Newberry Names David Nicholson Volleyball Coach

NEWBERRY, S.C. - Newberry College Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Andy Carter announced the hiring of David Nicholson as head women's volleyball coach today. Nicholson replaces Matt Sonnichsen, who recently accepted the head coaching position at Louisiana Tech University.

"I am looking forward to joining the coaching staff at Newberry," Nicholson said. "It will be my job to build on the success of last season and I will work hard to do that. My wife and I are excited about relocating to the Newberry area."

"David Nicholson is a great fit for Newberry College and our volleyball program," Carter said. "He has a quiet confidence about him that fits our team well. He is an outstanding choice to lead our program to the next level."

Nicholson comes to the Palmetto State after a brief stint in the spring of 2008 as the head coach at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College.

Prior to his time at UTB/TSC, Nicholson spent three seasons as the head coach at Union College in Barbourville, Ky. Under Nicholson's tutelage, the Lady Bulldogs earned their highest win total in school history in the 2007 season with a 34-15 mark and an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) regular season championship.

Nicholson was named the 2007 Coach of the Year in both the AAC and NAIA Region XII. The 2007 squad boasted the AAC Player of the Year, Setter of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Region XII Player of the Year. The Bulldogs also had three first team and one second team all-AAC selections, with the three all-conference players also earning all-region accolades.

In 2006, the Lady Bulldogs recorded their sixth 20-win season in going 21-17 overall and 12-6 in Appalachian Athletic Conference play. Nicholson has had one player earn NAIA All-American Honorable Mention honors, two NAIA Setters of the Week nods, three All-Conference First Team selections, three All-Region First Team selections and two conference All-Freshman Team selections.

Nicholson came to Union after spending the previous two seasons as an assistant at Western Carolina (N.C.) University, a NCAA Division I program. During that time, the Catamounts went 28-33 overall.

Prior to his tenure at Western Carolina, Nicholson compiled an extensive high school coaching career. He first served as the head coach at Crescent High School, in Port Angeles, Wash., from 1992-95, taking over a program which had not seen a victory in over five years. In his third season as the coach there, the team was at the top of its conference.

From 1995-97, Nicholson served as the freshman volleyball coach at Rainier High School, in Rainier, Ore., and then was hired as the head coach at Clatskanie High School, in Clatskanie, Ore., in 1997. While there, he guided his team to a league championship and a sixth place finish in the state. He followed that up with a seventh place finish at the state level the following year. During this time, Nicholson additionally coached the Tiger Club Team in Clatskanie.

In July of 2000, Nicholson made the move across the country to Hayesville, N.C., and served as the assistant volleyball coach at Murphy High School. After his stint with Murphy, Nicholson was appointed the athletic director and head volleyball coach of Hiwassee Dam High School, in 2001. He was involved with all aspects of the program in this new position from scheduling to transportation of the teams.

Nicholson has also spent his spare time officiating high school volleyball and basketball games in the western North Carolina area and was selected to officiate the 2002 3A State Championship volleyball match.

A 2005 graduate of Western Carolina, Nicholson received his Master's in Education from Union in December 2006.

Nicholson is married to the former Jennifer Rogers of Murphy, N.C.