Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Norfolk State University Athletics

The Official Site of the Norfolk State Spartans
Nav wordmark
Angie Nicholson

Angie Nicholson

Angie Nicholson finished her first full season in 2024-25 after becoming Norfolk State’s ninth head softball coach, achieving monumental success in her first season with Spartans, capturing MEAC Coach of the Year award.

Nicholson became only the second coach in Norfolk State’s program history to receive the award after James Inzana achieved the feat in 2019 and 2021.

Nicholson led the team to a 22-23 record in 2025, tying for the third-best single season turnaround in Division I (18 more wins than previous year). 

Norfolk State went from last in the MEAC to second in conference behind a 14-7 MEAC record. The Spartans finished the season with the best pitching group in the MEAC, leading the MEAC with the lowest ERA (3.55) and fewest walks allowed (94).

Norfolk State finished eighth in the nation in Division I in stolen bases per game (2.71) and 10th in total stolen bases (132) led by Nicholson’s incredible baserunning approach. NSU also broke the program’s single-season stolen bases record held since 1998.

Six players earned postseason All-MEAC team laurels in Nicholson’s first season: Maya Johnson, Kira Turner, Queen Edmonds, Kailey Bryant, Brierra Tyler landed on the second team while Amaya McPherson received third team honors.

Nicholson came to NSU after three seasons as the head coach at Georgia State, recording 50 wins with the Panthers. 

In each of her seasons at GSU, Nicholson’s team appeared in the top five all-time in stolen bases in school history. She set the school record for most in a Panther’s single season in 2022 (121), second most in 2023 (94), and fourth most in 2024 (85). The Panthers averaged 2.24 stolen bases per game in 2022, tying ninth in Division I.

Nicholson coached Emily Brown, who earned All-Sun Belt Conference (SBC) Second Team selection in 2023, after recording the second most single-season stolen bases (26) in Georgia State history. Brown also secured NFCA All-Region Second Team.

Nicholson also coached Chloe Middlebrooks who became a NCAA Statistical leader for hit by pitches per game (0.50) in 2022.

Nicholson led the Panthers to their first win over a ranked opponent since 2018 with a 4-1 win over No. 22 Louisiana in 2022.

Nicholson spent five years in the same capacity at Hampton, prior to her time at Georgia State, posting 85 wins with the Pirates. 

A magical start to the 2020 season for the Lady Pirates was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic which cancelled the 2021 season as well. Hampton started 15-4, garnering wins over a pair of wins over conference preseason favorites of their respective conferences: DePaul (Big East) and George Washington (Atlantic 10).

The Lady Pirates finished with 23 wins following a 24-win year in Nicholon’s second season in 2019, including an 11-7 mark in conference action in the Pirates' first season in the Big South. Hampton made an impact in the state in her second year, sweeping a doubleheader against ACC-opponent, Virginia.

Nicholson helped guide the Lady Pirates to a 23-22 overall record in 2017, posting a stellar 17-1 MEAC mark, whilst also winning the Northern Division.  Four players earned All-MEAC honors and freshman outfielder Taylor Warrick garnered second team All-State selections by the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association (VaSID).

Nicolson spent three years as head coach at Eastern Illinois prior to her job at Hampton, leading the Panthers to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament in each of her three seasons (2014-2016). She posted an 84-71 overall record with the Panthers.

Nicholson recorded one her best seasons of her collegiate coaching career in her first season as EIU’s head coach in 2014, leading the team to a 38-17 overall record, garnering a .691 win-loss percentage that season.

13 different Panthers earned All-OVC postseason accolades under Nicholson's tenure, including five first team and six second team honorees.

Nicholson coached Cleveland State for seven seasons (2007-2013) prior to her role at EIU, where she helped build the Vikings program into a top team in the Horizon League by posting a 211-152 mark.
 
She led Cleveland State to a pair of Horizon League regular-season titles in 2008 and 2010, sandwiched around a conference tournament in 2009. In Cleveland State's first year as a member of the conference, the team advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1997. The 2008 regular-season title was also the first such title in program history.
 
Nicholson also coached the Vikings to runner-up tournament finishes in 2007 and 2008.
 
Nicholson was named the Horizon League Coach of the Year two times – in 2008 and 2010. Cleveland State won a school-record 44 games – including a record 22 games in conference play  in 2010.
 
Nicholson coached Butler in 2006, leading the Bulldogs to 17 wins.

Nicholson coached at NAIA member Ursuline College in 2005, winning 25 games, increasing the program’s win total from three to 25 in one season.
 
Nicholson began her coaching career as the head coach at Cuyahoga Community College (2000-04), where she posted 94 wins and made the Region 12 Tournament in three of four seasons. She was the NJCAA Region 12 Coach of the Year in 2004, as her team finished sixth in the nation.
 
Her overall collegiate coaching record stands at 500-492-1.
 
Nicholson played softball at Cleveland State, where she earned her undergraduate degree in 2000. She was a two-time All-Conference selection as a catcher.