Nikki Fargas facts for kids
Fargas in 2011
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| Las Vegas Aces | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| President | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | May 21, 1972 Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S. |
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| High school | Oak Ridge (Oak Ridge, Tennessee) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Tennessee (1990–1994) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 1998–2021 | |||||||||||||||||||
| League | WNBA | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||
| As coach: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Tennessee (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2002 | Virginia (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2008 | Tennessee (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2011 | UCLA | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2021 | LSU | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||
As player:
As coach:
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Medals
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Yolanda Nicole Fargas (born May 21, 1972), also known as Nikki Fargas, is an American basketball coach and leader. She is currently the president of the Las Vegas Aces, a team in the WNBA. Before this role, Fargas was a successful head coach for women's basketball teams at UCLA and LSU.
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Early Life and High School Basketball
Nikki Fargas was born Yolanda Nicole Caldwell in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. She grew up there and went to public schools. In 1990, she graduated from Oak Ridge High School.
While in high school, Fargas was a key player on the basketball team. Her team won the Tennessee state championship in 1988. She still holds school records for the most points scored in a single season. She also holds the record for the most successful free throws.
College Basketball Career
From 1990 to 1994, Fargas attended the University of Tennessee. She played as a guard for the Lady Vols basketball team. Her coach was the famous Pat Summitt. During Fargas's time, the Lady Vols had an amazing record, winning 118 games and losing only 13.
Fargas was known for her strong defense and her ability to shoot three-point field goals. In the 1991 NCAA tournament final, her defense was very important. The Lady Vols beat the University of Virginia in an exciting overtime game. That same year, she was named to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) All-Freshman team. She also received the Gloria Ray Leadership Award twice. Even with some injuries, she made 128 three-pointers, placing her among the top players in Tennessee's history.
After College: Broadcasting
After earning her degree in public relations in 1994, Fargas started a new career. She became a color analyst for basketball games. This meant she helped explain the game during broadcasts for Fox Sports Net South.
From 1995 to 1997, she also worked for Fox. She was a color analyst for the SEC Game of the Week. Later, she hosted sports segments for the Shop at Home Network.
Coaching Journey
In 1998, Nikki Fargas returned to basketball, but this time as a coach. She joined Pat Summitt's coaching staff at the University of Tennessee.
Assistant Coach Roles
After a year at Tennessee, she became an assistant coach at the University of Virginia. There, she helped with recruiting new players and scouting other teams. She also worked on player development and academic progress.
In 2002, Fargas went back to the University of Tennessee as an assistant coach. She also became the recruiting director in 2003.
Leading the UCLA Bruins
On April 17, 2008, Fargas became the head coach at UCLA. In her first season, the team won 18 games and lost 11.
During the 2009–2010 season, UCLA finished second in the Pac-10. They won 25 games and lost 9. Fargas was named the Pac-10 Coach of the Year in 2010. This was a big honor in her second year as a head coach.
Coaching the LSU Lady Tigers
On April 2, 2011, Fargas took on a new challenge. She became the head coach for the LSU Lady Tigers team at Louisiana State University.
She coached the Lady Tigers for seven seasons. During this time, her teams won 131 games and lost 90. They also made it to the NCAA Tournament in her first seven seasons. Fargas resigned from LSU in April 2021.
Becoming a WNBA President
On May 11, 2021, Nikki Fargas was announced as the President of the Las Vegas Aces. This was a big step into a leadership role in professional basketball. In her second season with the Aces, the team won their first ever WNBA Finals championship!
Helping Others: Public Service
Nikki Fargas is also known for her charity work. She has taken three long motorcycle trips with Holly Warlick. Holly was also a coach at the University of Tennessee. These trips are called "Cruisin' for a Cause."
They ride their Harley-Davidson motorcycles to raise awareness for breast cancer. They also collect money for research to find a cure. Their non-profit group, Champions for a Cause, has raised almost $100,000.
Awards and Recognition
In May 2009, Fargas received the Woman of Excellence Award. The LadyLike Foundation gave her this award. It recognized her great work as a coach and her efforts to raise money for breast cancer awareness.
As mentioned, she was also named the 2010 Pac-10 Coach of the Year. This award came from both the conference coaches and the media.
Family Life
Nikki Fargas has a family with strong ties to sports and entertainment. Her uncle, Mike Caldwell, played in the National Football League. He was a linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles. He is now a coach for the Las Vegas Raiders.
In March 2012, Fargas and her husband, Justin Fargas, welcomed their daughter, Justice. Justin Fargas also played in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders. Interestingly, the Raiders' owners later bought the Las Vegas Aces, the team Nikki now leads! Her father-in-law is the famous actor Antonio Fargas, who played Huggy Bear on the TV show Starsky and Hutch.
