Nicole Newman - Softball Coach - Florida Atlantic University Athletics

Nicole Newman

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
newmann@fau.edu

Nicole Newman joined the FAU softball program as an assistant coach in July of 2022 and focuses on the pitchers.

During the 2025 season, Newman was a member of the AAC Coaching Staff of the Year for the second straight season after Florida Atlantic won back-to-back American Athletic Conference regular season titles. Newman coached an All-American for the second straight season, with Autumn Courtney earning third-team honors from the NFCA. Courtney, in her first season as an Owl, was the unanimous AAC Pitcher of the Year after going 24-4, the 11th most wins in the nation, tossing 172 strikeouts, 30th nationally, and holding a 2.03 ERA, 32nd in the nation. Her 3.97 hits allowed per seven innings was the fourth lowest in Division I. Courtney received several additional postseason honors including First Team All-Region and was ranked No. 47 in D1Softball's Top 100 players and No. 79 by Softball America.

Also under Newman's watch was Lambert in her senior season as she led the nation in saves with 11, Jaden Martinez who tossed the third perfect game in program history and first since 2002. Additionally, Gabby Sacco threw her second career no-hitter.

As a pitching staff, the Owls recorded an ERA of 2.70, lowest in the AAC and 24th in the nation while tossing 322 strikeouts, which ties for 25th nationally, and allowing 270 hits, 87 less than the closest in the conference. They also led the AAC in the lowest opponent batting average allowed at .201.

In 2024, Newman was part of the American Athletic Conference Coaching Staff of the Year as Florida Atlantic won the regular season championship on their way to 41 wins, most since 2016.

Newman coached the pitching staff to a 2.87 ERA and allowed the fewest walks in the AAC at 186. The Owls boasted the pitcher with the third lowest ERA in the conference in Ainsley Lambert (2.41) and seventh lowest in Trinity Schlotterbeck (2.67). Lambert led the conference in saves (8) while Schlotterbeck was second in wins (16). Under Newman's guidance, Schlotterbeck was named Softball America All-American and NFCA All-American at the end of May and was named among the top 100 players by Softball America, ranked at No. 67.

During her first year in Boca Raton, Newman was a part of an Owl staff that led Florida Atlantic to a 35-20 record, which marks the most wins for FAU since the 2017 season. In her first season, Newman had an immediate impact on the Owls’ pitching staff, as coached Gabby Sacco to Conference USA Pitcher of the Year honors. In doing so, Sacco became the Owls’ first major conference award winner since the 2016 season. Sacco additionally was an NFCA All-South Region honoree, the first for the program since 2019, and a First Team All-C-USA recipient.

Newman guided the Florida Atlantic pitching staff to a 2.10 ERA, which ranked 19th in the nation and led Conference USA. All five of Florida Atlantic’s pitchers had under a 4.0 ERA, and four out of the five had a sub-3.0 ERA. The team's ERA is the Owls’ lowest in a season since 2016.

Newman came to the Owls after one year on the Creighton staff and two years on the Minnesota staff, which followed a decorated pitching career at Drake.

“Nicole had an amazing career in the circle and still holds many records to this day,” Clark said. “But there is no doubt that Nicole’s impact for the next generation of pitchers is what I’m the most excited about. She brings a calming presence and an extensive knowledge of how she plans to develop pitchers at an elite level. Nicole comes highly recommended from some of the best pitching minds in the game. I am thankful she chose to join our staff.”

Before switching over to the coaching ranks, Newman was a 2019 NFCA First Team All-America honoree for Drake, the first NFCA First-Team All-American for the Bulldogs in program history. A dominant force in the circle, Newman recorded some eye-popping statistics. In her senior season, Newman set the NCAA Division I record with five perfect games, which still stands today, and led the nation in strikeouts (423), while ranking third in the nation in ERA (1.07). For her career, Newman pitched to a 93-33 record with a 1.72 ERA and 1,223 strikeouts in 787.2 innings pitched. She still holds career records at Drake for both wins and strikeouts.

“I am beyond grateful for this opportunity, and I am excited to be a part of Jordan Clark’s staff,” Newman said. “I love the vision she has for this program, and I know she will do an excellent job leading. Coach Joan Joyce was one of the greatest pitchers and pitching minds in the game. I am honored, and I am looking forward to building on past traditions and success as we follow in the footsteps of one of the legends in our sport. I love that I am going to be surrounded by so many amazing people and ambitious young women. I cannot wait to keep building something special with this program in Paradise!”

During her time as a graduate manager at Minnesota, Newman was part of a staff that led the Golden Gophers to a 31-13 mark in 2021. The Golden Gophers ranked 26th in the nation with a 2.06 team ERA in the 2021 season.