Coach's Bio

Gene Nicholson

Head Coach

Veteran coach Gene Nicholson begins his 12th season at the helm of the Westminster College men’s golf program for the 2011-12 season.

Under Nicholson, Westminster has placed at least in the top three in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) for six out of the last nine seasons. A three-time PAC Coach of the Year, Nicholson guided the Titans to three straight league titles from 2003-05, a second-place finish in 2006 and third-place finishes in 2008 and 2009.

The 2004-05 season was perhaps Nicholson’s best year as the Titan golf coach as Westminster captured five invitational titles, including its third straight PAC championship. Westminster then earned its first-ever berth in the NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championships, finishing in a tie for 16th place in a 23-team national field.

Nicholson is best known as the former head football coach at Westminster from 1991-98. During that time, he led the Titan football program to a record of 64-25-2 (.714) in eight seasons, including posting an undefeated regular season in 1992 and capturing the school’s record-sixth NAIA Division II national championship in 1994. Prior to becoming head coach in 1991, Nicholson spent the previous 22 seasons (1969-90) as the Titans’ defensive coordinator. Collectively, Nicholson coached in nine national championship games.

For his coaching accomplishments, Nicholson was voted NAIA Division II National Coach of the Year by American Football Quarterly and Rawling's in 1994. He is also an inductee in the Titan Sports Hall of Fame.

In addition to football, Nicholson also served as -- at one time or another -- the head coach for swimming, tennis, wrestling, and track and field coach during his 42 years at Westminster.

Nicholson is a 1964 graduate of Slippery Rock University, where he was a standout lineman and also a member of the track team. In 2007, he retired after 38 years of service as a full-time faculty member at Westminster College as a professor of physical education.

He and his wife, Barbara, reside in New Wilmington.