Northwestern College Athletics

Korver is the longest tenured coach in Northwestern men’s basketball history and is the winningest coach in program history, taking over the program in the 2000-01 basketball season. He has a career record of 574-225 in his 25 seasons leading the program.
 
“Northwestern is special because of the people. Bottom line – Northwestern has always been about training, equipping, and raising up the next generation of servant leaders," says Korver. "We get to be apart of what God’s never-ending Kingdom building expansion."
 
Under Coach Korver’s direction, the men’s basketball program has made 19 trips to the NAIA national tournament, including seven trips to the quarterfinals, five to the semifinals. Korver is the only coach in program history to win a national championship (2001, 2003).
 
In his time, he has coached 49 All-Americans, one NAIA Player of the Year (Brandon Woudstra, 2003), seven Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Players of the Year, five GPAC Freshmen of the Year, and two GPAC Defensive Players of the Year.
 
“At Northwestern, we get to intentionally partner with the Holy Spirit in His Kingdom building expansion," notes Korver. "We also get to invest in the next generation of leaders. Encouraging one another daily to build healthy and holy habits is key. It is an awesome opportunity each day!”
 
Korver picked up his 500^th career win at Northwestern on February 12, 2022 against Mount Marty inside the Bultman Center. 
 
Coach Korver’s favorite Bible verse is Joshua 24:15, “Choose this day whom you will serve . . . For me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (ESV).
 
Team Accomplishments Under Korver: 
19 trips to the NAIA National Championship (2001-08, 2011-13, 2017-18, 2020-25)
6 trips to the NAIA Division II Quarterfinals (2001-03, 05, 07-08)
5 trips to the NAIA Division II Semifinals (2001-03, 07-08)
2 NAIA Division II National Championships (2001, 2003)
9x GPAC Regular Season Championships (2001-05, 07,11, 13, 24)
6x GPAC Postseason Championships (2001-02, 08, 12, 17, 21)
16 times finished ranked in the NAIA Coaches' Top 25 (2001-08, 2011-13, 2017-18, 2021, 2024-25)
2 times finished as the NAIA's top-ranked team (2001, 2003)
22 times finished in the top five in the GPAC regular season (2001-09, 2011-13, 2017-25)

Other Coaching Accomplishments:
49 players have earned All-American honors
1 NAIA Player of the Year - Brandon Woudstra (2003)
7 GPAC Players of the Year (2002, 03, 05, 06, 09, 13, 18)
5 GPAC Freshmen of the Year (2005, 10, 15, 21, 25)
2 GPAC Defensive Players of the Year (2002, 2011)
Program's all-time leader in wins
Program's all-time leader in winning percentage
52 players named NAIA Scholar-Athlete
10x named NAIA Scholar Team (2016-23)
 
Prior to taking over the men’s basketball program, Korver worked in the Northwestern College admissions office as an admissions counselor between 1992 and 1994. He left NWC to take over the Valley Christian High School men’s basketball team in Cerritos, Calif.
 
Korver is a 1992 graduate of Northwestern College and he earned his Masters of Education from California State University, Fullerton. Korver and his wife, Ann, have three children – Christian, Elizabeth, and Luke. Both Christian and Luke have been a part of Northwestern's men's basketball program.

"Winning is important at Northwestern, but basketball is about more than victories and defeats,"  says Head Coach Kris Korver. “Character formation is the name of the game.  We want young men to display character in everyday life and on the court.  We view basketball as a tool for life transformation.”

updated June 2025