Women's Basketball
Nicki Collen
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Phone:
- 3947
Nicki Collen was introduced as the fifth head coach in Baylor women’s basketball history on May 5, 2021, and later received a contract extension through 2030. She enters her fifth season at the helm in 2025-26.
In her first season with the Bears, Collen recorded 28 wins, the most by a first-year head coach in the nation. She guided Baylor to its 12th consecutive Big 12 regular-season title and an 11th straight top-two seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Baylor became the first team since 1999 to defeat a ranked opponent twice in a three-day span when the Bears knocked off Texas twice to open February. Two weeks later, exactly one month after beginning conference play 0-2, Baylor returned to the top of the Big 12 standings. The Bears became the first team since Texas Tech in 2000 to start league play 0-2 and still win the conference.
Following a second-round NCAA Tournament appearance in her first season, Collen saw three players selected in the 2022 WNBA Draft, tying a program record. NaLyssa Smith (No. 2) and Queen Egbo (No. 10) became the first Baylor duo selected in the top 10 of the same draft.
Collen’s first recruiting class was ranked No. 9 nationally by ESPN HoopGurlz.
In her second season, Collen coached two all-conference selections, two unanimous Big 12 All-Freshman Team honorees and the unanimous Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Darianna Littlepage-Buggs. Littlepage-Buggs earned eight Big 12 Freshman of the Week honors during the 2022-23 season, becoming the first Baylor freshman to reach that mark and ranking second all-time in the conference.
The Bears secured 20 wins for the 23rd consecutive season, the second-longest active streak among NCAA Division I programs behind UConn. Collen led Baylor to its 19th straight NCAA Tournament appearance and 21st overall in 2022-23, highlighted by an 18-point comeback win over Alabama in the opening round.
In her third season, Collen guided the Bears to the Sweet 16, highlighted by seven wins over AP-ranked opponents, the most among Big 12 programs. Baylor opened the 2023-24 season with the second-best start in program history, winning 14 consecutive non-conference games. The Bears christened Foster Pavilion on Jan. 3, 2024, with a 71-50 win over then-No. 23 TCU in their Big 12 opener.
The 2024-25 season saw Baylor finish as runner-up in both the Big 12 regular season and the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship. Collen earned her 100th career win in just 134 games, the fastest to reach the milestone in Baylor’s NCAA era. Baylor led the Big 12 in rebounds per game, powered by a standout season from Littlepage-Buggs, who earned WBCA honorable mention All-America honors and was the only conference player to average a double-double.
At the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, six Bears combined for seven All-Big 12 honors. Littlepage-Buggs earned first-team recognition, while Sarah Andrews and Aaronette Vonleh were named to the second team. Yaya Felder was selected as Sixth Player of the Year, and Bella Fontleroy earned All-Defensive Team honors while joining Jada Walker on the honorable mention list.
Collen came to Baylor from the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream, where she spent three seasons as head coach. In her rookie season in 2018, she led the Dream to a 23-11 record, earned WNBA Coach of the Year honors and guided the franchise to the WNBA playoff semifinals.
Prior to Atlanta, Collen spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the Connecticut Sun, helping the franchise improve from fifth to second in the Eastern Conference from 2016 to 2017.
Collen’s collegiate coaching career spanned nine seasons prior to her WNBA arrival. She served as an assistant coach at Colorado State (2000-02), Ball State (2002-03), Louisville (2003-04), Arkansas (2011-14) and Florida Gulf Coast (2014-16).
Her teams compiled a combined 214-74 record during her nine seasons as a Division I assistant coach. Collen helped guide four teams to NCAA Tournament appearances, including three trips to the second round. She coached three All-Americans and saw three players selected in the WNBA Draft.
Six of Collen’s nine collegiate seasons were spent working under her husband, Tom Collen, at Colorado State, Louisville and Arkansas. She also worked under Tracy Roller at Ball State and Karl Smesko at Florida Gulf Coast, where she helped lead the Eagles to a 64-9 record and the program’s first NCAA Tournament win.
Collen began her collegiate playing career at Purdue, where she helped the Boilermakers to an NCAA Final Four appearance in 1994 and an Elite Eight run in 1995. She transferred to Marquette and totaled 421 assists over her final two seasons, averaging 7.0 per game while helping the Golden Eagles to NCAA Tournament appearances in 1997 and 1998.
Nicki and her husband, Tom, have three children, Connor, Reese and Logan.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT NICKI COLLEN
“Nicki Collen is a great hire for Baylor. A well-respected basketball mind in the WNBA, she has the knowledge and work-ethic to succeed at one of the top programs in women’s college basketball. Much like the woman who preceded her, Collen is a fiery competitor with a big personality. She is a nice fit for Baylor.”
