Richard "Rick" Nicholson was named assistant coach in July 2021.
Nicholson, husband to Angie, served in the same capacity at Hampton for the previous five seasons. While at Hampton, Nicholson helped guide the Pirates to an impressive 15-4 start in 2020 before the season was cut short due to Covid-19.
In his first year at Hampton in 2017, the Pirates went 17-1 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Northern Division to win the division.
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Prior to coming to Hampton, Nicholson was a licensed paraprofessional for Mahomet City Schools in Mahomet, Ill. In that role, he aided in the classroom with students of various handicaps and learning disabilities, while also tutoring and mentoring various students – as well as student-athletes.
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He spent the 2006-07 academic season as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Butler University, where his primary responsibilities included training student-athletes during the offseason, maintaining the weight room facilities, and monitoring student-athletes during workouts.
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Nicholson is a 2001 graduate of Cleveland State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and finance. He was on the wrestling team at Cleveland State, serving as team captain and being named an Academic Scholar Athlete Award winner.
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Throughout his life, Nicholson has coached in sports such as softball, wrestling, basketball, and soccer – coaching males and females at various ages.
