Northwestern College Athletics

Chris Yaw was hired in March 2025 to return for a second stint as Northwestern's women's basketball head coach.

Yaw returns to Northwestern after three years of serving as the principal at MOC-Floyd Valley Middle School in Alton. During that time, he continued coaching, leading the Lady Dutch high school basketball team for the past two seasons. Prior to his appointment at MOC-FV, Yaw coached the Red Raider women's basketball program for 10 seasons, winning 224 games, including the 2012 NAIA Division II National Championship.

"The opportunity to influence and impact people through sport on a Christ-centered campus such as Northwestern College is both humbling and motivating," Yaw said. "God called me to, away from, and back to the special challenge of Honoring Christ through Excellence in Athletics. I look forward to fostering relationships, investing in people and this basketball program, and the competition!"

He brings over two decades of coaching experience to the role, starting his coaching career as the head girls basketball coach at MOC-FV. Then, after working as an assistant coach at Wayne State College, Yaw was hired by Northwestern in 2004 to assist then-head coach Dr. Earl Woudstra '78, a role that he held until his promotion in 2011.

In Yaw's first stint, his teams qualified for the national tournament seven times, won the national title in 2012, and reached the Fab Four three times ('13, '18, '19). His teams compiled a record of 18-6 in the NAIA tournament and were ranked among the top 25 in the final coaches' poll seven times. Northwestern also had success at the conference level, winning the GPAC regular season title in 2014 and 2019 and winning the GPAC tournament in 2014.

Yaw is a 1992 graduate of Northwestern College, holding a bachelor's degree in biology. In 2001, he completed a master's degree in education administration from Buena Vista University.

Family: wife - Donette; children - Rylee, Mitchell and Claire.

Alma Mater: Northwestern College (1992)

Coaching Experience: 
2025-pres.: Head Coach, Northwestern College
2023-25: Head Coach, MOC-Floyd Valley HS
2011-21: Head Coach, Northwestern College
2001-02: Assistant Coach, Wayne State College
1997-01: Head Coach, MOC-Floyd Valley HS

Milestones:
    100th win at NW - vs Dordt, Feb. 18, 2015
    200th win at NW - vs Doane, Jan. 4, 2020

Team Accomplishments Under Yaw: 

• 7 trips to the NAIA Division II National Championship (2012-14, 2017-19, 2021)
• 5 trips to the NAIA Division II Quarterfinals (2012-14, 18-19)
• 4 trips to the NAIA Division II Semifinals (2012-13, 18-19)
• 1 NAIA Division II National Championship (2012)
• 2 GPAC Regular Season Championship (2014, 19)
• 1 GPAC Postseason Championship (2014)
• 6 times finished ranked in the NAIA Division II Coaches' Top 5 (2012-14, 2017-19)
• 4 times finished as the NAIA's top-ranked team (2008, 2010 - 2012)
• 8 times finished in the top five in the GPAC regular season (2012-15, 17-19, 2021)
• 9 times in the WBCA Academic Top 25 Honor Roll (2012-20)

Other Coaching Accomplishments:

• Named the NAIA Phyllis Holmes Coach of the Year (2012)
• 16 players have earned All-American honors, including Kendra De Jong, the 2013 NAIA player of the year.
• 1 NAIA Player of the Year (2013)
• 2 GPAC Players of the Year (2012, 2013)
• 1 GPAC Freshman of the Year (2016)
• Ranks second in program history in wins
• Ranks second in program history in win percentage
• 41 players named NAIA Scholar-Athlete
• 10 teams named NAIA Scholar Team (2012-21)
• 6 trips to the NAIA Division II National Tournament as top assistant
• 5 appearances in the NAIA Division II National Semifinals as top assistant
• 3 NAIA Division II National Championships as top assistant
• Named 2010 Red Raider Club Co-Coach of the Year

“My greatest goal for the program is that it continues to model and uphold the mission of Northwestern, creating women of great character who would be courageous and intentional about being women of faith,” said Yaw. “Another goal is for all of us to continue to pursue excellence in academics and in our relationships with each other. Finally, we seek for the basketball program to continue to compete at a high level—specifically, to compete well in the GPAC. Competing well in our conference is going to allow us to also compete well nationally.”
 

Yaw Year-by-Year