University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Wrestling
Nickerson, Troy
Troy Nickerson
- Title:
- Head Wrestling Coach
- Email:
- troy.nickerson@unco.edu
- Phone:
- 970.351.2090
The 2024-25 wrestling season marks Troy Nickerson’s 11th at the helm of the UNC wrestling program, as he was named head wrestling coach of the Bears on June 14, 2014.
During those 11 years, Nickerson has revitalized the UNC Wrestling program into a perennial Top-25 wrestling program as well as an annual Top-25 academic program.
In 11 seasons under Nickerson, UNC Wrestling has had:
Wrapping up his eleventh season as head coach, Nickerson led the Bears to a consistently strong campaign, with the team ranked in the top 20 throughout the year. Six wrestlers placed at the Big XII Championships, and four earned berths to the NCAA Championships — all seeded tenth or higher. The season was highlighted by two Big XII champions, marking just the second time in program history to achieve that feat, and two All-Americans at the Division I level — the program's first since 1966.
2023-24
The 2023–24 season marked Nickerson's tenth year at the helm of the program. The Bears posted a 10–5 overall record, including a 3–4 mark in Big XII conference competition. At the Big XII Championships, four wrestlers earned top eight finishes: Stevo Poulin took seventh at 125 pounds, Dominick Serrano secured third at 133, Vinny Zerban placed seventh at 157, and Xavier Vasquez finished eighth at 197.
2022-2023
The 2022-2023 was one for the ages for the Bears.
Nickerson tutored Greeley, Colorado native Andrew Alirez to the NCAA 141-pound National Championship and a perfect 28-0 record. Alirez’s win marks the program’s first as a NCAA Division 1 institution in any sport.
Additionally, Alirez was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Year, earned All-American honors for the second time, and was a finalist for the Dan Hodge Trophy, which is awarded to the top wrestler in the country (widely considered the Heisman Trophy of college wrestling).
Nickerson also led the freshman duo of Stevo Poulin (125 pounds) and Vincent Zerban (157 pounds) to Top-12 honors at the NCAA tournament. Prior to the NCAA tournament, Poulin captured his first Big 12 title making Northern Colorado one of only three programs to have multiple Big 12 Champions (Oklahoma State and Iowa State).
As a team, the Bears finished with a 13-5 dual meet record (the most wins in a season in the D1 era) and a program-best 23rd place finish at the NCAA Tournament.
2021-2022
The 2021-2022 season was a historic one for Nickerson and the Bears as he led his team to a total of four Big 12 Championship place winners in Jace Koelzer, Andrew Alirez, Alan Clothier, and Nick Knutson and three NCAA qualifiers in Koelzer, Alirez, and Clothier.
Additionally, Nickerson led Andrew Alirez to a historic run at the Big 12 Championships, becoming the program’s first Big 12 Champion after winning the 141lbs weight class with a 6-4 decision. Alirez also advanced to the Top-12 at the NCAA tournament which is further than any Bear wrestler since Justin Gaethje in 2010.
Under Nickeson’s direction, senior Alan Clothier became the first wrestler in school history to become a four-time place winner at the Southern Scuffle by securing a sixth-place finish.
The 2021-2022 Beas also proved their excellence in the classroom, earning the highest NWCA Top 30 Scholar All-American Honors ever, coming in at ninth place. Six individual Bears were recognized as NWCA Scholar All-Americans, the most in school history, in Alan Clothier, Nick Knutson, Jace Koelzer, Dyson Kunz, Nathan Moore, and Jacob Seely.
2020-2021
While the world battled the COVID-19 pandemic, Nickerson continued to take the Northern Colorado Wrestling program to new heights. The 2020-2021 Bears cracked the NWCA Top 25 Coaches Poll rankings for the first time in 51 years reaching as high as No. 17. Four Bears qualified for the NCAA Championships in Mosha Schwartz, Andrew Alirez, Jackson Hemauer, and Alan Clothier.
At the Big 12 Championships, Hemauer became just the third Bear to reach the finals, earning second place. Schwartz and Clothier each earned fourth place finishes. Nickerson had five other wrestlers place at the Big 12 Championships in Jace Koelzer (8th), Chris Sandoval (7th), Jordan Robison (7th), Jacob Seely (8th) and Dalton Robertson (8th). Eight Big 12 place winners was a record for the Bears.
