University of Notre Dame head volleyball coach Debbie Brown has signed a multi-year contract to continue her position with the Fighting Irish.

“Debbie has developed her program into one of the best in the nation,” said Notre Dame director of athletics Kevin White.

“With her proven track record of success and the team’s continued excellence on and off the court, the future has never been brighter for Irish volleyball.”

Brown will begin her 12th season at Notre Dame in the fall of 2002. She has led her teams to victory in nearly 75 percent of their matches, going 276-94 (.746) since joining the program in 1991.

The Irish have made a steady climb up the national rankings during the Brown era, rising as high as fifth in 1995 and sixth in ’96. The 1993 Notre Dame squad came within one match of advancing to the NCAA semifinals, while the ’94, ’95 and ’97 teams also advanced to the Sweet 16.

As a Division I head coach, Brown has taken 15 of her 17 teams to the NCAA Tournament (four of which have reached the regional sweet-16 round), has seen 11 of her teams ranked in the final AVCA top-25 poll and has been named conference coach of the year in eight of the last 13 seasons.

In 2001, the Irish posted a 22-7 record and appeared in their 10th-straight NCAA Championship in Madison, Wis. Four starters and 10 monogram winners return for the 2002 season, which begins August 30, in the Joyce Center against Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

For more information on Debbie Brown, click on “Coaches Corner” on the women’s volleyball front page.