Head Women's Basketball Coach 
Cheryl Nix

    Cheryl Nix, a former standout player at Clemson and the head coach at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee, for the past five seasons, will begin her first season as the Lady Eagles' head coach in 2000-2001.  She becomes the 11th head coach in the program’s 31-year history.

    The 34-year-old South Carolina native compiled a career record of 106-51 at Cumberland and four of her teams won over 20 games. Nix began her coaching career as a student assistant and graduate assistant in 1988 under Clemson head coach Jim Davis following her four-year playing career. After spending two years on the middle and high school levels at Irmo High School in Columbia, she was hired to revive a struggling program at Cumberland.

    "We are excited to have found a positive and energetic person with the proven success that Cheryl brings to our program," says Winthrop athletic director Tom Hickman.  "She has produced some strong teams on the court and was able to turn a college program around in a very short time. This was one of the things we were looking for; to find somebody who had experienced success and could come in and give our program a jump start at this time."

    In five years at Cumberland, Nix became the all-time winningest coach in that school’s history. She was voted 1999 Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year after leading Cumberland to the MSC regular season and tournament championships. That team finished with a 27-7 record, a No. 11 national ranking, and Cumberland’s first-ever appearance in the NAIA national tournament. That team also won the Bahamas Sunshine Shootout and ranked as one of the nation’s top scoring and defensive teams. She has coached 12 all-conference players, 14 MSC All-Academic selections, two Academic All-Americans, and one first-team All-American, Chatica Hathaway, a two-time MSC Player of the Year and current WNBA prospect.

    After completing her Clemson playing career in 1988, Nix served as a student assistant and a graduate assistant for three seasons under Davis. During those three years, Clemson advanced to two NCAA Division I Sweet Sixteen appearances, one Elite Eight appearance, two Top 20 and one Top 10 national ranking.

    "I really feel like this is an incredible opportunity that I have to be at Winthrop," said Nix, who added, "It will be like going back home for me and being supported and surrounded by family and friends." She says her goal has been to get to the Division I level and it is something she has been working for since she got into coaching.

    "I’ve accomplished the things I set out to do at Cumberland and I’m ready for the challenges that lie before me at Winthrop. I feel like Winthrop is a great opportunity for anyone going in. It has a good family feel and I know the community is very supportive. Winthrop has all the ingredients needed to be successful. I’m really anxious to get started and promise to do everything within my power to make sure we make women’s basketball at Winthrop a program the community can be proud of."

What Others Are Saying About...Cheryl Nix

"Jim Davis, Clemson head coach

    This is very good news. I think Cheryl will do a very good job at Winthrop. She has a lot of enthusiasm and works extremely hard. She will find a way to get it done within the rules. She has been waiting to get a break in the coaching business and I believe she will make the very most of this opportunity to coach at the Division I level and in the Big South Conference. Cheryl is a native of South Carolina; so I feel sure she will recruit the Palmetto State quite hard.

"Steven Corey, VP for Administration & former AD
          Cumberland University

    With a demonstrated track record of bringing a program in a very competitive environment from mediocrity to national recognition, I believe you will find that Cheryl Nix is one of the rising stars in women’s basketball. As athletic director, I hired Cheryl because of her competitive nature, enthusiasm, and, frankly, because of her tremendous success as a player at Clemson. Her directive was to take a struggling program and, using her success experiences and competitive drive, teach us how to win. She has done so admirably. Her strengths have been in recruiting, schedule management, and the creation of a style of play and atmosphere that the fans have enjoyed and responded to, many times outdrawing our men’s team. I believe that her players identify with her, enjoy playing for her, and respect her competitive and successful drive. Cheryl will do an excellent job at Winthrop.

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