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Kristen Nicholson
Kristen Nicholson completed her second season as the head coach of the Kutztown University women's lacrosse program in 2023, one in which she authored the greatest turnaround in program history.
The Golden Bears showed a nine-win improvement from 2022 to 2023, tying a school record with 13 victories (13-6), while achieving a number of "firsts." Kutztown qualified for its first PSAC Championship tournament in the conference tournament era, advancing to the semifinals, earned its maiden berth in the NCAA Division II Championship tournament, entered the IWLCA national rankings for the first time and captured its first-ever wins over a nationally ranked opponent.
Nicholson's team won its first five games, setting the stage for a successful season. Hard-fought setbacks by a combined three goals to No. 14 Lynn and No. 12 East Stroudsburg proved the Golden Bears belonged among some of the nation's top teams. The Bears locked up a postseason spot with a 17-11 win at Millersville, April 22, before knocking off No. 13 East Stroudsburg, 16-14, at Keystone Field in the regular season finale April 29 to secure the PSAC East's No. 2 seed. Battling the now 15th-ranked Warriors again three days later, KU came through with another victory, this time by a 12-9 count, to reach the PSAC semifinals.
The Golden Bears fell, 9-7, to No. 22 Seton Hill in a back-and-forth affair to bow out of the conference tournament, but their resume was plenty strong enough to hear their name called as one of 16 teams selected to the NCAA Championship field. Kutztown made a late push in its national tournament debut, but could not get past defending national runner-up East Stroudsburg for the third time in 13 days, dropping its first round game, 15-8.
Kutztown broke into the IWLCA national poll on May 1 after five consecutive weeks receiving votes, first appearing at No. 23. The Bears jumped to 21st before the NCAA Tournament and finished the year ranked 18th. Nicholson's squad also rose as high as 14th in the Nike/USA Lacrosse DII Poll on May 8. Following the season, Sam Graf and Emma Meakim earned IWLCA All-America Third Team honors, becoming the program's first All-Americans since 1984.
Nicholson was announced as the ninth head coach in Kutztown University women's lacrosse history on Aug. 3, 2021, after a successful seven-year stay at NCAA Division III Moravian College (now University).
She joined Moravian back in 2014 with the Greyhounds in the midst of a five-year hiatus from varsity play and spent the 2015 season leading the school’s club team, while vigorously recruiting a freshman class for a return to varsity competition in 2016.
Following two respectable seasons, Nicholson guided Moravian to its first winning season since 2008 --and second in its history-- with an 11-5 record in 2018. That started a run of four consecutive winning seasons for the Greyhounds and back-to-back appearances in the Landmark Conference semifinals (2018 and 2019).
Nicholson led Moravian to an ECAC Division III quarterfinals berth in 2017, signaling the program’s first-ever postseason game. In 2021, the Hounds defeated Elizabethtown College 15-12 in the Landmark quarterfinals for their first-ever postseason victory.
In six seasons with the Bethlehem-based school, Nicholson composed a 46-37 record (.554). She coached 11 All-Landmark student-athletes, two IWLCA All-Metro Region players, 2016 ECAC South Rookie of the Year Jillian Picciuto and 2019 Landmark Conference Player of the Year Liz Bill. Nicholson also had more than 40 representatives on the Landmark Academic Honor Roll since 2017.
Nicholson coached on Adrienne Carr’s staff at FDU-Florham, her alma mater, for three seasons prior to taking the reigns at Moravian. The Devils won 13 games and qualified for the postseason in each campaign. Nicholson was an assistant on FDU-Florham’s 2012 MAC Freedom championship team and led the program to a 13-8 record, its second straight conference title and a spot in the ECAC Mid-Atlantic Region Tournament in 2013 while serving as interim head coach with Carr on maternity leave.
The former Kristen Schuster played for FDU-Florham from 2007-10, scoring 179 career points on 131 goals and 48 assists. She also totaled 77 ground balls and 60 draw controls. As a senior, Nicholson was elected a team captain and named All-Middle Atlantic Conference Second Team. She also led the Devils to the ECAC Mid-Atlantic championship and was named Most Valuable Player of the championship game.
FDU-Florham made postseason appearances in each of Nicholson’s four seasons as a student-athlete, winning the MAC championship in 2008 and receiving a berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Nicholson earned a Bachelor of Arts in fine arts from FDU-Florham in 2010 and later received her Master's Degree in sport management from the school. She currently resides in Milford, N.J., with her husband, David, and their son, Gavin.
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