western moved from a last place team defensively to top half after his first year.
Brown also had success building camps.The Wolves hosted more than160 summer campers of all ages as well as a 24-team high school tournament in 2021. While at Western, Brown saw growth in individual participants from 30 during his first summer to 100 in each of his last two. He also created WIU’s first prospects camp, which drew 50 participants, and created their first team camp, which included 29 teams.
Prior to WIU, Brown was the associate head coach for the University of North Dakota from 2010 to 2014. During his tenure at UND, the program won more than 100 matches and included two Great West Conference championships and one Big Sky Conference championship. Brown was successful in recruiting back-to-back Big Sky Freshman of the Year award winners and helped oversee the training of back-to-back Setters of the Year.
Prior to North Dakota, Brown was a volunteer assistant for the University of Minnesota in 2009. While there, he worked with the primary passers and helped the team make a run to the 2009 Final Four.
Brown’s career includes multiple years at the club and high school level in the Minneapolis area, most notably his 15 years at Minnesota One where he was the 15-1 head coach and youth director. During that time, Brown trained multiple future DI athletes and twice qualified for the USA 15 Open Championships.
Brown and his wife, Nicole, reside in Morris with their three children Milton, DeAnna and Andersen.