UNC not only pushed itself to new heights on the mat, but also in the classroom. Fourteen Bears earned Academic All-Big 12 honors.
2019-2020
Nickerson’s ability to build the program was again on display for the 2019-2020 season, as a record-tying five UNC Wrestlers automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships. Jacob Seely became a three-time qualifier, and he was joined by Alan Clothier, qualifying for his second time after transferring to Greeley. Three qualified for the first time, with two, true freshman Andrew Alirez and Mosha Schwartz, along with redshirt junior Dalton Robertson.
While the NCAA Championships were cancelled due to COVID-19, the Bears were honored with three All-American recognitions for Alirez, Schwartz, and Robertson.
Under Nickerson’s guidance, UNC had its best finish at the Southern Scuffle, finishing sixth as a team, with four wrestlers placing. The Bears had two Southern Scuffle finalists for the first time in program history with Alirez and Robertson.
2018-2019
During the 2018-2019 season, Chris Sandoval gave UNC the program’s first win over a top seed at the Big 12 Championships. Sandoval qualified for the NCAA Championships to become the first freshman to appear at nationals since the program returned to Division 1.
Rico Montoya qualified for his third straight NCAA Championships.
Montoya was also named the Big 12 Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a first team CoSIDA Academic All-America selection.
On the recruiting front, Nickerson amassed a monster recruiting class in 2019, ranked as has as fourth in the country by FloWrestling.
2017-2018
The 2017-2018 season was another example of the growth the Northern Colorado wrestling program has experienced under Nickerson’s guidance. UNC placed 38th at the NCAA Championships, the highest finish since the program returned to the Division 1 ranks. Rico Montoya, Keilan Torres, Dylan Gabel and Jacob Seely all qualified for the NCAA Championships, making it four Bear qualifiers for the second consecutive season.
UNC earned its first dual win over a legacy Big 12 conference opponent when it defeated Iowa State 22-20 in January of 2018. Nickerson arrived at UNC after being an assistant for the Cyclones, making the victory even more impactful.
Since the transition back to Division 1 in 2006, Nickerson has been the only head coach to advance three or more wrestlers to the second day of the NCAA Championships.
2016-2017
During the 2016-2017 season, the Bears had their highest team finish at the Cliff Keen Invitational, with the team placing 14th. The tournament is regarded as the toughest in-season tournament of the year. Nickerson finished the season with 4 NCAA Qualifiers in Rico Montoya, Timmy Box, Keilan Torres, and Dylan Gabel.
2015-2016
In the Bear’s first season in the Big 12 Conference, Nickerson led a team that qualified Trent Noon for the NCAA Championships and had six placed on the Big 12 All-Academic Team.
2014-2015
In his first season as head coach at Northern Colorado, Nickerson led three Bears to NCAA Berths through the Western Wrestling Conference Qualifier. Led by WWC Champion Mitchell Polkowske, the Bears finished in 46th place in their first time qualifying a wrestler for the championships since 2012.
Prior to UNC
Nickerson took on his first head coaching stint after serving two seasons as an assistant coach at Iowa State under Kevin Jackson.
During his two seasons with the Cyclones, Nickerson coached three NCAA All-Americans and ten NCAA Qualifiers, along with bringing in two Top-10 recruiting classes.
The Cyclones finished in the Top-12 of the NCAA Tournament during both of Nickerson’s seasons with the program.
Prior to joining the Iowa State wrestling program, Nickerson served as co-head coach of the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club from 2011-2012 in Ithaca, NY. He was also the head coach of the FLWC college team during the 2010-2011 season.
Nickerson compiled a remarkable collegiate career with Cornell University from 2006-2010, being named an All-American each season. He won the 2009 NCAA Championship in the 125-pound weight class while becoming an NCAA finalist twice.
A product of Chenango Forks, NY, Nickerson was one of the most highly regarded prep wrestlers in the country coming out of high school. He won a record five New York high school state championships along with six national high school championships.
Nickerson graduated from Cornell University in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in biology & society with a concentration on Human Health and Nutrition. He currently resides in Greeley with his wife, Allie and their two sons, Gavin, and Asher.
During those 11 years, Nickerson has revitalized the UNC Wrestling program into a perennial Top-25 wrestling program as well as an annual Top-25 academic program.
