Brent Nicoson - Women's Golf Coach - Grand Canyon University Athletics

Photo by: Jack Gilday

Brent Nicoson

Title:
Head Coach
Email:
brent.nicoson@gcu.edu

After being named head coach of the Grand Canyon women's golf program in June of 2024, Brent Nicoson begins his second season at the helm for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

Nicoson's first season saw the Lopes win two team titles and finish in the top five seven times. GCU began the 2024 fall campaign with three straight top five showings, including a second place outing out of 16 schools at the Leadership and Golf Invitational at Chambers Bay. The spring season saw GCU win two tournaments in a two week stretch, taking home team title trophies at the annual GCU Invitational and the Red Rocks Invitational in Sedona.

GCU entered the WAC Tournament as the number one seed and finished the season with four All-WAC honorees, including two first team players in Calynne Rosholt and Anci Dy and two second team players in Brenna Preap and Alyzzah Vakasiuola.

Nicoson was the men's and women's golf head coach at his alma mater, University of Indianapolis, where he led the women's program to three national championships, including a recent 2024 title.

"I am very excited for the opportunity to lead the GCU women's golf program," Nicoson said at the time of his hiring. "On my visit, I was very impressed by the staff, campus and culture-first atmosphere in the athletic department. I can't wait to meet the players in person and get started with our new journey together."

Nicoson played golf at UIndy from 1992 to 1994 and captained the 1994 Greyhounds. He took over as head coach of the men's program in 2006 and added leading the women's program beginning in 2011.

"We are thrilled to have a perennial national champion and a proven winner in Coach Brent Nicoson to lead our women's golf program," GCU Vice President of Athletics Jamie Boggs said. "He is known as an outstanding recruiter and one of the most elite golf instructors in the country. More importantly, he strongly aligns with GCU's Christ-centered mission and has built winning programs founded on a culture of community and service. We are excited to welcome Coach Nicoson to the Lopes family."

Nicoson built an elite D-II program that was dominant in competition against D-I teams. On the women's side, Nicoson's teams have posted a 248-94-1 (.723) record against D-I opponents in tournament play.

In nearly 20 seasons at the helm of UIndy golf, Nicoson collected 15 Great Lakes Valley Conference Coach of the Year awards, 14 NCAA Region Coach of the Year awards and 152 tournament championships. His women's teams competed in 12 consecutive national championship finals and won 11 of the last 12 Great Lakes Valley Conference titles.

Nicoson has been a PGA member and swing instructor since 1996. He is the personal swing instructor of professional golfer Erica Shepherd, who has won multiple United States Golf Association titles and the U.S. Girls' Junior Championship. He has been trusted as the swing instructor for the state of Indiana's No. 1 ranked female in the high school classes of 2019, 2020, 2024 and 2029.

Beyond Shepherd, Nicoson also has coached the 2019 and 2020 Ping National Player of the Year winners and 21 All-Americans on the women's side alone.

A voice for women's golf at the national level, Nicoson was the chair of the NCAA Division II Women's National Committee and a member of the Men's and Women's NCAA Regional Advisory Committees.

Community service has been a key tenet of Nicoson's programs, including visits to local children's hospitals and golf activities with Special Olympics.