Nikki Caldwell
Encyclopedia
Nikki Caldwell is an American women's basketball
coach, who was the head coach for UCLA Bruins women's basketball
at the University of California, Los Angeles
(UCLA) and is currently head coach for the Lady Tigers at Louisiana State University
.
, where she was raised by her mother and attended public schools. She graduated from Oak Ridge High School
in 1990. She was a member of the school basketball team, coached by Jill Prudden, that won the Tennessee state championship in 1988. As of 2009, she still held the high school's single-season records for total points scored and for successful free throw
s.
from 1991 to 1994, playing as a guard
under coach Pat Summitt
on the university's Lady Vols basketball team, which compiled a 118-13 won-loss record during her playing years. Caldwell was known for her strong defensive play and her three-point shooting. Her defensive play in the 1991 NCAA tournament
final game, in which the Lady Vols defeated the University of Virginia
in overtime, was considered a key factor in her team's victory. She was named to Southeastern Conference
(SEC) All-Freshman team that same year, and in both her junior and years she received the university's Gloria Ray Leadership Award. Although she missed portions of two seasons due to injuries, her four-year statistics as a three-point shooter, with 128 three-point field goal
s made out of 364 attempts, place her in the all-time top 10 at Tennessee.
in public relations from the University of Tennessee in 1994, she became a color analyst for Fox Sports Net South broadcasts of Lady Vol basketball games. In 1995 she added the position of color analyst for Fox broadcasts of the SEC Game of the Week, which she continued until 1997, when she became hostess for sports segments on the Shop at Home Network
.
She was appointed head coach for UCLA on April 17, 2008, with a five-year contract valued at nearly $1.5 million, succeeding Kathy Olivier. In her first season as coach, the UCLA team compiled a regular season record of 18 wins and 11 losses. During the 2009-2010 season, her team placed second in the Pac-10
(25-9) and was defeated by second ranked Stanford in the Pac-10 tournament
.
On April 2, 2011, Louisiana State University
announced that Caldwell would become the head coach for the LSU Lady Tigers team
.
and to raise money for research on this disease. In their first trip, in 2007, they rode their Harley-Davidson
motorcycles from Berkeley, California
to Knoxville, Tennessee. As of 2008, the two women's non-profit organization
, Champions for a Cause, had raised nearly $100,000. The 2010 road trip took them through Washington, DC and New York City
to Niagara Falls
and back.
Caldwell was named 2010 Pac-10 Coach of the Year
by the conference coaches and by the media in her second year of coaching at UCLA.
, played for the Carolina Panthers
in the National Football League
.
Women's basketball
Women's basketball is one of the few women's sports that developed in tandem with its men's counterpart. It became popular, spreading from the east coast of the United States to the west coast , in large part via women's colleges...
coach, who was the head coach for UCLA Bruins women's basketball
UCLA Bruins women's basketball
The UCLA Bruins women's basketball program was established in 1974. The Current coach is Cori Close The team was a member of the AIAW until joining the NCAA in 1984...
at the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
(UCLA) and is currently head coach for the Lady Tigers at Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
.
Early life
Caldwell is a native of Oak Ridge, TennesseeOak Ridge, Tennessee
Oak Ridge is a city in Anderson and Roane counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee, about west of Knoxville. Oak Ridge's population was 27,387 at the 2000 census...
, where she was raised by her mother and attended public schools. She graduated from Oak Ridge High School
Oak Ridge High School (Oak Ridge, Tennessee)
Oak Ridge High School is the public high school for Oak Ridge, Tennessee, enrolling grades 9 through 12. It was established in 1943 to educate the children of Manhattan Project workers. It currently has about 1500 students.-Founding and first location:...
in 1990. She was a member of the school basketball team, coached by Jill Prudden, that won the Tennessee state championship in 1988. As of 2009, she still held the high school's single-season records for total points scored and for successful free throw
Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
s.
