Lady Lynx Volleyball
Kim Wells-Lauwers
Head Coach
Kim Wells-Lauwers started her coaching career as a student/graduate assistant at Texas State University from 1997-1989 before she was married to Brad Lauwers, and moved to Anchorage Alaska. She then started coaching volleyball as a J.V. coach at West High School for one season before she was chosen to be the head varsity volleyball coach at A.J. Dimond High School the very next season in 1991. At Dimond High School, she became one of the most successful prep volleyball coach’s in Alaska during the 1990’s. Under her leadership, Dimond turned into a perennial state power by winning two class 4A state championships in three final appearances and claiming three Region IV titles. Lauwers was touted as the states top coach in 1995 when the Lynx won their second state crown with an umblemished 23-0 mark. Dimond compiled a 104-34 record during Lauwers six-year stint at the helm. She was also a coach for the Midnight Sun Volleyball Club program in the 1990’s.
In 1996, after having her third son, Lauwers was offered the opportunity to get back into the college ranks as an assistant at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Lauwers was an assistant from 1996-1997. She then become the head volleyball coach at the University of Alaska Anchorage from 1998-2004 where she registered her 100th college career win during that time. After the 2004 season, Lauwers resigned from college coaching and planned to retire from coaching so she could spend more time with her family and focus on watching her boys participate in their sports. Her oldest son was entering high school at Dimond High School. Coincidently , the head varsity volleyball coaching position at Dimond high school, where she started her head coaching career, position became available. She was offered the position and she took it . When she took over the Dimond program for the second time, it was struggling a bit but they finished about .500. Her second season her team had a 12-5 record, then in her third season, they placed 5th in the state tournament. From then on, her teams have participated at the state tournament every year since then. Since she has been back at Dimond high school, their record is 238-46 so far and Dimond volleyball has won 8 out of the last 11 4A state championships and has had 6 Alaska Gatorade Player of the Year selections. Dimond has participated in the 4A state championship match the last 7 years , Her overall Alaska high school volleyball record is approximately 348-89 in 17 seasons. In 2018, her Dimond volleyball team had another undefeated 23-0 record and won their 4th straight state championship. Kim Lauwers was selected AVCA National High School Coach of the Year in 2013 and AVCA Regional Coach of the year in 2018. She is also back coaching club volleyball and runs the varsity level of the Midnight Sun Progam as well as their recruiting/ spring travel.
As far as her college playing career goes, she was a setter/hitter for Illinois Central College. Wells/Lauwers led her team to a 3rd place and 2nd place at the national championship finish in 1983 and 1984, respectively. During her two years at ICC, Wells/Lauwers earned 1st Team All-American honors, All Region and All District honors and served as team captain. At the 1984 NJCAA national championship, Wells/Lauwers was named Most Valuable Player of the Tournament even though her team placed second. It was the first time such an honor had been bestowed upon a player from the runner-up team. In 2002, she was inducted the the NJCAA Hall of Fame. She also holds an Associates degree in Physical Education from Illinois Central College.
After finishing her outstanding career at the Illinois Central College, she decided to continue going to school and playing volleyball at Southwest Texas State University (currently Texas State University). Lauwers received a bachelor’s degree in recreation administration from Southwest Teas State University in 1987 and studied graduate work in physical education at the institution. In two seasons (1985-86) as the starting setter for Texas State, Lauwers helped the Bobcats to a 60-20 record, the 1986 Gulf star Conference championship and berth in the NCAA Division I tournament that same year. She was a team captain and two time all conference first team selection. During her senior campaign, she racked up 1356 assists, 312 digs and hit .294 with 185 kills enroute for the legues Player of the Year award. She was ranked in the top two in the nation with assists percentage in Division I.
Kim Lauwers was born in Kankakee, Illinois. She was a three sport athlete at Bourbonnais High School and also played club volleyball in Chicago with the Spikettes volleyball program. She was also named to the Bradley Bourboannis High School Athletic Hall of fame.
Lauwers is married 30 years to one of the most successful multi-sport coaches in the state, Brad Lauwers and has lived in Anchorage Alaska for 30 years. They have three sons, Colton 27 who played basketball at the University of Alaska Anchorage, Dylan 26 who played college baseball at the College of the Desert , and Payton 24.
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