Chester Nichols returns for his fifth season as the associate head coach for the Mountaineer women’s basketball program.
 
Nichols came back to West Virginia in May 2014 after coaching stints at UCF, Kansas and Michigan. He previously coached six seasons with Carey and the Mountaineers from 2003-09.
 
Nichols works with WVU’s post players, in addition to assisting in the recruiting efforts for the program.
 
The Mountaineers overcame adversity, including injury to guard Tynice Martin, to post a 25-12 overall mark in 2017-18. WVU’s signature win came on Dec. 3, 2017, when the team claimed a 70-56 win over No. 18 Texas A&M as part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge in College Station, Texas. The Mountaineers also grabbed a pair of rivalry wins, downing Virginia Tech, 79-61, to win the Island Division of Paradise Jam before topping Pitt, 73-52, as the two renewed their rivalry for the first time in five seasons. West Virginia made its second straight Big 12 Tournament Semifinals and was one of the first four teams left out of the NCAA Tournament. Instead, the squad made a run to the Postseason WNIT Semifinals, falling to Virginia Tech in late March. Soon after, forward Teana Muldrow became the third straight Mountaineer to be drafted as she was selected 29^th overall by the Seattle Storm in the 2018 WNBA Draft.
 
In his third season, West Virginia finished 24-11 and claimed the program’s first Big 12 Conference Tournament title after a historic run knocking off the tournament’s top three seeds (No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 2 Texas and No. 1 Baylor). The Mountaineers would advance to the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time overall and to the NCAA Second Round for the 10th time. In April 2017, Lanay Montgomery became the sixth Mountaineer to be selected in the WNBA Draft as the Seattle Storm picked her 30th overall in the third round. 
 
In 2015-16, Nichols assisted the Mountaineers to a 25-10 overall mark and a 12-6 third-place finish in the Big 12 Conference. The Mountaineers reached their 11th overall NCAA Tournament appearance and made their 10th consecutive postseason appearance. West Virginia advanced to the NCAA Championship Second Round after picking up a victory over Princeton. WVU led the nation with 6.5 blocked shots per game, which was a 2015-16 NCAA Statistical Award winner.
 
During his first year back in Morgantown, the 2014-15 Mountaineers dominated inside with a school single-season record of 1,621 rebounds as West Virginia reached the WNIT Championship game. WVU deflected a program-best 242 blocks, breaking a record that stood for over 30 years. West Virginia’s 6.4 blocks per game led the Big 12 and ranked sixth nationally.
 
Montgomery became the first Mountaineer since the legendary Georgeann Wells to block over 100 shots in a season. Her 124 deflections led the conference and sat 10th in the NCAA for the 2014-15 season.
 
Nichols was a part of 42 wins in two seasons as assistant coach at Michigan. U-M completed the 2013-14 season with a 20-14 mark, making it to the third round of the WNIT. It was just the sixth 20-win season in the history of the program.
 
Nichols helped Michigan to one of its most successful seasons in program history during his first season in 2012-13, as the Wolverines tied program records for wins (22) and consecutive wins (10), and made just their third second-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Nichols worked with the post players, helping seniors Rachel Sheffer and Nya Jordan earn All-Big Ten honorable mention. During his tenure with the Wolverines, he signed Big Ten standouts Shannon Smith and Siera Thompson.
 
Nichols joined Michigan’s staff after spending two seasons with the University of Kansas women's basketball program as the perimeter coach while assisting in the program's recruiting efforts.
 
In two seasons with the Jayhawks, Nichols helped KU to a combined 42-26 overall record while making postseason appearances in the WNIT (2011) and NCAA (2012) Tournaments. During the 2012 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, KU advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1998 and the third time in program history.
 
Nichols arrived in Lawrence, Kansas, after spending the 2009-10 season at Central Florida, where he served in a similar role with the Knights while serving as the recruiting coordinator. That season, UCF's recruiting class was ranked No. 44 in the nation and No. 2 in Conference USA by ESPN's Hoopgurlz. Prior to his year at UCF, Nichols spent the previous six seasons as an assistant coach at West Virginia.
 
A native of Ocala, Florida, he is widely considered one of the nation's top recruiters, and he played an instrumental role in bringing five top-20 recruiting classes to WVU. Following the 2009-10 season, several of Nichols' WVU signees garnered all-conference honors.
 
During Nichols' tenure at WVU, the Mountaineers appeared in three NCAA Tournaments and advanced to the second round on two occasions. He also helped guide West Virginia to the championship game of the WNIT in 2005 and to the Big East Championship game in 2006. At WVU, Nichols helped sign five top-20 classes, which included eight All-Big East performers, a Big East Most Improved honor and a Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Nichols helped land and coach Mountaineer standouts Madina Ali, Chakhia Cole, Laquita Owens and Sarah Miles.
 
In the summer of 2008, Nichols was recognized as one of the nation's best assistant coaches by earning an invitation to Nike's prestigious Villa 7 Coaches Consortium in Beaverton, Oregon. Additionally, four players that Nichols signed or coached moved on to play professionally in the WNBA.
 
Prior to his time at WVU, Nichols worked with the adidas/Premier Players, an AAU organization in Ocala. He spent one season as the head coach of the Florida Starzz and chief evaluator of the Rookie Sensations.
 
Nichols also has worked as an assistant coach at Central Florida Community College, where he helped coach one NJCAA All-American and three Mid-Florida all-conference players.
 
Nichols is a 1997 graduate of Greenville College, where he played three seasons of varsity football while pursuing his degree in special education. Nichols married Sylvia Winston in May 2016. The couple resides in Morgantown. Nichols has one son, Jalen.
 

All-Time WNBA Players

Kate Bulger
2004

Bria Holmes
2016-present

Yelena Leuchanka
2006-07, 2010, 2012

Lanay Montgomery
2017

Yolanda Paige
2005

Olayinka Sanni
2008-09, 2011