Cook resigns as NSU basketball coach

Lady Colonels basketball coach Mark Cook resigned on Friday after a four-year stint.

Cook compiled a 25-84 overall record and 16-50 mark in Southland Conference action during his tenure. In the 2007-08 season, the Lady Colonels posted a 6-21 overall record and 4-12 in conference play.

After making the conference tournament in his first season, 2004-05, the Lady Colonels record progressively got worse each year.

Cook offered no reason for the resignation, according to Nicholls Athletic Director Rob Bernardi.

On Friday, Bernardi announced that a search committee had formed to find Cook’s replacement. Beranrdi said he hoped the next coach will be able to better recruit local talent to Nicholls.

“That’s one of the issues I discussed with him [Cook],” Bernardi said.

Bernardi also stated he neither has a time frame for hiring a new coach nor thinks one will be in place by the end of the semester.

The head coach vacancy will not affect Nicholls’ recruiting prospects, according to the athletic director. “Players commit to an institution, not a coach,” he insisted.

Assistant coaches Sabrina Carter and Kelli Cofield did not resign with Cook. Bernardi said the new coach will determine if they are retained.

A 1983 Witchita State University graduate, Cook coached at Dillard University in New Orleans before joining Nicholls’ staff. In 1998, he took over as Dillard’s head coach. While there, he posted three straight Gulf Conference Championships (2001-03), led his team to a Gulf Coast Conference Tournament Championship in 2003 and was named Gulf Coast Conference Coach of the Year in 2001 after the team advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NAIA National Tournament.

Women’s basketball head shots 2006.Photo by Doug Keese/Nicholls State9/15/06

Doug Keese