Nicole Collier, an assistant with the Lincoln women’s basketball team over the past three seasons, has been elevated to the position of head coach.

Over the past three seasons, Collier has helped Lincoln transition from playing in the Heartland Conference to playing in the MIAA. After posting a 2-24 overall record, including a 1-21 league mark, in the Blue Tigers’ first season back in the MIAA (2010-11), Collier helped guide Lincoln to 15-13 mark last season and an 83-77 win over No. 12 Pittsburg State in the first round of the conference tournament. The 15 wins tie for the second-most in program history. Additionally, Lincoln won eight MIAA games, the most league wins in a season every by a Blue Tiger team.

This will be the first head coaching job for Collier, who joined the Blue Tigers in 2009 after serving as an assistant with Central Missouri from 2004-2009. At UCM, working with head coach Dave Slifer, Collier helped lead the Jennies to two NCAA Regional appearances, five straight seasons of 14 or more victories and three winning seasons. The Jennies defeated five nationally ranked opponents in that dpan and made the MIAA tournament field each season.

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