Rick named Mountain Lions' first head coach

by Doug Fitzgerald, UC-Colorado Springs Sports Information Director

The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs will begin its women's soccer program this fall and on Friday chose who will build that team when athletic director Stephen Kirkham named Nichole Rick as the team's first coach.

Rick coached both the girls and boys teams at Fountain Valley High School in Colorado Springs this past year. The Danes' boys went 17-1-1, advancing all the way to the Class 3A state finals. The girls team posted an 11-3 record. Both teams were conference Champions and the boys team was ranked third in the state. She was named the Tri-Peaks League coach of the year.

In 2006 she coached the Fountain Valley boys team to a 9-5-1 record.

"Coach Rick has a tremendous competitive background as a Division II player," said Kirkham. "That, plus her proven record as a coach, makes her a great choice for UCCS."

Rick played collegiate soccer at Minnesota-Morris, where she was a three-time all-Northern Sun Conference selection.

For the past two years Rick has been a member of the Colorado Springs United / Colorado Springs Sabers, which is a semi-professional team where she became a member of team after open tryouts. She also owned and operated the Colorado Springs United women's semi-professional team.