Environmental expert named senior planner
January 16, 2012
Richard N. Bollinger
January 19, 2012Nicholls State Athletics Director Rob Bernardi promised he’d hire a winner to be the school’s track and field coach.
It sure seems like the administrator has delivered on his promise.
The Colonels announced Friday that Heather Van Norman has been named the team’s coach, pending approval from the University of Louisiana System Board.
Van Norman will replace Scott Williamson, who resigned in November after seven seasons with the team.
The new coach, who has begun coaching the team in practice and also recruiting, brings nearly 30 years experience to the program.
“We are fortunate to be able to attract someone of Heather’s experience to Nicholls,” Bernardi said. “She is a fine addition to our coaching staff. Our student-athletes will benefit greatly from her knowledge and leadership.”
Van Norman lands in Thibodaux with a pedigree in both coaching and competition.
The new Nicholls coach was a sprinter at LSU from 1989-95, helping establish the Lady Tigers as one of the elite track and field programs in the country with her excellence in short distance races.
Van Norman earned All-American honors six times while in Baton Rouge and helped LSU win three-straight outdoor national championships and also two indoor national titles – marks that rank among the best in the history of college track and field.
The former Tiger’s brightest year on the track arguably came in 1993 when she was a part of three national championship relay teams, winning the indoor and outdoor 4×400 meter relays and also the outdoor 4×100 meter relay.
Van Norman also helped to set an American record time in the 4×200 meter relay in 1991.
From her dominant running days, Van Norman got into coaching at Rice, where she served as an assistant coach for two seasons.
Following her stint in Texas, Van Norman was an assistant coach at Georgia Tech for four seasons.
Van Norman got her first crack at being a head coach in 2002 when she was hired by Tulane.
During her seven-year stint with the Green Wave, the coach produced athletes who made 16 NCAA Championship meet appearances and 44 NCAA Mideast Regional appearances.
She also coached 70 student athletes who made the Conference-USA Academic Honor Roll.
In a news release issued by the Colonels athletic department, Van Norman said she is excited to get started in Thibodaux, and hopes to make the team an annual contender in the Southland Conference.
“I am so honored to be a member of the Nicholls family, and I thank Rob and Dr. Boudreaux for the opportunity to work at such an amazing university,” Van Norman said. “I hope to be able to continue the success the track and field and cross country programs have had and continue to build on it to become one of the best in the Southland Conference.”
Van Norman’s track pedigree extends beyond her own skill-set.
The former LSU star is married to Derrick Mills, a 1996 Olympic gold medalist in the 4×400 meter relay team, who is also a world champion.
The new Nicholls coach is also the mother of LSU freshman wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who showed his athletic prowess, catching 36 passes for 437 yards and two touchdowns in his first season at LSU.
Van Norman will inherit a Colonels’ roster that made significant strides under Williamson.
The former Nicholls coach recruited and coached 61 school record holders, seven Southland Conference champions, 10 NCAA postseason qualifiers and one junior All-American.
The coach also coached a total of 130 performances that ranked in the Top 5 in Nicholls’ school history.
Van Norman’s situation in Thibodaux is a bit abnormal in that the Colonels had already started their 2012 season prior to her appointment as coach.
Nicholls competed in an outdoor meet this past weekend at McNeese State University.
The team also prepared for its season without a coach.
Below is Nicholls’ upcoming track and field schedule.
Nicholls State Track and Field Upcoming meets:
Jan. 25-26 – Birmingham Invitational – Birmingham, Ala.
Feb. 3-4 – Jeff Davis Bank McNeese Indoor II – Lake Charles, La.
Feb. 24-25 – Southland Conference Indoor Championships – Norman, Okla.