In 11 seasons under Nickerson, UNC Wrestling has had:
- 1 NCAA Champion
- 6 NCAA All-Americans
- 37 NCAA Qualifiers
- 2 Conference Champions
- 10 Conference Tournament Finalists
- 1 Big 12 Wrestler of the Year
- 1 Dan Hodge Trophy Finalist
- 34 NWCA Scholar All-Americans
- 70 Academic All-Big 12 Team Members
Wrapping up his eleventh season as head coach, Nickerson led the Bears to a consistently strong campaign, with the team ranked in the top 20 throughout the year. Six wrestlers placed at the Big XII Championships, and four earned berths to the NCAA Championships — all seeded tenth or higher. The season was highlighted by two Big XII champions, marking just the second time in program history to achieve that feat, and two All-Americans at the Division I level — the program's first since 1966.
2023-24
The 2023–24 season marked Nickerson's tenth year at the helm of the program. The Bears posted a 10–5 overall record, including a 3–4 mark in Big XII conference competition. At the Big XII Championships, four wrestlers earned top eight finishes: Stevo Poulin took seventh at 125 pounds, Dominick Serrano secured third at 133, Vinny Zerban placed seventh at 157, and Xavier Vasquez finished eighth at 197.
2022-2023
The 2022-2023 was one for the ages for the Bears.
Nickerson tutored Greeley, Colorado native Andrew Alirez to the NCAA 141-pound National Championship and a perfect 28-0 record. Alirez’s win marks the program’s first as a NCAA Division 1 institution in any sport.
Additionally, Alirez was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Year, earned All-American honors for the second time, and was a finalist for the Dan Hodge Trophy, which is awarded to the top wrestler in the country (widely considered the Heisman Trophy of college wrestling).
Nickerson also led the freshman duo of Stevo Poulin (125 pounds) and Vincent Zerban (157 pounds) to Top-12 honors at the NCAA tournament. Prior to the NCAA tournament, Poulin captured his first Big 12 title making Northern Colorado one of only three programs to have multiple Big 12 Champions (Oklahoma State and Iowa State).
As a team, the Bears finished with a 13-5 dual meet record (the most wins in a season in the D1 era) and a program-best 23rd place finish at the NCAA Tournament.
2021-2022
The 2021-2022 season was a historic one for Nickerson and the Bears as he led his team to a total of four Big 12 Championship place winners in Jace Koelzer, Andrew Alirez, Alan Clothier, and Nick Knutson and three NCAA qualifiers in Koelzer, Alirez, and Clothier.
Additionally, Nickerson led Andrew Alirez to a historic run at the Big 12 Championships, becoming the program’s first Big 12 Champion after winning the 141lbs weight class with a 6-4 decision. Alirez also advanced to the Top-12 at the NCAA tournament which is further than any Bear wrestler since Justin Gaethje in 2010.
Under Nickeson’s direction, senior Alan Clothier became the first wrestler in school history to become a four-time place winner at the Southern Scuffle by securing a sixth-place finish.
The 2021-2022 Beas also proved their excellence in the classroom, earning the highest NWCA Top 30 Scholar All-American Honors ever, coming in at ninth place. Six individual Bears were recognized as NWCA Scholar All-Americans, the most in school history, in Alan Clothier, Nick Knutson, Jace Koelzer, Dyson Kunz, Nathan Moore, and Jacob Seely.
2020-2021
While the world battled the COVID-19 pandemic, Nickerson continued to take the Northern Colorado Wrestling program to new heights. The 2020-2021 Bears cracked the NWCA Top 25 Coaches Poll rankings for the first time in 51 years reaching as high as No. 17. Four Bears qualified for the NCAA Championships in Mosha Schwartz, Andrew Alirez, Jackson Hemauer, and Alan Clothier.
At the Big 12 Championships, Hemauer became just the third Bear to reach the finals, earning second place. Schwartz and Clothier each earned fourth place finishes. Nickerson had five other wrestlers place at the Big 12 Championships in Jace Koelzer (8th), Chris Sandoval (7th), Jordan Robison (7th), Jacob Seely (8th) and Dalton Robertson (8th). Eight Big 12 place winners was a record for the Bears.
UNC not only pushed itself to new heights on the mat, but also in the classroom. Fourteen Bears earned Academic All-Big 12 honors.
