Former Illinois-Chicago and South Florida head coach Nancy Mueller joined the Bradley volleyball coaching staff in June 2009 as the recruiting coordinator and has had an immediate impact for the Braves.
Following up the 2009 season in which Bradley finished with its most victories since the 2005 campaign, Mueller's efforts on the recruiting trail resulted in the Braves' incoming class for the 2010 season receiving national recognition by Prepvolleyball.com as one of the top recruiting classes in the country.
Mueller arrived on The Hilltop with 10 years of experience as a NCAA Division I head coach. During her time at UIC and South Florida she led her teams to two NCAA Tournament appearances and a 174-151 (.535) record.
In her five seasons at Illinois-Chicago, Mueller led the Flames to a 68-91 overall record. She led teams to improved records in each of her first three seasons, culminating in UIC's best regular-season conference finish in 2006 when the Flames took second in the Horizon League.
In addition to arguably the most successful regular season in program history, she guided Illinois-Chicago to the championship game of the 2006 Horizon League Tournament, marking just the second Championship game appearance in program history.
During her time at UIC, Mueller coached six First-Team Horizon League performers, including the school's career assist leader.
Prior to her five-year stint as head coach at UIC, Mueller had five very successful seasons at the University of South Florida, where she owned a 106-60 (.639) record. She led the Bulls to two NCAA Tournament appearances and was a two-time AVCA/Tachikara Regional Coach of the Year choice.
All told, she led South Florida to NCAA Tournament appearances in 2000 and 2002, two Conference USA regular-season championships (2000 and 2002) and a Conference USA Tournament title (2002), while coaching the school's first-ever All-American and three all-region selections in her five years at the Tampa, Fla., school.
In her second season, the Bulls posted a 28-6 record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament after claiming the Conference USA Regular Season title in 2000. Mueller earned the first of two AVCA Regional Coach of the Year honors.
USF followed up with a 21-9 record in 2001 and was ranked as high as fifth in the Midwest Region. The 2002 season was arguably the Bulls best under Mueller, as South Florida finished the season with a 30-7 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. USF claimed both the Conference USA regular season and tournament titles, while Mueller was named AVCA Regional Coach of the Year in addition to being selected as the Conference USA Coach of the Year.
Mueller was an assistant coach at Houston for four years prior to taking over at USF. The Cougars made four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament (1995-98) during her time in the Lone Star State. Mueller started her coaching career at Iowa State, where she was an assistant coach from 1993-95.
A 1993 graduate of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education, Exercise Physiology, Mueller was a four-time letterwinner for the Volunteers as a defensive specialist and setter.