Paul Nixon
Assistant Coach

Phone: (718) 780-4093
Email: paul.nixon@liu.edu

The all-time winningest coach in the Division I history of Columbia University, Paul Nixon begins his first season at LIU Brooklyn as an assistant coach on Gail Striegler's staff in 2014-15.

Nixon guided the Lions for eight seasons and reached unparalleled success at the Ivy League school. In 2009-10, Columbia set a school mark with 18 victories, including nine in league play, and narrowly missed out on the first postseason berth in school history. During his time at the New York City school, Nixon recruited and coached a number of All-Ivy League players including two-time Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year Sara Yee and 2009-10 Ivy League Player of the Year Judie Lomax, who was also named an Associated Press All-American.

Nixon joined Columbia after a stint at Indiana University, where he served as assistant coach for the Hoosiers from 2002-05. His responsibilities included recruiting, game/bench strategy, scouting and individual player development. The Hoosiers' 2003 recruiting class was ranked in the national Top 25. He also was charged with managing the team's academic progress and coordinating alumni relations.

Prior to his tenure at Indiana, Nixon spent three years as an assistant at the University of Southern Mississippi. On the court, Nixon worked primarily with the post players and helped Southern Miss to the 2000 Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). His recruiting class that year also earned national accolades, ranked in the nation's top 40.

Nixon spent two years as an assistant at the University of Nevada-Reno and four years in a similar position at Marshall University. While at Nevada, he recruited Kate Smith, the 1999-2000 Big West Freshman of the Year, and the 1997-98 team posted the best record in the school's history. During his four seasons at Marshall, he recruited two Southern Conference Freshmen of the Year; the 1996-97 team won the Southern Conference Championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history.

As a student at Vanderbilt, Nixon was a volunteer assistant with the women's team from 1991-93 and a manager for the men's basketball team all four seasons, eventually being named head manager. During his time with the Commodores, the men's team won the NIT, reached the NCAA tournament twice, including the Sweet Sixteen in 1993, and was the Southeastern Conference Champion the same year under Eddie Fogler, the 1993 National Coach of the Year.

Most recently, Nixon spent one season as assistant coach at Northeast Mississippi Community College. Nixon focused on the development of post players while at Northeast and helped freshman Aushiana Ivy notch Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) All-State status.

Nixon graduated from Vanderbilt in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in communication studies. He received a master of science in health, physical education and recreation from Marshall in 1996.

Nixon prepped at Tattnall Square Academy in Macon, Ga., where he was a three-year letterwinner in basketball and was his class valedictorian. During his senior season, he was named team captain and the team's most valuable player. He earned GISA all-state honors in basketball. A three-sport athlete, Nixon also lettered in soccer and track. He helped his track team win the 1989 GISA AAA state championship.

Return to Coaching Staff