—Rebecca Lobo, ESPN Analyst, former NCAA Champion
“Nicki made an immediate impression as a head coach in the WNBA and it was a big challenge to coach against her. She likes an up tempo game, is innovative, and will bring a great style to Baylor Basketball. She is known for being direct and honest with her players in order to get the best from them on and off the court. I’m looking forward to watching her continue the great tradition of Baylor Basketball.”
—Mike Thibault, Washington Mystics Head Coach
“Congrats to the Baylor Administration on hiring Nicki Collen as their next basketball coach! Nicki is a detailed strategist and a relationship builder with a tireless work ethic. Coach Collen will bring more winning success to the student athletes on and off the court and the Bear fans will be entertained with a fast paced offensive style of play! Buckle up for some intense, high octane offense!”
– Debbie Antonelli, ESPN Analyst
“Nicki has a brilliant basketball mind and a tremendous ability to connect with players. Nicki is high-energy, self-motivated, and ultra competitive. She will do great things at Baylor.”
– Karl Smesko, Florida Gulf Coast Head Coach
“Nicki Collen is one of the best basketball minds I’ve covered over the years. Her depth of knowledge and understanding of the x’s and o’s is second to none. Coupled with vast experience at various levels on the college and WNBA side, there will be more Big 12 Championships in Baylor’s future.”
– LaChina Robinson, ESPN Analyst
“The Lady Bears program is always near and dear, and I am excited to see what Coach Collen will do on the sidelines in Waco. Fans can expect some fiery defensive skills for Coach C!”
– Kalani Brown, Atlanta Dream player, former student-athlete
“I was really looking forward to working with Coach Collen in the WNBA, and while I didn’t get that chance, I couldn’t be happier for her to join our alma mater and lead the Lady Bears. I am excited to see her in the green and gold.”
– Odyssey Sims, Atlanta Dream player, former student-athlete
“We are excited to have Nicki lead our women’s basketball program, and we look forward to welcoming her into the Baylor Family. I appreciate the work of Mack Rhoades and his team in identifying our next coach who understands our commitment to an elite program, aligns with Baylor’s Christian mission and appreciates how we prepare champions for life at our University. After visiting personally with Coach Collen, I can’t wait to see her and our student-athletes as they represent our great University both on the court and inside the classroom as well as throughout the Waco community.”
– Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D
WNBA ACCOLADES
• 2018 WNBA COACH OF THE YEAR
• JULY 2018 WNBA COACH OF THE MONTH
• AUGUST 2018 WNBA COACH OF THE MONTH
Collegiate All-Americans Coached
WNBA Draft Picks Coached in College
WNBA All-Stars Coached
Collen's WNBA Head-Coaching Record, Year-By-Year
Collen's WNBA Assistant-Coaching Record, Year-By-Year
Collen's Collegiate Assistant Coaching Record, Year-By-Year
Collen's Collegiate Head Coaching Record, Year-By-Year
In her first season with the Bears, Collen recorded 28 wins, the most by a first-year head coach in the nation. She guided Baylor to its 12th consecutive Big 12 regular-season title and an 11th straight top-two seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Baylor became the first team since 1999 to defeat a ranked opponent twice in a three-day span when the Bears knocked off Texas twice to open February. Two weeks later, exactly one month after beginning conference play 0-2, Baylor returned to the top of the Big 12 standings. The Bears became the first team since Texas Tech in 2000 to start league play 0-2 and still win the conference.
Following a second-round NCAA Tournament appearance in her first season, Collen saw three players selected in the 2022 WNBA Draft, tying a program record. NaLyssa Smith (No. 2) and Queen Egbo (No. 10) became the first Baylor duo selected in the top 10 of the same draft.
Collen’s first recruiting class was ranked No. 9 nationally by ESPN HoopGurlz.
In her second season, Collen coached two all-conference selections, two unanimous Big 12 All-Freshman Team honorees and the unanimous Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Darianna Littlepage-Buggs. Littlepage-Buggs earned eight Big 12 Freshman of the Week honors during the 2022-23 season, becoming the first Baylor freshman to reach that mark and ranking second all-time in the conference.
The Bears secured 20 wins for the 23rd consecutive season, the second-longest active streak among NCAA Division I programs behind UConn. Collen led Baylor to its 19th straight NCAA Tournament appearance and 21st overall in 2022-23, highlighted by an 18-point comeback win over Alabama in the opening round.
In her third season, Collen guided the Bears to the Sweet 16, highlighted by seven wins over AP-ranked opponents, the most among Big 12 programs. Baylor opened the 2023-24 season with the second-best start in program history, winning 14 consecutive non-conference games. The Bears christened Foster Pavilion on Jan. 3, 2024, with a 71-50 win over then-No. 23 TCU in their Big 12 opener.
