Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Hires New Assistant Coach
8/14/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Aug. 14, 2006
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern has hired Nichole Ellis as an assistant coach with the women's swimming program, Wildcats' head coach Jimmy Tierney announced today. Ellis will assist in coaching stroke groups and be heavily involved in recruiting for the Wildcats.
Elllis comes to Northwestern following two seasons as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's programs at the University of Alabama. There, she served as the recruiting coordinator in addition to planning and organizing team travel and the Crimson Tide's first annual Cystic Fibrosis swimming fundraiser. Fifteen school records were broken and three conference titles were won on her watch in Tuscaloosa.
She helped coach the men's 2004-05 breaststroke NCAA champion and 2005-06 runner-up in addition to the women's 2004-05 200 breast NCAA runner-up during her stint with Alabama.
"Nichole just won us all over on her visit here," Tierney said. "She will bring an incredible amount of positive energy to the team and to our recruiting. I have no doubt she will make an immediate impact on our program and we can't wait to start working with her."
Prior to joining the Tide, Ellis served as the head men's and women's swimming coach at Butler University for two seasons and as the top assistant coach at IUPUI for one year.
While at Butler, 10 school records fell and she coached one Horizon League champion. She twice was named Butler University Coach of the Month and her team was ranked No. 1 in the nation as a CSCAA Academic All-America Team in 2003.
In addition to her coaching success, Ellis is an accomplished recruiter. At IUPUI, she initiated the program's largest incoming class and she also helped bring in Alabama's largest class since a coaching change several years ago.
Active in club coaching as well, Ellis was an assistant Senior and College Team coach with the Indy Dolphins Swim Club from 2001-03 and the associate head coach with the Indy Swim Fit Masters Team beginning in 2004.
A 2001 graduate of IUPUI with a degree in secondary education and a minor in sport related health, Ellis was a four-year letterwinner and two-time All-Mid-Con Conference honoree. She won the 1998-99 conference title in the 100 breast, earned six school records and was named the team's MVP in 2000 and 2001.
Ellis earned her Master's degree in sports administration at Butler in July of 2004.
