Georgetown University Head Men’s Basketball Coach Patrick Ewing announced the addition of Kevin Nickleberry to his staff on Thursday. A proven talent evaluator, Nickleberry will serve as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Blue & Gray. With more than 25 years of experience in Division I men’s basketball, Nickelberry has worked in all facets of a collegiate program with responsibilities ranging from player development and pregame scouting to in-game coaching and game management as well as previously serving as a head coach.
ON THE RECORD
“I’m excited about coming back home – I grew up in DC and I, like so many others, was a Georgetown fan. I am ready to hit the ground running and help Coach Ewing achieve his goals of restoring Georgetown Basketball to national prominence. The DC area has always been good to me and my career and I am excited to be able to recruit locally as well as nationally because Georgetown is, and always will be, a national brand.” – Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator Kevin Nickelberry
“I am happy to announce the addition of Kevin Nickelberry to my staff at Georgetown. I have confidence that he will have an immediate impact in his role as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. He has strong local and national ties and has showcased his ability to bring in top-level talent.” – Head Coach Patrick Ewing
NICKELBERRY’S ROAD TO THE THE HILLTOP
Nickelberry comes to Georgetown following a three-year stint at LSU where he served primarily as an assistant coach and was the director of recruiting for the Tigers.
Prior to LSU, Nickelberry served as the head coach at Howard University (2010-19), Hampton (2006-09) and with the Columbia Union women’s team (1991-94) and was an assistant coach at Howard, Monmouth, Holy Cross, Charlotte and Clemson before being named head coach at Hampton.
In 2009, Nickelberry took on the role as the head coach of the Libya Men’s National Basketball team. During the 2009 FIBA Africa Championship, Libya won more games in international play than any other season prior and since.
PROVEN TALENT EVALUATOR
The DC native was responsible for bringing a wealth of talent to Baton Rouge as his efforts contributed to a trio of top 10 classes in as many seasons at LSU (2020 – 5th; 2021 – 6th; 2022 – 9th).
Nickelberry was the lead recruiter for the 2021 class that saw LSU bring in a five-star center and a duo of four-star guards to go along with another pair of four stars and a three-star signee.
In his three years with the Tigers, LSU advanced to the 2021 and 2022 NCAA Tournaments (2020 was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic) and achieved 20 wins in two of his three years.
While at Howard, he was known as a program builder, recruiting and coaching three players who made the Top 50 All-Time MEAC team. When he left Howard, he was second all-time in wins and had guided the Bison back to postseason play for the first time since 1992 with a spot in the 2019 College Basketball Invitational.
In his coaching career, he has been a part of preparing players who have earned nearly 25 rookie / newcomer / player of the year honors as well as coaching more than 30 all-conference players.
AMONG THE NATION’S BEST
In March 2022, Nickelberry was named to the Advancement of Blacks in Sports (ABIS) 2022 Men’s Basketball Assistant Coaches Watch List for his efforts at LSU.
During his stint at Hampton, he was named among the top 25 “Up-and-Coming” coaches by Sporting News (2008). His tenure at Hampton saw him turn the team’s scoring defense from 168 in Division I to 12th in the NCAA by the end of his third year.
During his various tenures as an assistant coach, he was named by Basketball Times, The Hoop Scoop and Rivals.com as one of the top assistants in the country and has worked in many areas including recruiting, fundraising, marketing and public relations.
NICKELBERRY COMES HOME TO THE DISTRICT
Nickelberry was born in Washington, D.C., went to Central High School (Capitol Heights, Maryland) and played at Virginia Wesleyan University where he graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts in communications.
Prior to beginning his coaching career, Nickelberry was involved in many successful entrepreneurial ventures. He was the president of two public relations firms and founded an at-risk youth non-profit organization in the Washington, D.C. area.
Nickelberry and his wife, Felicia, are the parents of three sons – Carter, Kyan and Kelby.
NICKELBERRY’S COLLEGIATE & INTERNATIONAL COACHING EXPERIENCE
1991-92: Assistant Coach, Columbia Union
1991-94: Head Women’s Coach, Columbia Union
1995-98: Assistant Coach, Howard
1998-99: Assistant Coach, Monmouth
1999-01: Assistant Coach, Holy Cross
2001-03: Assistant Coach, Charlotte
2003-06: Assistant Coach, Clemson
2006-09: Head Coach, Hampton
2009: Head Coach, Libya National Team
2009-10: Assistant Coach, DePaul
2010-19: Head Coach, Howard
2019-20: Assistant to the HC, LSU
2020-22 : Assistant Coach, LSU
2022: Interim Head Coach, LSU
2022-pres.: Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator, Georgetown