The 2024-25 season saw Baylor finish as runner-up in both the Big 12 regular season and the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship. Collen earned her 100th career win in just 134 games, the fastest to reach the milestone in Baylor’s NCAA era. Baylor led the Big 12 in rebounds per game, powered by a standout season from Littlepage-Buggs, who earned WBCA honorable mention All-America honors and was the only conference player to average a double-double.
At the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, six Bears combined for seven All-Big 12 honors. Littlepage-Buggs earned first-team recognition, while Sarah Andrews and Aaronette Vonleh were named to the second team. Yaya Felder was selected as Sixth Player of the Year, and Bella Fontleroy earned All-Defensive Team honors while joining Jada Walker on the honorable mention list.
Collen came to Baylor from the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream, where she spent three seasons as head coach. In her rookie season in 2018, she led the Dream to a 23-11 record, earned WNBA Coach of the Year honors and guided the franchise to the WNBA playoff semifinals.
Prior to Atlanta, Collen spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the Connecticut Sun, helping the franchise improve from fifth to second in the Eastern Conference from 2016 to 2017.
Collen’s collegiate coaching career spanned nine seasons prior to her WNBA arrival. She served as an assistant coach at Colorado State (2000-02), Ball State (2002-03), Louisville (2003-04), Arkansas (2011-14) and Florida Gulf Coast (2014-16).
Her teams compiled a combined 214-74 record during her nine seasons as a Division I assistant coach. Collen helped guide four teams to NCAA Tournament appearances, including three trips to the second round. She coached three All-Americans and saw three players selected in the WNBA Draft.
Six of Collen’s nine collegiate seasons were spent working under her husband, Tom Collen, at Colorado State, Louisville and Arkansas. She also worked under Tracy Roller at Ball State and Karl Smesko at Florida Gulf Coast, where she helped lead the Eagles to a 64-9 record and the program’s first NCAA Tournament win.
Collen began her collegiate playing career at Purdue, where she helped the Boilermakers to an NCAA Final Four appearance in 1994 and an Elite Eight run in 1995. She transferred to Marquette and totaled 421 assists over her final two seasons, averaging 7.0 per game while helping the Golden Eagles to NCAA Tournament appearances in 1997 and 1998.
Nicki and her husband, Tom, have three children, Connor, Reese and Logan.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT NICKI COLLEN
“Nicki Collen is a great hire for Baylor. A well-respected basketball mind in the WNBA, she has the knowledge and work-ethic to succeed at one of the top programs in women’s college basketball. Much like the woman who preceded her, Collen is a fiery competitor with a big personality. She is a nice fit for Baylor.”
—Rebecca Lobo, ESPN Analyst, former NCAA Champion
“Nicki made an immediate impression as a head coach in the WNBA and it was a big challenge to coach against her. She likes an up tempo game, is innovative, and will bring a great style to Baylor Basketball. She is known for being direct and honest with her players in order to get the best from them on and off the court. I’m looking forward to watching her continue the great tradition of Baylor Basketball.”
—Mike Thibault, Washington Mystics Head Coach
“Congrats to the Baylor Administration on hiring Nicki Collen as their next basketball coach! Nicki is a detailed strategist and a relationship builder with a tireless work ethic. Coach Collen will bring more winning success to the student athletes on and off the court and the Bear fans will be entertained with a fast paced offensive style of play! Buckle up for some intense, high octane offense!”
– Debbie Antonelli, ESPN Analyst
“Nicki has a brilliant basketball mind and a tremendous ability to connect with players. Nicki is high-energy, self-motivated, and ultra competitive. She will do great things at Baylor.”
– Karl Smesko, Florida Gulf Coast Head Coach
“Nicki Collen is one of the best basketball minds I’ve covered over the years. Her depth of knowledge and understanding of the x’s and o’s is second to none. Coupled with vast experience at various levels on the college and WNBA side, there will be more Big 12 Championships in Baylor’s future.”
– LaChina Robinson, ESPN Analyst
“The Lady Bears program is always near and dear, and I am excited to see what Coach Collen will do on the sidelines in Waco. Fans can expect some fiery defensive skills for Coach C!”
– Kalani Brown, Atlanta Dream player, former student-athlete
“I was really looking forward to working with Coach Collen in the WNBA, and while I didn’t get that chance, I couldn’t be happier for her to join our alma mater and lead the Lady Bears. I am excited to see her in the green and gold.”
