ILLINOIS STATE Softball
SHANNON NICHOLSON Pitching Coach | Second Season | Illinois State ‘07
CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS • Named Easton Second-Team • •
All-America pitcher in 2007 Selected as a first-team AllValley pitcher in 2007 Played in the National Pro Fastpitch League in 2008
Assistant Coaches
COACHING CAREER
Illinois State Asst. Coach ...... ............................. 2009-pres.
After one season of coaching the Illinois State pitchers, former All-American Shannon Nicholson is settling in as the Redbird softball program’s pitching coach. Nicholson is the 16th assistant coach in Illinois State softball history. One of the most prolific pitchers to ever emerge from the Illinois State softball program, Nicholson first joined the ISU coaching ranks during the 2008 season as a student assistant coach, where she assisted Bill Kennedy in all aspects of coaching the Redbird pitchers. Nicholson, who completed her illustrious four-year ISU career with 62 wins following the 2007 season – the fourth-most all-time in school history, graduated in December 2007 and completed her master’s degree in kinesiology and recreation with a concentration in sport management in 2009. The year 2007 was a banner one for Nicholson, as she became just the second female student-athlete in ISU history to be named the Illinois State Female Student-Athlete and Female Athlete of the Year in the same academic year. She was also selected to the 2007 Easton All-America Second Team – just the second Redbird pitcher all-time to earn Easton Second-Team All-America status. She led the team in earned-run average (1.53) and wins (21), and was picked to the All-MVC First Team for the first time in her career. A consistent performer throughout her Redbird pitching career, Nicholson recorded at least 15 wins in the circle for ISU in each of her sophomore, junior and senior seasons. She ranks fourth all-time for career wins (62), third in opponent batting average (.244), third in career appearances (135) and is tied for fifth in career strikeouts with 362. Nicholson has taken her collegiate pitching prowess to the sport’s highest level, as she competed professionally during the summer of 2008 as a member of the Arkon Racers in the t National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league, joining former ISU teammate Stacy Birk, who is a member of the Philadelphia Force. Nicholson is the sixth Redbird softball player all-time to play professionally.
Coach Nicholson with former Redbird Amber Smith
2010 Redbird Softball Media Guide
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