Kristi Brodin
Kristi Brodin, Northwest University Hall of Fame Coach. Women’s Basketball and Volleyball Coach (1970-1988) Kristi Brodin began her coaching career in 1970 when she accepted a part time teaching position at Northwest teaching Physical Education offered her by President D. V. Hearst and Academic Dean Frank Rice. Over her years in different capacities at Northwest, Kristi amassed five national championships in women’s basketball, induction into the NCCAA Hall of Fame and established basketball, volleyball and women’s soccer as intercollegiate sports at the university. Commuting from Olympia two to three days a week that first year, the 22-year-old Brodin took formed the first women’s volleyball team to compete at a one-day tournament in Portland for the league of small Christian colleges of which Northwest was a part. Borrowing her parents’ car to transport the team, Kristi and her players financed everything on their own in those early years, from team shirts to meals and travel expenses. Within a couple of years this endeavor grew to regular season competition, which began with matches played as a prelude to men’s basketball games. Having completed her master’s degree in Counseling and Guidance in 1976, Kristi became a Resident Counselor in the residence halls, as well as teaching and coaching two sports. The surge of interest in women’s athletics during the mid-seventies enabled the league to bring in women’s basketball in the 1977-78 season, moving volleyball to the fall. Kristi led her new basketball team to the first-ever conference tournament championship in the inaugural season. After leaving coaching at Northwest, Kristi pursued a second master’s degree, developed the health and fitness endorsement program for the School of Education, and has served as coordinator of that program since its implementation. In addition, Brodin served as Director of Athletics for the University from 2002 to 2008. In the fall of 2008, she returned to the classroom fulltime. In 1984, having won a league title in basketball, Kristi took her team to the National Christian College Athletic Association Division II national tournament. The team traveled to Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga and won two of three games to place 5th. After a strong 3rd place finish on their next trip to the nationals, 1988 saw the beginning of a stretch of five national titles over seven years. Kristi was honored as national Coach of the Year for 1989. Meanwhile, the volleyball team was flourishing as well. Breaking into the NCCAA national tournament in 1989 and placing third, they qualified again in 1992, and in 1993 placed 2nd in the nation, narrowly missing the championship in a grueling five-game match. The demands of two-sport coaching atop teaching responsibilities prompted Kristi to turn the volleyball program over to the more-than-capable hands of Ross Johnson. Meanwhile, as head basketball coach and Brodin was inducted into the NCCAA Hall of Fame in 1995. Brodin then helped guide Northwest during the transition to an athletics scholarship program. Her final year of coaching was the first year of full participation in the NAIA. Following her coaching career, Kristi focused her efforts toward the development of the P.E./health/fitness endorsement for the Education program, going back to earn a second master’s degree, in Physical Education. She continued to serve as the Regional Chair of the NCCAA, where her expertise and years of experience were highly valued. She next served as the Director of Athletics at NU for six years, a tenure which saw the transition from College to University, and in which she achieved the addition of women’s soccer to the list of NU athletics. Kristi currently teaches full-time in the P.E./health/fitness endorsement, serves as Faculty Representative Advisor for all NU athletes, and continues envisioning and working towards strengthening Northwest University’s athletic and physical education presence. (Source: NUEagles.com) |