College and career
She attended the University of TennesseeUniversity of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
from 1991 to 1994, playing as a guard
Basketball position
The three basketball positions normally employed by organized basketball teams are guard, forward, and center. More specifically, they can be classified into the five positions: point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and center. The rules of basketball do not mandate them, and...
under coach Pat Summitt
Pat Summitt
Patricia "Pat" Head Summitt is an American women's college basketball coach. She is currently the head coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team. She is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history of either a men's or women's team in any division...
on the university's Lady Vols basketball team, which compiled a 118-13 won-loss record during her playing years. Caldwell was known for her strong defensive play and her three-point shooting. Her defensive play in the 1991 NCAA tournament
1991 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
-West Regional - Las Vegas, NV:-East Regional - Philadelphia, PA:-Midwest Regional - Austin, TX:-Final Four - New Orleans, LA :-References:...
final game, in which the Lady Vols defeated the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
in overtime, was considered a key factor in her team's victory. She was named to Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) All-Freshman team that same year, and in both her junior and years she received the university's Gloria Ray Leadership Award. Although she missed portions of two seasons due to injuries, her four-year statistics as a three-point shooter, with 128 three-point field goal
Three-point field goal
A three-point field goal is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket...
s made out of 364 attempts, place her in the all-time top 10 at Tennessee.
Broadcasting
After receiving a bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in public relations from the University of Tennessee in 1994, she became a color analyst for Fox Sports Net South broadcasts of Lady Vol basketball games. In 1995 she added the position of color analyst for Fox broadcasts of the SEC Game of the Week, which she continued until 1997, when she became hostess for sports segments on the Shop at Home Network
Shop at Home Network
The Shop at Home Network was a television network in the United States Before its acquisition by Jewelry Television in 2006, The E. W. Scripps Company owned and operated the network from 2002 until 2006, when the network temporarily ceased operations on June 21...
.
Coaching
Caldwell returned to basketball in 1998 as a member of Pat Summitt's coaching staff, serving as graduate assistant for administration, in which position she served the coaching staff in all aspects of basketball operations during the 1998-1999 season. The following season she joined the University Virginia as an assistant coach, assuming responsibilities for recruiting, scouting, film exchange, player development, monitoring academic progress and camps. In 2002 she left Virginia to return to the University of Tennessee as an assistant coach for the 2002-03 season and recruiting director beginning in the spring of 2003.She was appointed head coach for UCLA on April 17, 2008, with a five-year contract valued at nearly $1.5 million, succeeding Kathy Olivier. In her first season as coach, the UCLA team compiled a regular season record of 18 wins and 11 losses. During the 2009-2010 season, her team placed second in the Pac-10
2009–10 Pacific-10 Conference women's basketball season
The 2009–10 Pacific-10 Conference women's basketball season began in October and ended with the Pac-10 Tournament on March 11-14, 2010 at the Galen Center, Los Angeles, California. Stanford won both the regular season and the tournament championships. Stanford and UCLA were selected to participate...
(25-9) and was defeated by second ranked Stanford in the Pac-10 tournament
2010 Pacific-10 Conference Women's Basketball Tournament
2010 State Farm Pacific-10 Conference Women's Basketball Tournament was a post season tournament for the women's basketball teams in the Pacific-10 conference. The games were held on Thursday through Sunday, March 11-14, at the Galen Center...
.
On April 2, 2011, Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
announced that Caldwell would become the head coach for the LSU Lady Tigers team
LSU Lady Tigers basketball
The LSU Lady Tigers basketball team represents Louisiana State University in NCAA Division I women's college basketball. The team is currently coached by former UCLA head coach Nikki Caldwell, who accepted the job on April 2, 2011. Past coaches include Barbara Swanner, Jinks Coleman,...
.
Head Coaching Record
Public service activities
In the company of Holly Warlick, an assistant coach for University of Tennessee women's basketball, Caldwell has conducted a series of three long-distance motorcycle road trips, called "Cruisin' for a Cause", to promote awareness of breast cancerBreast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
and to raise money for research on this disease. In their first trip, in 2007, they rode their Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson , often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression...
motorcycles from Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
to Knoxville, Tennessee. As of 2008, the two women's non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
, Champions for a Cause, had raised nearly $100,000. The 2010 road trip took them through Washington, DC and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
and back.
Awards
In May 2009 she received the Woman of Excellence Award from the LadyLike Foundation for her excellence as a coach and for fund-raising activities for breast cancer awareness.Caldwell was named 2010 Pac-10 Coach of the Year
Coach of the Year
Many sports leagues, sportswriting associations, and other organizations confer "Coach of the Year" awards.Some of these are:*AFCA Coach of the Year *Annis Stukus Trophy...
by the conference coaches and by the media in her second year of coaching at UCLA.
Family
An uncle, Mike CaldwellMike Caldwell (American football)
Isaiah "Mike" Caldwell, Jr. is a former American football linebacker who played 11 seasons in the National Football League. He played college football at Middle Tennessee State University and was drafted in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft...
, played for the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.