Photo by: Creighton Athletics
Softball Adds Former All-American Nicole Newman As Assistant Coach
7/16/2021 10:15:00 AM | Softball
Newman earned NFCA First Team All-America status while playing for Drake in 2019
OMAHA, Neb. – Creighton softball head coach Brent Vigness announced the addition of former All-American pitcher Nicole Newman as an assistant coach.
"I am thrilled to be a part of the Bluejay family," Newman said. "I'm grateful to Coach Vigness, Athletic Director Bruce Rasmussen and the entire administration staff for giving me the opportunity to coach at this prestigious university."
Newman spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons as a graduate manager with the Minnesota Golden Gophers softball program and earned 2019 NFCA First Team All-America status to end her collegiate career while playing for the Drake Bulldogs. The Aussie Peppers drafted Newman during the third round of the 2019 National Pro Fastpitch Draft. She recently signed a contract with Athletes Unlimited and will compete in a five-week game schedule that runs from late August through September.
During her two seasons as a graduate manager at Minnesota, Newman helped the Golden Gophers post a 15-9-1 record during the shortened 2020 season and a 31-13 mark, including a 2-2 record at the UCLA Regional, in 2021. Minnesota ranked second in the Big Ten and 26th nationally with a 2.06 team ERA this past spring, while the Golden Gophers' Amber Fiser and Autumn Pease each earned spots on the NFCA Great Lakes Region Second Team.
Newman graduated from Minnesota with a Master of Education in Youth Development Leadership in June.
"I'm excited to welcome Nicole to our program, not only for how she'll be able to help our pitchers, but also how she will impact our entire team," Vigness said. "During the interview process, Nicole and I were on the same page in a lot of philosophies, but I am looking forward to seeing what new things she can bring to the table."
A native of Madison, Wisconsin, Newman capped her illustrious playing career at Drake as the Bulldogs' first NFCA First Team All American in program history. She ended the 2019 season as the NCAA leader in strikeouts with 423 and posted 13.36 strikeouts per seven innings, the 11th-best single-season mark in NCAA Division I history. Her strikeout total was the most nationally since 2015.
Newman also set the NCAA Division I single season record with five perfect games in 2019 and ranked third nationally with a 1.07 ERA (34 earned runs allowed in 221 2/3 innings pitched).
"Having watched and faced her during her time at Drake, she was one of the most dominant pitchers that I've had the opportunity to watch," Vigness said. "I'm excited for her to share her expertise and help bring the best out of our pitchers."
Newman ended her collegiate career with a Missouri Valley Conference record 1,223 strikeouts -- 137 more than the previous mark set by Creighton's Tara Oltman (2007-10) – a 2017 Creighton Athletics Hall of Fame inductee and member of the 2021 MVC Hall of Fame class. She also posted a school record 93 wins, which ranks second in MVC history behind Oltman (118). Newman and Oltman are the only pitchers in Missouri Valley Conference history to win Pitcher of the Year honors three times.
The Creighton softball team recorded a 14-14 record during the 2021 season and finished fourth in the BIG EAST with an 8-7 record. The Bluejay have finished in the top four in the league standings three times since joining the BIG EAST in 2014 and earned runner-up at the conference tournament in 2018.
"Creighton is a competitive program and one that I have always admired," Newman said. "I cannot wait to begin working with the student-athletes and help this team compete for a BIG EAST Championship!"
"I am thrilled to be a part of the Bluejay family," Newman said. "I'm grateful to Coach Vigness, Athletic Director Bruce Rasmussen and the entire administration staff for giving me the opportunity to coach at this prestigious university."
Newman spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons as a graduate manager with the Minnesota Golden Gophers softball program and earned 2019 NFCA First Team All-America status to end her collegiate career while playing for the Drake Bulldogs. The Aussie Peppers drafted Newman during the third round of the 2019 National Pro Fastpitch Draft. She recently signed a contract with Athletes Unlimited and will compete in a five-week game schedule that runs from late August through September.
During her two seasons as a graduate manager at Minnesota, Newman helped the Golden Gophers post a 15-9-1 record during the shortened 2020 season and a 31-13 mark, including a 2-2 record at the UCLA Regional, in 2021. Minnesota ranked second in the Big Ten and 26th nationally with a 2.06 team ERA this past spring, while the Golden Gophers' Amber Fiser and Autumn Pease each earned spots on the NFCA Great Lakes Region Second Team.
Newman graduated from Minnesota with a Master of Education in Youth Development Leadership in June.
"I'm excited to welcome Nicole to our program, not only for how she'll be able to help our pitchers, but also how she will impact our entire team," Vigness said. "During the interview process, Nicole and I were on the same page in a lot of philosophies, but I am looking forward to seeing what new things she can bring to the table."
A native of Madison, Wisconsin, Newman capped her illustrious playing career at Drake as the Bulldogs' first NFCA First Team All American in program history. She ended the 2019 season as the NCAA leader in strikeouts with 423 and posted 13.36 strikeouts per seven innings, the 11th-best single-season mark in NCAA Division I history. Her strikeout total was the most nationally since 2015.
Newman also set the NCAA Division I single season record with five perfect games in 2019 and ranked third nationally with a 1.07 ERA (34 earned runs allowed in 221 2/3 innings pitched).
"Having watched and faced her during her time at Drake, she was one of the most dominant pitchers that I've had the opportunity to watch," Vigness said. "I'm excited for her to share her expertise and help bring the best out of our pitchers."
Newman ended her collegiate career with a Missouri Valley Conference record 1,223 strikeouts -- 137 more than the previous mark set by Creighton's Tara Oltman (2007-10) – a 2017 Creighton Athletics Hall of Fame inductee and member of the 2021 MVC Hall of Fame class. She also posted a school record 93 wins, which ranks second in MVC history behind Oltman (118). Newman and Oltman are the only pitchers in Missouri Valley Conference history to win Pitcher of the Year honors three times.
The Creighton softball team recorded a 14-14 record during the 2021 season and finished fourth in the BIG EAST with an 8-7 record. The Bluejay have finished in the top four in the league standings three times since joining the BIG EAST in 2014 and earned runner-up at the conference tournament in 2018.
"Creighton is a competitive program and one that I have always admired," Newman said. "I cannot wait to begin working with the student-athletes and help this team compete for a BIG EAST Championship!"
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