Coach Niemuth records 700th win as Storm rout Lake Forest

WAVERLY, Iowa – Leading from start to finish, the Simpson College women's basketball team celebrated head coach Brian Niemuth's 700th career win with an 85-50 rout of Lake Forest.

The Storm (6-5) played suffocating defense all throughout and forced 25 turnovers en route to their largest win of the season. Coach Niemuth became the 12th coach in NCAA Division III history to reach the 700 career wins milestone and is the seventh active coach to attain the mark.

Since coming to Simpson in 1987, Niemuth has won 14 conference championships, made 12 trips to the NCAA Tournament, won conference coach of the year honors nine times and district or region coach of the year honors five times. The winningest coach in the conference, Niemuth has tallied 426 wins against league foes.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Simpson jumped out to a 9-0 lead and led 17-9 after 10 minutes. The Storm defense stifled the Foresters from the get go, forcing eight turnovers in the period.
• The Storm steadily built their lead in the second quarter, reaching their first 20-point margin midway through the frame and holding a commanding 40-23 lead at halftime.
• Simpson's dominance only intensified after the break, opening the third quarter with a 14-1 run to stretch the lead to 30. Lake Forest could not recover, as the Storm continued to pressure defensively and execute efficiently on offense.
• In the fourth quarter, Mollie Schnormeier scored eight straight points to push the lead to 79-41, Simpson's largest lead of the game.
• Simpson's defense was relentless all night, forcing 25 turnovers and limiting Lake Forest to just two field goals in the third quarter. Elle Street led the charge defensively, registering eight steals and setting the tone for the Storm's suffocating pressure.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Simpson converted 25 turnovers into 23 points and dominated in the paint with a 44-28 advantage.
• The Storm bench contributed a season-high 37 points as Keira McCormick put up 10 and Mollie Schnormeier tallied 11 in just over five minutes of action.
• Simpson matched its season high of 11 made 3-pointers and generated season-high assists (26) and steals (20).

STARS OF THE GAME

• Maddax DeVault: 18 points, 5 steals, 2 assists
• Taylor Hansen: 10 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds
• Elle Street: 8 points, 8 steals, 4 rebounds, 4 assists
• Ella Anderson: 8 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals
• Mollie Schnormeier: 11 points (3-3 3FG)
• Keira McCormick: 10 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks

NIEMUTH'S MILESTONE VICTORIES

• 700 - Dec. 30, 2025 vs Lake Forest (85-50)
• 600 - Dec. 21, 2019 vs Millikin (76-69)
• 500 - Feb. 9, 2013 vs Loras (75-62)
• 400 - Jan. 7, 2009 vs Luther (73-43)
• 300 - Dec. 28, 2004 at Calif. Lutheran (104-96)
• 200 - Jan. 7, 2000 vs Cornell (88-56)
• 100 - Feb. 4, 1994 vs Upper Iowa (65-59)

UP NEXT
Simpson returns to American Rivers Conference play on Jan. 3 at Luther. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.