From STAFF REPORTS

ALBANY – Albany State University Director of Athletics, Sherie C. Gordon, recently announced new additions to the university’s department staff.
“After my 90-day assessment, it was a strategic priority to build an experienced team to provide support for our coaches, enhance our student-athlete experience and build strategic community and business partnerships,” Gordon said. “I am excited to add accomplished individuals with diverse skill sets and professional experiences to our team.”
Jacqueline Nicholson will serve as the new associate athletics director for academics, compliance, and student-athlete support services. In addition, she will have the designation of the senior woman administrator (SWA). Nicholson joins ASU after one-year as the assistant athletics director for academics at the University of Texas-San, Antonio. She was also the assistant athletics director for student-athlete academics at Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Va., from 2010-2015.
Nicholson’s responsibilities will include sport supervision and daily operation of academics, compliance and student-athlete support services to ensure student-athlete success.
A four-year track athlete for Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., Nicholson received her bachelor’s degree in human development and her master’s degree in higher education and student affairs.
Nicholson will begin her duties at Albany State on Jan. 1.
Albany State has also added athletics personnel from Darton State College. Those employees who are part of the new Albany State University are Lea Henry, Rebecca Mohl Borer and Alexandria Pickrell. These appointments were effective Dec. 1.
Henry, who has served as interim athletics director at Darton State College since June 2015, is the associate athletics director for events, facilities and game management for ASU. Henry also served as the DSC head coach for women’s basketball from 2011-2016.
Henry played basketball for the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn., under the legendary Pat Summitt. She is a former head coach for women’s basketball at Mercer University in Macon (1990-1994) and Georgia State University in Atlanta (1994-2010). Henry received her bachelor’s degree from Tennessee in 1983 and her master’s in 1985, both in physical education.
Borer is ASU’s athletic trainer. She served as the Head Athletic Trainer at Darton since May 2013 and, prior to that, served as the assistant athletic trainer at DSC for three years.
Borer is a former Lady Cavalier softball player who received her bachelor’s degree in exercise science and her master’s in mathematics education from the University of Georgia in Athens.
Pickrell has been named the first women’s soccer coach in Albany State University’s history. A former soccer player at the University of West Florida in Pensacola, Fl., Pickrell was a three-year starter and all-conference player for the Argonauts. She led UWF to the NCAA Division II national title in 2012.
In her first season as head coach, Pickrell guided the Darton women’s soccer team to a 16-2 regular season record, the Region-17 regular season and tournament championships as well as a berth in the NJCAA national tournament. She received her bachelor’s degree from West Florida in history with a minor in Spanish.
“We are thrilled to add women’s soccer to the new Albany State University,” Gordon continued. “The sport is a staple in the community and provides the opportunity to recruit a diverse group of students to the community and institution. We look forward to embracing our program and laying a foundation for success.”