Associate Head Coach Nick Zimmerman

NICK ZIMMERMAN

ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH | FOURTH SEASON

Nick Zimmerman joined the Bulldog soccer program on Jan. 23, 2019 after serving as an assistant coach at Columbus State University from 2015-18.

Zimmerman works primarily with the Bulldogs’ forwards and midfielders. The 2020 season, his second with the Bulldogs, was unusual as the program navigated playing during a global pandemic, but the team proved strong. At the finish of the 13-game season, the Dawgs front line out-scored their opponents, producing 1.38 goals per game and out-shot them with 12 shots per game. The spring portion of the season was especially successful, with 11 different players recording an assist on 11 goals in four matches. There were seven different goal scorers in the spring.

In his first season in Starkville, State set program records for goals, assists and points in conference play. The Bulldogs finished SEC play averaging 15.1 shots per game, which ranked fourth in the league.

His technical instruction paid off immediately for State’s younger forwards. Nine Bulldogs scored at least once in 2019, including six first-time scorers. Sixteen players recorded a point, which was the most since 20 players did so in 2008. Monigo Karnley and Hailey Farrington-Bentil became the first pair of Bulldogs to score multiple goals after not scoring any in the previous season since 2010.

During his tenure at Columbus State, Zimmerman helped build a top-three scoring offense in the nation. The Lady Cougars set a program record of 96 goals and led the nation with 4.0 goals per game in 2016. The following year, they improved to 4.05 goals per game.

His first season at CSU saw the Lady Cougars win a Peach Belt Conference regular season and tournament championship on their way to a NCAA Division II national championship appearance. The following year, CSU again won the Peach Belt championship and were national semi-finalists.

Most recently, the Lady Cougars won their fifth-straight PBC regular season championship, as well as a tournament championship. CSU went on to be Southeast Regional Champions, and the CSU coaching staff was named the Southeast Regional Staff of the Year.

Zimmerman helped coach 31 Peach Belt All-Conference award winners and 23 DII All-Region winners. Ten Lady Cougars earned DII All-American Awards and six won DII Scholar All-American Awards. Two players went on to win the Elite 90 Award given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA at each NCAA finals site. Most recently, he coached the Freshman of the Year in the Peach Belt Conference.

Zimmerman’s coaching experience is extensive, as he has assisted Region II, US Soccer NTC, and ID2 US Club Soccer. He has served on staff at elite camps at the University of Virginia and Florida State University. He was also the Georgia Girls’ Olympic Development Program (ODP) 2000 Team’s head coach.

As well as a serving as a coaching course instructor for the U.S. Soccer Federation, Zimmerman held a spot on the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Ranking and Awards Board. He currently holds a USSF “B” License.

Prior to his coaching career, Zimmerman was a four-year starter for James Madison University, where he earned All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) rookie team recognition, two All-CAA selections, and one All-Region honor.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology and sports management, he was drafted by the New York Red Bulls in the third round of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft. He was then selected by the Philadelphia Union in the 2009 MLS Expansion Draft.

Zimmerman also played with Carolina Railhawks FC in the North American Soccer League (NASL), where he was named to the NASL Best XI 2012 and finished second in the league’s Golden Boot race with 12 goals. He most recently signed with the Wilmington Hammerheads of the United Soccer League in 2015.

The Tampa, Florida, native also played on the U.S. U-15 National Team in 2001.