Harold fired from Nicholls volleyball

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Nicholls State University will have a new head volleyball coach in the 2018 season.

Colonels Athletic Director Matt Roan announced this past week that the school has relieved coach Tommy Harold of his duties, ending his five-season run as the head volleyball coach of the Colonels.

This past year, Harold and the Colonels struggled mightily, posting just a 4-25 record, including a 2-14 mark in the Southland Conference.


The Colonels struggled to be competitive and lost in straight sets in 16 of their defeats.

Roan said the decision was tough because Harold is a high-character man. 

The team has begun looking for a replacement and will conduct a national search over the coming weeks.


“We appreciate everything that coach Harold brought to the program over the last five seasons,” Roan said. “These are difficult decisions and the character of coach Harold made it even more difficult. Tommy is the epitome of class. We wish him and his family nothing but the very best moving forward.”

Harold just never got traction in Thibodaux, which is a bit disappointing, because he landed with the Colonels with a lot of acclaim.

Before Nicholls, Harol was the longtime coach at Loyola-New Orleans – one of the most successful coaches in the history of that program.


Harold won 20 or more games eight times with the Wolfpack and never had a losing season with the team, posting a 207-113 overall record. He also won the GCAC Tournament Title in 2007 – a 28-win season.

At the time of his hiring, Harold said he vowed to turn around the Colonels’ program through philosophy and recruiting.

“I think there is a lot of untapped talent and resources here in this area that are just waiting to be used,” Harold said. “I hope to be able to make this team one the university and community can be proud of.”


But it never materialized.

In 2013, the Colonels struggled, posting just a 5-23 record and a 2-16 mark in Southland games.

A year later, the Colonels made progress, doubling their total wins with a 10-20 record and tripling their Southland victories (in fewer league games), posting a 6-10 record – enough to earn a spot in the Southland Conference Tournament.


But Nicholls never could turn that first step forward into further progress.

The Colonels went 9-19 in 2015, just missing the Southland Conference Tournament. The Colonels were 8-24 in 2016, winning just three games in the league.

This year’s Colonels team was young with just three seniors and six freshmen. Two of the three seniors were local – one from E.D. White (Emily Weimer) and the other from Vandebilt (Sydney Lerille).


But the youth never turned into success on the floor.

Nicholls started the season 1-8, struggling mightily through a difficult non-conference slate.

In Southland play, the Colonels lost their first six matches, never winning more than a set in any of the defeats.


The team also lost its final six matches of the season, which put the Colonels in a tie for 11th place in the 13-team league.

Roan said he thinks Nicholls volleyball is a program capable of winning and making waves. He said he hopes the team’s next coach is one who can lead the team from the bottom of the standings to the top.

“We believe this program possesses great potential,” Roan said. “We are excited to commence our search for the next leader of the program and find someone who can lead us to great success on and off the court.”


The Colonels return several of their top players from last season, including outside hitter Brieanna Hill, setters Jade Piper and Emily Venable and outside hitter Jennifer Olivarez. 

COLONELS BASEBALL INKS 6 IN EARLY SIGNING PERIOD

Nicholls State University used the early signing period to add a depth of talent to its baseball program.


The Colonels announced six signees this week – an outfielder and five pitchers. 

Coach Seth Thibodeaux said the incoming talent will be a big boost to a team hoping to push forward to the upper echelon of the Southland Conference.

“(Assistant coach) Zach (Butler) and (associate head coach) Walt (Jones) did a great job addressing needs with this class,” Thibodeaux said. “We are fortunate to have the type of people in our admissions department that help make our jobs easier in terms of recruiting players here. It is a total team effort by everyone here.”


Pitching was huge in this class.

The Colonels signed five arms – three lefties and two righties to add to a dugout that routinely ranks among the top teams in the Southland Conference in pitching.

Two of the arms are from Louisiana, including Central Lafourche left-handed pitcher Brandon Babin, who was one of the top pitchers in the area last season.


Thibodeaux said he thinks Babin will pitch early in his collegiate career. The Trojans’ senior still has another year of prep eligibility, as well.

“Brandon will be able to make an immediate impact for us on the mound,” Thibodeaux said. “He is a strike-throwing lefty that can work on both sides of the plate. He is a leader and he’s a tough kid and very competitive. He’ll be a great student here and he’s got a family full of Colonels, so he knows what being a Colonel is all about.”

The Colonels also added right-handed pitchers Nick Hill (Fort Bend High School) and Trevor Kilcrease (Gulf Coast State College) and lefties Shane Mejia Jr. (Belton High School) and Tyler Theriot (Brusly High School) in the class.


In the outfield, the Colonels stayed local, inking Terrebonne standout Mason Turner – a multiple-time All-District player, dating back to his freshman season with the Tigers.

Turner has a steady glove in the outfield and is an electric offensive player who can turn singles into extra base hits.

Thibodeaux said he’s eager to have Turner in the Colonels’ lineup in the future.


“Mason brings some athleticism and versatility to our team,” Thibodeaux said. “He can play multiple positions and we like his swing. Mason is an even better person and a great student.”

The Colonels open the 2018 season on Feb. 16, 2018 with a home slate against Stony Brook. •

Tommy Harold


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