– Odyssey Sims, Atlanta Dream player, former student-athlete
“We are excited to have Nicki lead our women’s basketball program, and we look forward to welcoming her into the Baylor Family. I appreciate the work of Mack Rhoades and his team in identifying our next coach who understands our commitment to an elite program, aligns with Baylor’s Christian mission and appreciates how we prepare champions for life at our University. After visiting personally with Coach Collen, I can’t wait to see her and our student-athletes as they represent our great University both on the court and inside the classroom as well as throughout the Waco community.”
– Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D
WNBA ACCOLADES
• 2018 WNBA COACH OF THE YEAR
• JULY 2018 WNBA COACH OF THE MONTH
• AUGUST 2018 WNBA COACH OF THE MONTH
Collegiate All-Americans Coached
| 2002 | Angie Gorton | Colorado State |
| 2004 | Sara Nord | Louisville |
| 2016 | Whitney Knight | Florida Gulf Coast |
| 2022 | NaLyssa Smith | Baylor |
| 2023 | Sarah Andrews | Baylor |
| 2025 | Darianna Littlepage-Buggs | Baylor |
WNBA Draft Picks Coached in College
| 2003 | Tamara Bowie | Washington |
| 2012 | C'eira Ricketts | Phoenix |
| 2016 | Whitney Knight | Los Angeles |
| 2022 | NaLyssa Smith | Indiana |
| 2022 | Queen Egbo | Indiana |
| 2022 | Jordan Lewis | Connecticut |
| 2025 | Aaronette Vonleh | Dallas |
WNBA All-Stars Coached
| 2017 | Jasmine Thomas | Connecticut |
| 2017 | Alyssa Thomas | Connecticut |
| 2018 | Angel McCoughtry | Atlanta |
Collen's WNBA Head-Coaching Record, Year-By-Year
| Year | Franchise | Conference | OVRL | Postseason |
| 2018 | Atlanta | Eastern | 23-11 | WNBA Semifinals |
| 2019 | Atlanta | Eastern | 8-26 | |
| 2020 | Atlanta | Eastern | 7-15 | |
| Totals | 3 Seasons | 38-52 | 1 Appearance |
Collen's WNBA Assistant-Coaching Record, Year-By-Year
| Year | Franchise | Conference | OVRL | Postseason |
| 2016 | Connecticut | Eastern | 14-20 | |
| 2017 | Connecticut | Eastern | 21-13 | WNBA Second Round |
| Totals | 2 Seasons | 35-33 | 1 Appearance |
Collen's Collegiate Assistant Coaching Record, Year-By-Year
| Year | School | Position | OVRL | CONF | Postseason |
| 2000-01 | Colorado State | Assistant Coach | 25-7 | 10-4 | NCAA-Second |
| 2001-02 | Colorado State | Assistant Coach | 24-7 | 12-2 | NCAA-First |
| 2002-03 | Ball State | Assistant Coach | 18-8 | 12-4 | WNIT-Second |
| 2003-04 | Louisville | Assistant Coach | 20-10 | 11-3 | WNIT-First |
| 2011-12 | Arkansas | Assistant Coach | 24-9 | 10-6 | NCAA-Second |
| 2012-13 | Arkansas | Assistant Coach | 20-13 | 6-10 | WNIT-Second |
| 2013-14 | Arkansas | Assistant Coach | 19-11 | 6-10 | |
| 2014-15 | Florida Gulf Coast | Assistant Coach | 31-3 | 14-0 | NCAA-Second |
| 2015-16 | Florida Gulf Coast | Assistant Coach | 33-6 | 14-0 | WNIT-Finals |
| Totals | 9 Seasons | 214-74 | 95-39 | 8 Appearances |
Collen's Collegiate Head Coaching Record, Year-By-Year
| Year | School | Position | OVRL | CONF | Postseason |
| 2021-22 | Baylor | Head Coach | 28-7 | 15-3 | NCAA-Second |
| 2022-23 | Baylor | Head Coach | 20-13 | 10-8 | NCAA-Second |
| 2023-24 | Baylor | Head Coach | 26-8 | 12-6 | NCAA-Sweet 16 |
| 2024-25 | Baylor | Head Coach | 28-8 | 15-3 | NCAA-Second |
| Totals | 4 Seasons | 102-36 | 52-20 | 4 Appearances |
Baylor Basketball (W): Postgame vs. Colorado | January 8, 2025
Friday, January 09
Baylor Basketball (W): Condensed Game vs Colorado | January 8, 2026
Friday, January 09
Baylor Basketball (W): Highlights vs. Colorado | January 8, 2026
Friday, January 09
Baylor Basketball (W): Taliah Scott Highlights (11 PTS) vs Colorado | January 8, 2026
Friday, January 09
