NIU Modeled Path for Kristen Brown, '03, Nebraska Deputy Athletic Director
By Lia Kizilbash Gillet

Kristen Brown, '03, deputy athletic director and senior woman administrator at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, photographed alongside student-athletes Britt Prince (left) and Callin Hake (right) at the 2025 Big Ten Basketball Media Day. (Photo credit: Nebraska Athletics)

Kristen Brown, ’03, embodies the power and potential of women in athletics leadership — an impact she first discovered at NIU. There, her daily experiences as a student-athlete quietly shaped her understanding that women can excel in every area of sports administration. 
 

As point guard for the NIU Women’s Basketball team, Brown had no idea that a female athletic director was, at the time, a rarity nationwide.

“Cary Groth [NIU athletic director from 1994-2004] was probably one of less than 10 female athletic directors at the Division I level,” Brown said. “In fact, when I was at NIU, I believe most senior athletic leaders were from underrepresented groups. Only after graduation, when I started working in college athletics, did I realize just how rare women and people of color were in leadership roles.”

Today, building on those formative experiences, Brown serves as the deputy athletic director and senior woman administrator for Nebraska Athletics. She leads with intention and awareness, knowing student-athletes may look to her as proof of what their future could hold.
 

“Because I had NIU Athletics leadership as examples, I never thought I could be anything less than an AD or a senior leader in this industry,” she said. 

In 2025, Brown was appointed to the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee — achieving a goal she had aspired to reach for more than two decades. 

“It’s an honor to serve on any NCAA committee, but to be appointed to the Women’s Basketball Committee is even more meaningful to me,” Brown said. “Basketball has been such a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. I have watched women’s basketball evolve and grow so much over the last 40-plus years, and to now have an opportunity to help lead that growth on the collegiate level is so special.”

Brown and the committee evaluate teams that do not automatically qualify for the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. They rank teams to determine matchups, determine logistics and more. All decisions are made with integrity and in accordance with strict NCAA policies. 

At Nebraska, Brown directly oversees women's basketball and volleyball, but she is passionate about supporting all student-athletes. 
 

Kristen Brown, '03, (top row, second from the left) poses with Nebraska Athletics staff and student-athletes following their 2024 NCAA Volleyball regional final win over Wisconsin to advance to the NCAA semifinals. (Photo credit: Nebraska Athletics)

“I feel super fortunate to have the career that I do,” Brown said. “I get to work in sport and use it as a vehicle to help develop, mentor and grow young people. I want them to succeed in all aspects of their lives, and I’m willing to do just about anything — within the rules — to help them succeed.” 

Brown admits that her time at NIU wasn't always easy. She said she struggled athletically and academically at times, but she remains grateful. Those experiences not only set her on her path, but also help her support student-athletes today.
 

“My time at NIU was such an important part of my journey," she said. "I initially chose NIU for a basketball scholarship and proximity to my home in Rockford, but that decision led to some of the best friends, moments and opportunities of my life."

In 2025, Brown returned to NIU as a panelist for National Girls and Women in Sports Day, where she discussed her unexpected career in administration.

Brown wanted to be the next Pat Summitt, the prolific University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball coach. After a career-ending injury in her junior year at NIU, she took an athletics intern role the next year. She remembers Professor Rodney Caughron, Ph.D., and former Director of Events Jay Lowe suggesting a future in administration.
 

Kristen Brown, '03, served as the Master of Ceremonies for the Welcome Celebration for Nebraska's new Head Volleyball Coach Dani Busboom Kelly. (Photo credit: Nebraska Athletics)

Brown remained committed to coaching and, upon graduating, took an internship assisting with the planning of Big Ten Women’s Basketball tournaments. Hoping to network with coaches, she instead found herself at a conference table with senior athletic leaders. Only then did she realize she could impact student-athletes and the sport from the boardroom as much as on the courtside.
 

She went on to work for the Big Ten Conference as associate director of championships and women’s basketball operations. She also served as director of sport administration for the BIG EAST Conference, associate AD for administration at the University of Maryland, and deputy AD/senior woman administrator at Texas A&M University before coming to Nebraska in 2024.

“When I was going through college, I could have never dreamed of this professional journey,” Brown said. “I thought I was destined for a career in coaching. But I’m so thankful for Dr. Caughron, Jay, Cary, and many others from my time at NIU, who believed in me and saw something that I couldn’t.”

Brown is excited for what's next — believing we are only at the beginning of what's possible for women's sports. The progress, however, reinforces a truth she learned long ago: “If you see it, you can believe you can do it too.”  

Learn how you can help inspire the next generation of leaders at niuforward.com.