Nicholls Colonels


The Nicholls Colonels are the 15 teams representing Nicholls State University, a university in Louisiana, in intercollegiate athletics. The Colonels compete in the NCAA Division I and the Colonels football team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision. The Colonels sports teams are members of the Southland Conference.

Nickname

The Nicholls State University official team nickname is the "Colonels". The nickname was chosen because the university was once a ROTC dominated school and the highest rank in ROTC is a Colonel.

History

Conference affiliations

* From 1982–84, Nicholls was a provisional member of the Trans America Athletic Conference.

Sports sponsored

Baseball

The team is the varsity intercollegiate baseball team of Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana, United States. The team is a member of the Southland Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I. Nicholls' first baseball team was fielded in 1960. The team plays its home games at 2,100-seat Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field and are coached by Brent Haring.

Men's basketball

The team represents Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Southland Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I. Nicholls' first men's basketball team was fielded during the 1958–59 season. The team plays its home games at 3,800-seat Stopher Gymnasium and are coached by Tevon Saddler.

Women's basketball

The team represents Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Southland Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I. Nicholls' first women's basketball team was fielded during the 1974–75 season. The team plays its home games at 3,800-seat Stopher Gymnasium and are coached by Justin Payne.

Women's beach volleyball

The team represents Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana, United States. Nicholls launched its beach volleyball program in the 2019 season, and played its first season as an independent. The Colonels now compete in the Southland Conference, which added beach volleyball as an official conference sport for the 2020 season. The team plays its home matches at the Thibodaux Regional Sports Complex and the team is coached by Jonea Rima.

Cross country

The program represents Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana, United States. The program includes separate men's and women's cross country teams, both of which compete in the Southland Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I. The teams host home meets at Nicholls Farm and are coached by Stefanie Slekis.

Football

The program is the intercollegiate American football team for Nicholls State University located in Thibodaux, Louisiana, United States. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision and are members of the Southland Conference. Nicholls' first football team was fielded in 1972. The team plays its home games at the 10,500 seat Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium in Thibodaux, Louisiana. The Colonels are coached by Tommy Rybacki.

Men's golf

The team represents Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Southland Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I. The team plays their home tournaments at the LaTour Golf Club in Mathews, Louisiana and are currently led by head coach James Schilling.

Women's soccer

The women's team represents Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Southland Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I. Nicholls' first soccer team was fielded in 1998. The team played its home games at the 1,000-seat Nicholls Soccer Complex through the 2021 season. The Colonels moved to the multi-purpose field at the Thibodaux Regional Sports Complex in 2022. The team is coached by Kristy Helmers.

Softball

The softball team participates in the Southland Conference. Nicholls first softball team was fielded in 1981. The team plays its home games at 500-seat Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park and are coached by Ron Frost.

Tennis

Men's and Women's tennis currently competes in the Southland Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I. Both men's and women's teams play their home matches at the Thibodaux Regional Sports Complex starting in 2022 after previously playing at the Colonel Tennis Complex since 2008. The teams are coached by Greg Harkins.

Women's track and field

The women's track and field program includes women's indoor and outdoor track and field teams, both of which compete in the Southland Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I. The teams use the multi-purpose field and track facility at the Thibodaux Regional Sports Complex and are coached by Stefanie Slekis.

Women's volleyball

The school's team currently competes in the Southland Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I. Nicholls' first volleyball team was fielded in 1975. The team plays its home games at 3,800-seat Stopher Gymnasium and are coached by Jonea Rima.

Former varsity sports

  • Women's golf — Dropped in 2009 due to budget constraints
  • Men's track and field — Dropped in 2004 and replaced by men's tennis

    Championships

Conference championships

;Notes

Athletic facilities

The following is a list of the athletic facilities for the Nicholls Colonels. It includes Nicholls' outdoor stadiums, indoor arenas, golf courses, running courses, and training and practice facilities.

Current venues

  • Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium
Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium is a 10,500-seat multi-purpose stadium in Thibodaux, Louisiana. It is home to the Nicholls Colonels football team of the Southland Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision. The stadium is named in honor of former state representative John L. Guidry who was instrumental in the establishment of Francis T. Nicholls Junior College. The playing surface is named Manning Field after the Manning family because the family holds the annual Manning Passing Academy football camp at the facility. In 2021, Nicholls State University opened the Boucvalt Family Athletic Complex located at the south end-zone of John L. Guidry Stadium featuring upgraded locker and training rooms, field-level coach offices, and a 110-seat meeting room. The current playing surface is GeoGreen Replicated Grass. The stadium was officially dedicated on September 16, 1972.
  • Boucvault Athletic Complex
The Boucvault Athletic Complex is a 20,000-square-foot facility in the south end zone of Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium.
  • Gaubert Oil Practice Facility at Shaw Sports Turf/Manning Field
The Gaubert Oil Practice Facility at Shaw Sports Turf/Manning Field is a covered turf 100-yard turf field and also includes office and storage space. It is located directly behind the Boucvault Athletic Complex and Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium.
  • Stopher Gymnasium
Stopher Gymnasium is a 3,800-seat multi-purpose arena in Thibodaux, Louisiana. It is home to the Nicholls Colonels men's and women's basketball teams and women's volleyball team. It opened in 1970.
  • Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field
Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field is a baseball venue in Thibodaux, Louisiana. It is home to the Nicholls Colonels baseball team of the NCAA Division I in the Southland Conference. The venue has a capacity of 2,100.
  • LaTour Golf Club
The LaTour Golf Club located in Mathews, Louisiana, is the home golf course of the Nicholls Colonels men's golf team of the NCAA Division I in the Southland Conference. It is an 18-hole, 7,170 yard, 72 par course and includes an on-site practice facility.
  • Nicholls Farm
Nicholls Farm is the home course for the Nicholls Colonels cross country teams in Thibodaux, Louisiana. It is a 277-acre farm located three miles south of Nicholls’ campus.
  • Nicholls Golf Range
The Nicholls Golf Range is the driving range complex located on the campus of Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana. It is a practice venue for the Nicholls Colonels men's golf team of the NCAA Division I in the Southland Conference.
  • Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park
Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park is a softball venue in Thibodaux, Louisiana. It is home to the Nicholls Colonels softball team of the NCAA Division I in the Southland Conference. The venue has a capacity of 500.
  • Thibodaux Regional Sports Complex
The Thibodaux Regional Sports Complex is a 12-acre sports complex located between Nicholls State University and the Thibodaux Regional Wellness Center opening in 2022. The complex offers multiple sports facilities such as a beach volleyball courts, a multi-purpose field and track and tennis courts that meet NCAA national championship-level requirements and is home to Nicholls State University athletics sports teams.
  • Frank L. Barker Athletic Building
The Frank L. Barker Athletic Building or Barker Hall is the athletic administration building for Nicholls State University athletics. It also formerly housed the Nicholls Colonels football operations center and baseball fieldhouse.
The Nicholls Colonels strength and conditioning facility is located inside the Leonard C. Chabert Strength and Conditioning Facility or Leonard C. Chabert Hall. It includes the weight room and nutrition center for Nicholls athletics.

Former venues

  • Atchafalaya Golf Course at Idlewild — Men's golf
  • Colonel Tennis Complex — Men's and women's tennis
  • Nicholls Soccer Complex — Women's soccer
  • Nicholls State Colonels football practice fields — Football
  • Shaver Gymnasium — Men's basketball