2008-09 NICHOLLS TRACK & FIELD QUICK FACTS GENERAL Name of School: .........................................................................................Nicholls State University Location: ..................................................................................................................Thibodaux, La. Founded: .................................................................................................................................1948 Enrollment: .............................................................................................................................6,814 Nickname: ..........................................................................................................................Colonels Colors: ...................................................................................................................... Red and Gray Affiliation: .................................................................................................................NCAA Division I Conference: ..................................................................................................................... Southland President: ......................................................................................................Dr. Stephen T. Hulbert Athletic Director: ......................................................................................................... Rob Bernardi Associate AD/SWA: .............................................................................................Louise “Do” Bonin Athletic Dept. Phone: ...............................................................................................(985) 448-4794 Ticket Office Phone: ................................................................................................(985) 448-4790 COACHING STAFF Head Coach: ......................................................................................................... Scott Williamson Alma Mater: ....................................................................................................................Iowa, 2002 Assistant Coaches: ..................................................................................................Matthew Esche Alma Mater: ....................................................................................................................Iowa, 2006 Track & Field Office Phone: ......................................................................................(985) 448-7101 Athletic Trainer: .................................................................................................................Jeff Smith Training Room Phone: .............................................................................................(985) 448-4837 SPORTS INFORMATION Dir. of Media Relations: .......................................................................................... Brandon Rizzuto SID/Women’s Athletics: ......................................................................................... Elizabeth Ballard Track & Field Contact: ............................................................................................Thomas Mitchell SID Office Phone: ....................................................................................................(985) 414-9758 SID Email: ..........................................................................................Elizabeth.ballard@nicholls.edu Website: ............................................................................................ www.geauxcolonels.cstv.com SID Fax: ..................................................................................................................(985) 448-4490 SID Mailing Address: ..................................................................................Nicholls State University .......................................................................................................... Stopher Gymnasium ..............................................................................................................Sports Information ....................................................................................................................P.O. Box 2032 .........................................................................................................Thibodaux, LA 70310 Nicholls T&F/XC 1 Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches SCOTT WILLIAMSON Head Coach Scott Williamson enters his fourth season as head cross country/track and field coach at Nicholls State University. In Williamson’s three years at the helm of the Nicholls program, he has recruited and coached 33 school record holders, one Southland Conference Champion, one junior All-American, and 89 performances onto the top five all-time lists in school history. After finishing ninth in the country at the 2006 Finish Line USA Junior National Championships, sophomore javelin thrower Leslie Bourgeois became the first individual at Nicholls to win a Southland Conference Championship. She also qualified for the NCAA Mideast Regional for the second consecutive year. Under the direction and coaching of Williamson, Charlotte Everhardt earned the 2008 SLC Stu- dent Athlete of the Year Award and Marion Chebet earned the 2007-08 Louisiana Sports Writers Association Newcomer of the Year award for her performances in the 800 meter event. Williamson came to Nicholls from Emporia State University in Kansas where he served as the coach for sprints and hurdles for two years. The 29-year-old native of Iowa ran track at the University of Iowa under the tutelage of veteran coach Larry Wieczorek. As a serious student of track and field, Williamson has gained his USATF Level II coaching certi- fication for sprints, hurdles, and relays. Williamson went on to become a four-time NCAA Division I Championships and two-time USA Track and Field Championships qualifier. For his efforts, he was the co-captain of his men’s team and earned All-Big Ten honors in track and field. Along with participating in summer track clinics in Iowa, Williamson stayed on at his alma mater as a volunteer coach working with sprinters and hurdlers in 2002 and 2003. Williamson, who possesses a Bachelor of Science degree in Heath, Leisure and Physical Stud- ies and Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Iowa earned his master’s in Physical Education from Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas. In addition to indoor and outdoor track and field, Williamson will also be responsible coaching the men’s and women’s cross country programs. 2 Nicholls T&F/XC Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches MATTHEW ESCHE Assistant Coach Matthew Esche begins his first season as an assistant coach for the Colonels’ cross country and track and field programs. He will be primarily responsible for coaching the distance runners. Esche came to Nicholls after serving two years as an assistant coach with the University of Iowa. While at Iowa, Esche assisted in recruitment, coordination of team travel, fitness design, equipment management, and monitoring of academic progress. While coaching at the University of Iowa in 2006, Esche helped the men’s cross country team finish third at the NCAA Mideast Regional and 28th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. In 2007, Esche helped coach Iowa’s first ever individual Mideast Regional champion, Micah Van- denend. Esche, a USATF Level II Endurance Certified coach, gained expertise in coaching distance run- ners under direction of veteran coach Larry Wieczorek. Prior to his coaching stint, Esche earned a bachelor’s degree in both English and Health and Sport Studies at the University of Iowa. A runner for the Hawkeyes from 2002-2006, Esche excelled in both cross-country and track. While competing in cross-country, Esche was named All-Midwest Region four consecutive years. Esche currently holds the Iowa school record for the 10k race with a time of 30:10. In the track events, Esche re-wrote the University of Iowa record books. Esche currently sits at fifth for the 5K event and seventh for the 3K event on the school’s Indoor All-Time Record Book. Esche is single and resides in Thibodaux. Nicholls T&F/XC 3 2008-2009 Outlook Introduction ers in the group and look to take the team to finals. Under direction of fourth year coach Scott Wil- Nall broke the school record last season in the liamson, the Lady Colonels are poised for another 100m dash with a time of 12.04. exciting and breakthrough season. After setting 33-school records and having 89 performances Hurdles rank in the school’s All-Time Top-5 record books, Williamson looks to improve on the experi- the Colonels should be able to enjoy more suc- ence and talent of last year’s hurdles squad. The cess in the 2009 campaign. Highlighting the 2009 Colonels welcome back junior Sabrina Henkes outdoor season will be the Florida State Relays and who placed ninth at the SLC Championships. Kansas Relays, two events in which the Colonels Last season, Henkes set the school record for the had a great deal of success in the 2008 season. In 400m Hurdles event with a time of 1:04.34. Juniors the 2008 Florida State Relays, the Colonels broke Jarina Guilbeau and Rahjanaye Bailey also return. five school records and had several athletes move “Guilbeau and Bailey both have a lot of potential in into the top-5 in Nicholls’ record books. Nicholls the 100m and I look for them to really step up to also had a great showing at the 2008 Kansas the next level in the upcoming season,” Williamson Relays where they won the 4x200 meter