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People SearchFind an individual who either played a sport or was a member of a support group. Search by last name by clicking on the first letter of the person's last name.
Mr. Jordan Nicholson
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Home Phone: -- Will sit out 2010 season per NCAA rules since he is transferring from a Division I program. Updated Jan. 31, 2010 * * * * * * * * * * Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • July 4, 2010 Without the benefit of playing in a wood bat summer baseball league, UL pitcher Jordan Nicholson would likely just be throwing bullpen sessions until the fall. Instead, Nicholson is gaining valuable experience playing for the East Texas Pump Jacks in the Texas Collegiate League. In fact, the LSU transfer has been selected for Monday’s Texas Collegiate League all-star game. Nicholson will represent the third-place Pump Jacks (14-10) on the North team. The game is scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m. Monday at Riverside Stadium in Victoria, Texas. “We’re very glad he’s throwing well,” UL coach Tony Robichaux said. “He threw all fall for us and has been trying to adjust to our pitching system. It was important for him to throw again in game situations before the fall.” Nicholson has been dominant so far for East Texas. As of Saturday, Nicholson had posted a 3-0 record with a 2.78 ERA in five appearances. He has 26 strikeouts and only nine walks over 22.2 innings and is tied for the league lead in wins. After throwing only a combined 26.2 innings as a middle reliever at LSU in 2008 and 2009, Nicholson joined the Ragin’ Cajuns and sat out this season because of NCAA transfer rules. Now the former all-state pitcher from Ruston High School could end up as a weekend starter or working out of the bullpen at UL in 2011. The Cajuns have some holes to fill after losing senior starters Zach Osborne and Justin Robichaux and redshirt sophomore reliever Dayton Marze. They could also lose incoming recruit Tony Dischler, a right-hander from LSU Eunice who was recently picked in the 23rd round by the Cleveland Indians. “We’re going to have a lot of open spots,” Robichaux said. “(Returning senior left-hander) T.J. Geith is our most consistent weekend pitcher coming back. Jordan could start or be a reliever. That won’t be settled until the fall. What helps him is that he has some Division I experience.” Dischler update The Rayne native won Friday after striking out seven and giving up three runs in five innings in a 9-4 win over Willmar. He has until Aug. 16 to sign or enroll at UL. Trying to rebound Fuselier is hitting .229 with a .426 on-base percentage in 13 games. Fontenot is hitting .158 with three RBIs in eight games. Traffica has a 16.62 ERA in four appearances. Starting strong The New Iberia native leads the team in home runs (four), RBIs (18) and slugging percentage (.593). He is hitting .278 with 14 runs scored in 14 games. Two of Goulas’ UL teammates, second baseman Jordan Poirrier and pitcher Michael Cook, also play for the Outlaws. Poirrier has five doubles, 10 RBIs and is hitting .250 in 14 games. Cook has yet to factor in a decision and has a 6.75 ERA in two appearances. Extra bases * * * * * * Baseball: UL is Nicholson’s second chance Transfer’s sophomore year at LSU rocked by viral meningitis Joshua Parrott � jparrott@theadvertiser.com � July 19, 2009 Coming out of Ruston High School two years ago, Jordan Nicholson found it impossible to turn down a chance to play baseball at LSU. The right-handed pitcher realized a life-long dream by playing for the Tigers after considering scholarship offers from UL, Alabama, Louisiana Tech and UL Monroe. This past season, he was a member of LSU’s national championship team. But after two inconsistent years in Baton Rouge, Nicholson wanted a fresh start and decided to transfer. This time, coach Tony Robichaux and the Ragin’ Cajuns got their man. Nicholson, who will sit out the 2010 season per NCAA transfer rules, will have two years of eligibility left starting in 2011. “I always dreamed of going to LSU, and everything there was great,” said Nicholson, who made his first recruiting visit in high school to UL. “But when I got to thinking about it, I really wanted to be a weekend starter and thought I would have a better chance of doing that in Lafayette.” Nicholson, who has dated UL softball player Katie Smith, also from Ruston, since the eighth grade, will also get a chance to fully recover during the upcoming season after what has been a difficult year on and off the field. After logging a 4.26 ERA and not earning a decision in 12 appearances as a freshman, he made big strides in fall ball going into the 2009 season. Then Nicholson was floored right before Thanksgiving with viral meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. Nicholson spent the next week in the hospital. From there he went back to Ruston for a couple of weeks to continue his recovery. Over the next month the 6-foot-1 righty lost 20 pounds, dipping to 157 pounds. Nicholson endured the pain of a spinal tap. Mind-numbing headaches made it tough to concentrate. And, of course, there was frequent vomiting. “It was a frightening moment,” said Nicholson’s father, Bo Nicholson. “When you get a sickness like that, it’s a pretty scary thing. It was a miserable thing he had to go through, but he pulled through it because he’s a tough kid.” Nicholson returned to school for the spring semester ready to compete for time on the mound, but his sophomore season did not go according to plan. He threw in 12 games, all in middle relief, and posted a 1-0 record with a 9.64 ERA. His grades slipped somewhat as he still struggled to focus on his studies due to ongoing headaches. As the end of the semester approached, Nicholson figured it was time for a change. LSU wanted him to be a middle reliever, but he felt more comfortable as a starter. On June 7, he asked for and received his official release from the Tigers. Some SEC schools expressed interest, but he took his first visit to UL’s campus on June 11. About a week later, he committed to join the Cajuns. Perhaps a change in scenery could help Nicholson regain the form he had in high school, when he was a first-team all-state pick in Class 5A as a junior and senior. “When I called coach Robichaux to tell him I was going to LSU (out of high school), he told me that if things didn’t work out to give him a call and that he would have a spot for me,” Nicholson said. “I was going to talk to a few other schools when I decided to transfer, but as soon as I talked with coach Robe again I felt like it was going to be the best place for me. “Everyone I’ve talked to told me he’s one of the best pitching coaches in the country, so I know he can help me get better.” On July 1, the Baton Rouge Advocate reported that Nicholson “did not meet academic requirements and will transfer to another program.” Bo Nicholson disputed that report, saying that grades were brought up in his son’s exit meeting at LSU but there was nothing said about falling short academically. “Somebody called us and told us about the article, and we were definitely surprised,” he said. “His grades weren’t the greatest this year, and I think the sickness had a lot to do with that. He could have done better and should have done better. “But to be ineligible, I think you have to have a grade-point average below a 1.5 and he has a 2.3 overall. He didn’t fail a class, so I have no idea where that information came from.” The younger Nicholson added: “My grades were not where I wanted them to be, but it was not to the point where I had to leave school. I left on good terms. There was nothing wrong with the coaches. I just wanted to go somewhere I could get more playing time.” As he prepares for the next chapter in his baseball life, Nicholson is excited about coming to UL. He has received a letter from the university stating that he is in good academic standing, has registered for school and has found housing for the upcoming semester. Nicholson, while sitting out this upcoming season, will work to gain more weight and strength – he is already back up to 177 pounds. Additional time will be spent developing a change-up, and possibly a slider, to go with his fastball and curveball. His fastball was clocked between 88-90 miles per hour this past season, up from the mid-80s as a freshman due to increased arm strength. He hopes better off-speed stuff will help him transition into a weekend starter for the Cajuns. “I rely on my fastball and curveball, but I think it will be good for me to develop a third pitch,” said Nicholson, currently taking summer classes at Grambling. “I think I need to have that to be successful at this level.”
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