UMBC fires 2 softball coaches after one is accused of inappropriate conduct

There is more turmoil at UMBC as the school has fired its head softball coach, Angie Nicholson, and her husband and assistant, Rick Nicholson, according to the parents of three players, after the assistant was accused of inappropriate conduct.

On two separate occasions earlier this month, Rick Nicholson brushed the chest of two players while attempting to swat away insects, the parents said.

When the second player objected to the contact, Rick Nicholson scolded the player, according to one parent.

He walked into the dugout and threatened to cut the player, which was overheard and reported by an observer, two parents said.

The following week, Rick Nicholson was informed that he would no longer be retained, and the parents said he was dismissed on Tuesday.

The parents said that players learned from athletic director Tiffany D.

Tucker during an on-campus meeting on Sunday night that Angie Nicholson had been removed from her position.

It’s not clear why Angie Nicholson was let go.

Lisa K.

Van Riper, UMBC’s vice president for communications and marketing, would not confirm or deny the moves.

“Due to confidentiality protections in Maryland State law, I am unable to discuss personnel matters,” she wrote via text Sunday night.

The removal of a head coach and an assistant with the softball program comes on the heels of a monthslong controversy embroiling the men’s lacrosse team.

Since at least October, coach Ryan Moran has been on administrative leave because of a review initiated by a bullying and “sexual misconduct” allegation made the month before by one player against a teammate.

Aside from one communication before Thanksgiving, university officials have said little else, which has frustrated parents of lacrosse players.

‘Players are absolutely divided’

One parent of a softball player said the suddenness of Tucker’s announcement surprised many players.

“We have a team full of absolutely devastated girls and no support for them,” the parent said.

One parent said the decision to part ways with the Nicholson couple has split the team between one group of players who had issues with the Nicholsons and another fronted by two of Nicholson’s two daughters, who are graduate students and senior infielders on the roster.

“The players are absolutely divided,” the parent said.

Jill Haines, an assistant pitching coach, is the only other coach listed on the Retrievers’ roster.

But her status is unclear, parents said.

One parent said Tucker did not give the players any clarity during Sunday’s meeting on what the team’s future is.

“They said they don’t know what’s going to become of the season,” the parent said.

“They did not want any of this to happen.

But there is a faction that wanted this to happen.

So, this team is divided.”
Another parent also questioned how the leadership had no outline for what to do next.

“There was no plan for how to move forward,” the parent said.

“That is absolutely absurd.

… A lot of these players feel like their season has been taken away from them, and the blame is being pushed to them.

But the blame should be on the administration and maybe on the coaches.”
The university did not comment on what’s next for the softball team.

‘She’s not going to go there’

The parent of a high school player who committed to play for the Retrievers said they will not send their daughter there, even before the university removed head coach Angie Nicholson.

“My daughter wanted to go to UMBC,” the parent said.

“She grew up going to UMBC softball camps.

This is where she wanted to be.

But she’s not going to go there, and this stinks.

It stinks that she’s going to have this opportunity taken away from her.”

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“It seems like this is just not a big deal to them.

That’s how the girls feel,” the parent said.

“They tell the girls they need to figure it out on their own.

They said, ‘You girls need to figure out if you can play together.’ When they tried to ask questions, they wouldn’t answer questions.

So the lack of communication and support continues.

I’m sure there are legalities, but there’s got to be more they can do.”
The Retrievers were 10-8 and had won their past four games, but had not played since Sunday, March 15, when they defeated Holy Cross.

Their past six games have been canceled.

Angie Nicholson was announced as the program’s eighth head coach on Aug.

25.

She had been a head coach at eight other schools, including Division I Butler, Cleveland State, Eastern Illinois, Hampton, Georgia State and most recently Norfolk State.

When she coached Hampton from 2017 to 2021, Tucker was that university’s director for administration, sponsorships and governance from 2015 to 2017.

Angie Nicholson owns a career record 598-556-1 across 25-plus seasons.

Issues at UMBC

Moran, the men’s lacrosse coach, is still on leave.

In March 2015, UMBC investigated threats that older women’s lacrosse players allegedly made against freshmen via a text-messaging group chat.

Officials said no players were hurt, but five players were suspended, and the school ordered a stoppage of all contact drills during practice.

Through a media relations firm, four of the five suspended players apologized for their comments, calling them “absolutely inexcusable” and “utterly inappropriate.”
In November 2020, the U.S.

Department of Justice opened a civil rights investigation looking into the university’s “response to complaints of sexual harassment and its Title IX compliance.”
In March 2024, the investigation determined that UMBC failed to oversee the athletics department properly or devote enough resources to Title IX compliance, allowing former swimming and diving coach Craig Cradock to harass male swimmers and discriminate against female swimmers for years.

And a month later, the federal agency announced a $4.14 million settlement with the former athletes who were sexually abused and harassed between 2015 and 2020.

Cradock died by suicide in 2021, several months after he resigned amid a school investigation into his conduct.

In April 2024, UMBC fired athletic director Brian Barrio.

At the time, the university published a statement indicating that “those who were identified as failing to comply with their Title IX obligations — whether through action or inaction — will be held accountable.”
In August 2024, Barrio sued UMBC in federal court, arguing that although he played a role in identifying and reporting Cradock’s abuse, the school forced him out and then “scapegoated” him in statements after the dismissal.

In December, Barrio and UMBC reached an out-of-court settlement.

Part of that agreement included a statement from the institution that read, “Mr.

Barrio responded appropriately to those reports.

UMBC subsequently made changes in the Athletics Department and, as part of those changes, decided to move forward with new leadership.

Mr.

Barrio’s contract was not terminated for cause, and neither the DOJ nor UMBC identified any action or omission by Mr.

Barrio that contributed to the misconduct by Mr.

Cradock.”
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