University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletics

Brian Scott enters his 12th season with the Alaska Nanooks volleyball program in 2026-27, bringing extensive coaching experience at both the NCAA Division I and Division II levels. Since arriving in Fairbanks, Scott has helped transform Alaska into a consistent Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) contender, guiding the program to historic milestones and postseason success.

In 2025, Scott led the Nanooks to their first GNAC championship in program history, earning a share of the conference title as co-champions alongside three other teams. Alaska also secured its first-ever NCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament appearance, marking a landmark achievement for the program.

The Nanooks earned significant individual recognition in 2025, with four players named GNAC All-Conference. Mikala Henderson and Tessa Onaga earned First Team honors, while Elena Guc and Cynphany Henderson were named Honorable Mention selections. Onaga was also named GNAC Defensive Player of the Year. Regionally, Onaga and Mikala Henderson earned All-West Region honors from both the AVCA and D2CCA before each receiving AVCA All-America Honorable Mention recognition.

Scott's leadership has helped the Nanooks steadily build their competitive standing. In 2018, Alaska improved from eighth to fifth in the GNAC standings, setting the stage for the program's first consecutive winning seasons since 2003-04. The Nanooks followed with back-to-back 18-win seasons in 2021 and 2022, including a 2021 campaign that tied for the second-most wins in program history. That stretch also produced Alaska's second-ever All-American, libero Jessa Long.

In 2024, Scott guided Alaska to a 21-7 overall record and a 13-5 mark in GNAC play, finishing second in the conference and tying the program record for wins. The season included the team's first-ever victory at Western Washington, a sweep of Alaska Anchorage and a nine-win homestand to close the year. The Nanooks posted a program-best .750 winning percentage while ranking among the nation's top teams in blocking and offense. Karli Nielson earned First Team All-GNAC and AVCA All-American honors, Rilee White became the GNAC's all-time service aces leader and the first player in conference history to reach 1,000 kills, 1,000 digs and 200 aces, and Elena Guc and Ainsley Smith earned honorable mention recognition.

Before joining Alaska, Scott served as an assistant coach at NCAA Division I programs Weber State and Utah State, coordinating offensive and blocking systems and serving as recruiting coordinator. At Weber State, he helped rebuild the program and coached numerous Big Sky All-Academic and All-Conference honorees, as well as the conference's Newcomer of the Year. His recruits established program records in kills, digs, assists and blocks, and he mentored the conference's blocking record holder and two nationally ranked blockers.

During two seasons at Utah State, Scott helped the Aggies earn a 2010 Western Athletic Conference Tournament championship and a 24-9 record while coaching the WAC Most Valuable Player and an All-American. His experience and emphasis on player development continue to shape the Nanooks as the program builds on its historic conference and NCAA tournament achievements.