During the 2006 season — his first on the hilltop — Nick Cowell led the Hilltoppers to a Heartland Conference Championship, their first-ever NCAA National Tournament appearance and a school-record of 17–3–2 overall record. This resulted in a 9 1/2 game improvement from the 2005 season in which St. Edward’s finished 6–11–2. For his efforts, Cowell was named Heartland Conference coach of the year and South Central Region coach of the year.
Cowell came to St. Edward’s after spending three seasons as the women’s soccer head coach at Sewanee: The University of the South. During his tenure at Sewanee, the Tigers posted a 37–14–3 record and advanced to the school’s first NCAA Tournament in 2005. In his 18-year college coaching career, Cowell is 233–90–23. His 233 wins have been compiled at five different colleges: The College of Wooster (1989–1990), Trinity University (1991–1998), Baylor University (1999–2002), Sewanee (2003–05) and St. Edward’s (2006). Cowell has guided his teams to nine conference championships and nine NCAA National Tournament appearances. He coached nine all-Americans and 13 conference players of year while earning conference coach of the year honors eight times.
He currently serves as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America National Rankings Committee chair, the NSCAA All-American Committee regional chair and the NCAA Selection Committee regional chair. Cowell is involved in NSCAA national and regional clinics, as well as regional and state clinics for the United States Soccer Federation. And, he coaches in the Olympic Development Program at national, regional and state levels.
Cowell received a bachelor’s degree in French and Spanish from the University of Birmingham in England. He earned a master’s in Sports Psychology and Curriculum and Instruction at Cleveland State University. Cowell holds a USSF “A” license, an NSCAA Advanced National Diploma and an English FA Preliminary Coaching Badge.