Angie Nicholson was announced as the head coach of GSU softball in July 2021.
Nicholson came to GSU after five years as the head softball coach at Hampton. Prior to Hampton Nicholson spent three seasons in the same capacity at Eastern Illinois.
A magical start to the 2020 season for the Lady Pirates was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic which unfortunately led into the program not playing the 2021 season. Hampton started 15-4 and had wins over a pair of teams preseason picked to win their conference in DePaul (Big East) and George Washington (Atlantic 10). The team had one senior with the rest being freshmen or sophomores.
In their first season of Big South competition in 2019, the Lady Pirates finished with 23 wins following a 24-win year in her second season, including an 11-7 mark in conference action. Hampton made an impact in the state in her second year, sweeping a doubleheader from ACC-opponent, Virginia.
Facing a daunting schedule with the first 23 games on the road in her inaugural season, Nicholson helped guide the Lady Pirates to a 23-22 overall record and a stellar 17-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Northern Division mark to win the division. Four players earned All-MEAC honors and freshman outfielder Taylor Warrick was named to the second team All-State squad by the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association.
In each of her three seasons at Eastern Illinois, Nicholson led the Panthers to the Ohio Valley Conference tournament. EIU finished in third place overall and second in the West Division during the 2014 campaign, earned a No. 6 seed during the 2015 season and 2016 seasons. Thirteen different Panthers earned postseason accolades under Nicholson's tenure, including five First Team and six Second Team All-OVC honorees.
In 2014, Eastern Illinois won 38 games, and Nicholson went 84-71 in her three seasons.
Prior to coming to EIU, Nicholson was the head coach at Cleveland State for seven seasons, where she helped build the Vikings program into a top team in the Horizon League as she posted a 211-152 mark.
She led Cleveland State to Horizon League regular-season titles in 2008 and 2010, sandwiched around a Horizon League Tournament championship in 2009. The 2009 title was Cleveland State's first as a member of the Horizon League, and 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 tournament runner-up finishes in 2007 and 2008.
Nicholson was named the Horizon League Coach of the Year two times – in 2008 and 2010. In 2010, Cleveland State won a school-record 44 games – including a record 22 games in conference play.
Prior to her time at Cleveland State, Nicholson coached one season at Butler in 2006. She also had one season at NAIA member Ursuline College, where she increased the program's win total from three to 25 in her one season.
She 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 collegiate coaching record is 385-293-1.
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.
