SE Athletics
Matt Thomas, Sports Information Director
DURANT – Southeastern Director of Athletics Keith Baxter has announced the hiring of Nicole Solum as Savage Storm volleyball’s fifth head coach.
Sports presented by Indian Nation Wholesale.
Solum makes the move to Southeastern after a five-year stint as an assistant coach for Winona State.
“I would like to thank Keith Baxter, Cherrie Wilmoth, and the rest of the search committee for the opportunity to be the next head coach at Southeastern Oklahoma State,” Solum said. “I am excited to lead this program to great success in the GAC. I can see the pride the athletes and staff have at Southeastern and I am excited to be a part of that. I am humbled to take this next step in my career. I will forever be grateful to those who have helped me along the way. It truly is a blessing to help shape the lives of young women and help them achieve their goals.”
“Southeastern Oklahoma State University and Southeastern Athletics welcomes Nicole to our campus,” Baxter said. “Her work ethic, leadership, organizational skills and successful experience are all attributes that will help take our Volleyball program to the next level. She has vast experience competing and recruiting in the difficult Northern Sun, recognized as one of the best Volleyball Conferences in NCAA Division II. We feel very fortunate to have her as our Head Coach and are excited about the next chapter of Savage Storm Volleyball.”
With the Warriors, she helped guide the team to 20-win seasons in three of her five years, including a trip to the incredibly competitive Central regional in 2016.
In 2016, WSU posted its most wins in a season since the 1990 season with 27 and saw the program earn is first-ever AVCA All-American.
Before coming to Southeastern she would go on to coach three All-Americans with the Warriors, along with four all-region awards, and 17 All-Northern Sun selections over her five seasons.
While on staff at WSU the team posted a 100-47 record overall, winning at a .680 clip.
A native of Spokane, Wash., Solum spent the 2013 season as both an assistant coach and interim head coach at Valley City State University in Valley City, N.D. While there she coached the Vikings’ Aurissa Martens to an AVCA All-Region and First Team All-American honors as well as North Star Most Valuable Senior recognition.
Solum got her start in the NSIC as both a coach and a player. She was a graduate assistant for the Bemidji State volleyball team for two seasons, where she was responsible for team practices, game film, recruiting, study hall and working camps and clinics throughout the year. Prior to that, she was a three-year player for the Beavers, spending the last two as team captain.
Prior to her playing career at Bemidji State, she played her freshman season at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, Ore.