2019-2020
Nickerson’s ability to build the program was again on display for the 2019-2020 season, as a record-tying five UNC Wrestlers automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships. Jacob Seely became a three-time qualifier, and he was joined by Alan Clothier, qualifying for his second time after transferring to Greeley. Three qualified for the first time, with two, true freshman Andrew Alirez and Mosha Schwartz, along with redshirt junior Dalton Robertson.
While the NCAA Championships were cancelled due to COVID-19, the Bears were honored with three All-American recognitions for Alirez, Schwartz, and Robertson.
Under Nickerson’s guidance, UNC had its best finish at the Southern Scuffle, finishing sixth as a team, with four wrestlers placing. The Bears had two Southern Scuffle finalists for the first time in program history with Alirez and Robertson.
2018-2019
During the 2018-2019 season, Chris Sandoval gave UNC the program’s first win over a top seed at the Big 12 Championships. Sandoval qualified for the NCAA Championships to become the first freshman to appear at nationals since the program returned to Division 1.
Rico Montoya qualified for his third straight NCAA Championships.
Montoya was also named the Big 12 Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a first team CoSIDA Academic All-America selection.
On the recruiting front, Nickerson amassed a monster recruiting class in 2019, ranked as has as fourth in the country by FloWrestling.
2017-2018
The 2017-2018 season was another example of the growth the Northern Colorado wrestling program has experienced under Nickerson’s guidance. UNC placed 38th at the NCAA Championships, the highest finish since the program returned to the Division 1 ranks. Rico Montoya, Keilan Torres, Dylan Gabel and Jacob Seely all qualified for the NCAA Championships, making it four Bear qualifiers for the second consecutive season.
UNC earned its first dual win over a legacy Big 12 conference opponent when it defeated Iowa State 22-20 in January of 2018. Nickerson arrived at UNC after being an assistant for the Cyclones, making the victory even more impactful.
Since the transition back to Division 1 in 2006, Nickerson has been the only head coach to advance three or more wrestlers to the second day of the NCAA Championships.
2016-2017
During the 2016-2017 season, the Bears had their highest team finish at the Cliff Keen Invitational, with the team placing 14th. The tournament is regarded as the toughest in-season tournament of the year. Nickerson finished the season with 4 NCAA Qualifiers in Rico Montoya, Timmy Box, Keilan Torres, and Dylan Gabel.
2015-2016
In the Bear’s first season in the Big 12 Conference, Nickerson led a team that qualified Trent Noon for the NCAA Championships and had six placed on the Big 12 All-Academic Team.
2014-2015
In his first season as head coach at Northern Colorado, Nickerson led three Bears to NCAA Berths through the Western Wrestling Conference Qualifier. Led by WWC Champion Mitchell Polkowske, the Bears finished in 46th place in their first time qualifying a wrestler for the championships since 2012.
Prior to UNC
Nickerson took on his first head coaching stint after serving two seasons as an assistant coach at Iowa State under Kevin Jackson.
During his two seasons with the Cyclones, Nickerson coached three NCAA All-Americans and ten NCAA Qualifiers, along with bringing in two Top-10 recruiting classes.
The Cyclones finished in the Top-12 of the NCAA Tournament during both of Nickerson’s seasons with the program.
Prior to joining the Iowa State wrestling program, Nickerson served as co-head coach of the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club from 2011-2012 in Ithaca, NY. He was also the head coach of the FLWC college team during the 2010-2011 season.
Nickerson compiled a remarkable collegiate career with Cornell University from 2006-2010, being named an All-American each season. He won the 2009 NCAA Championship in the 125-pound weight class while becoming an NCAA finalist twice.
A product of Chenango Forks, NY, Nickerson was one of the most highly regarded prep wrestlers in the country coming out of high school. He won a record five New York high school state championships along with six national high school championships.
Nickerson graduated from Cornell University in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in biology & society with a concentration on Human Health and Nutrition. He currently resides in Greeley with his wife, Allie and their two sons, Gavin, and Asher.
HC Nickerson, Vinny Zerban, and AJ Heeg Post Dual Press Conference vs Cal Baptist 01/24/2025
Wednesday, May 21
Andrew Alirez Press Conference
Wednesday, May 21
Postmatch Press Conference - HC Troy Nickerson
Wednesday, May 21
Head Coach Troy Nickerson and Andrew Alirez Post Match Press Conference
Monday, February 24
