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Iowa Central Community College

Ortmeier "Very Excited" To Be Joining Triton Nation

Ortmeier "Very Excited" To Be Joining Triton Nation
Posted: May 24, 2020

By Dana Becker

becker_d@iccc.cc.ia.us

Brian Ortmeier found himself "extremely impressed" upon making his visit to the Iowa Central campus while interviewing for the head women's basketball coaching position.

That, along with several other factors, made it easy for Ortmeier to accept the challenge of replacing Kelly Kruger. 

"I'm originally from Dodge, Nebraska, so this position puts my family much closer to home," Ortmeier said. "Iowa Central is also a top-notch institution in the NJCAA. I was extremely impressed with their administration, athletic department, and campus overall. I'm very excited to be joining Triton Nation."

Ortmeier spent the past four seasons leading the Laramie County women's basketball program. The team went 18-13 this past season, their second consecutive winning campaign. 

Along with a four-year run at Laramie County, Ortmeier has also coached at Colorado Northwestern Community College for two seasons and was an assistant at both Dakota State University and McPherson College. 

"I was pretty familiar with Iowa Central women's basketball having worked at two NAIA institutions in the area as an assistant coach," he said. "I've previously been at Dakota State and McPherson College so we used to recruit Region 11 quite a bit."

Ortmeier understands the process of building a contender, having taken over a new Laramie County program in 2016. 
 
"I've been coaching junior college basketball for the past six years and have competed against some of the best programs in the country," he said. "Our program at LCCC was brand new in 2016, and in four years we built the program to a position where we are knocking off Top-25 teams. I'm also going back to a region that I am very familiar recruiting and I can't wait to get started."
 
As for his goals for the Tritons, Ortmeier wants to "build our identity as a program that plays hard and develops successful student-athletes" first and foremost.
 
"We are going to play at a fast pace and our team will need to have a hard-working mentality," he said. "When that short-term goal is in place, our long term goals as a program will be to win Region 11 championships and to compete at the national level."