Brown Chosen for NCAA Women's Basketball Committee

Nebraska Deputy Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator Kristen Brown has been appointed to serve on the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee, effective immediately through Aug. 31, 2030, the NCAA announced on Tuesday, Sept. 9.  

Brown, who joined the Nebraska staff in July of 2024, will be filling the committee position vacated by Colleen Sorem, who was recently named SMU's executive deputy athletic director. Sorem's five-year term ended in August of 2025.

“It is a tremendous honor and privilege to be appointed to the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee, especially during such a dynamic time for the sport,” Brown said. “I am excited to work alongside my colleagues on the committee and NCAA staff to help continue to grow the sport in a thoughtful and strategic way as well as to help enhance the championship experience for student-athletes and fans.”

Before arriving at Nebraska, Brown was the deputy athletic director at Texas A&M (2020-24) and associate athletic director of administration at Maryland (2014-20). Her responsibilities included sport oversight for several sports, student-athlete engagement and well-being, leadership development and support, and diversity and inclusion initiatives. In addition to her time on campus, Brown previously worked at several conference offices, including the American, the Big East and the Big Ten.

A two-time women’s basketball letter winner and graduate of Northern Illinois University, Brown earned her master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio University.

Brown joins a 12-member NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee in 2025-26 that includes committee chair Amanda Braun, director of athletics at Milwaukee; Vicky Chun, director of athletics at Yale; Liz Darger, senior associate athletic director at Brigham Young; Amy Folan, associate vice president and director of athletics at Central Michigan; Josh Heird, director of athletics at Louisville; Jeff Konya, director of athletics at San Jose State; Candice Lee, vice chancellor and director of athletics at Vanderbilt; Marvin Lewis, assistant vice president and director of athletics at George Mason; Jill Redmond, deputy commissioner of the Missouri Valley Conference; Ashleigh Simmons, associate athletics director for student success at Western Carolina; and Lynn Tighe, senior associate athletics director at Villanova.

Brown's appointment continues a trend of Husker leadership at the highest levels on the most prominent NCAA Committees. In May of 2025, Nebraska Athletic Director Troy Dannen was appointed to the College Football Playoff Selection Committee. From 2021 to 2023, Dannen served as a member of the NCAA Constitution Committee and the Division I Transformation Committee.