Nikki Fargas facts for kids
Fargas in 2011
|
||||||||||||||||||||
| Las Vegas Aces | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| President | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | May 21, 1972 Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S. |
|||||||||||||||||||
| 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:
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
Medals
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Yolanda Nicole Fargas (born May 21, 1972) is an American basketball coach and sports executive. She is currently the president of the Las Vegas Aces team in the WNBA. Before this, Fargas was a successful head coach for college women's basketball teams at UCLA and LSU.
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
Nikki Fargas, whose birth name was Yolanda Nicole Caldwell, was born 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, she was a key player on the basketball team. Her team won the Tennessee state championship in 1988. Fargas still holds school records for the most points scored in a single season and for 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 as a player, the Lady Vols had an amazing record of 118 wins and only 13 losses.
Playing Style and Achievements
Fargas was known for her strong defensive skills and her ability to shoot three-point field goals. Her defense was especially important in the 1991 NCAA tournament final game. In that game, the Lady Vols beat the University of Virginia in overtime, and Fargas's play was a big reason for their victory.
In 1991, she was named to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) All-Freshman team. She also received the university's Gloria Ray Leadership Award in her junior and senior years. Even though she missed parts of two seasons due to injuries, she made 128 three-point shots during her college career. This placed her among the top 10 three-point shooters in Tennessee's history.
From Player to Coach
After earning her degree in public relations in 1994, Fargas started a new path.
Sports Broadcasting
First, she worked as a sports commentator. She was a color analyst for Fox Sports Net South broadcasts of Lady Vol basketball games. From 1995 to 1997, she also worked for Fox covering the SEC Game of the Week. Later, she hosted sports segments for the Shop at Home Network.
Starting Her Coaching Journey
In 1998, Fargas returned to basketball, but this time as a coach.
Assistant Coach Roles
She joined Pat Summitt's coaching staff at the University of Tennessee as a graduate assistant. The next year, she became an assistant coach at the University of Virginia. There, she helped with recruiting new players, scouting opponents, and developing players' skills. In 2002, she went back to the University of Tennessee as an assistant coach and recruiting director.
Head Coach at UCLA
On April 17, 2008, Nikki Fargas became the head coach for the UCLA women's basketball team. In her first season, UCLA won 18 games and lost 11. During the 2009–2010 season, UCLA finished second in the Pac-10. She was recognized for her excellent coaching and was named the Pac-10 Coach of the Year in 2010.
Leading 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 led the Lady Tigers to the NCAA Tournament in her first seven seasons. She 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. In her second season with the team, the Aces won their first ever WNBA Finals championship. This was a huge achievement for the team and for Fargas in her leadership role.
Coaching Record Highlights
Nikki Fargas had a successful career as a head coach in college basketball.
- At UCLA, from 2008 to 2011, her teams had an overall record of 72 wins and 26 losses.
- At LSU, from 2011 to 2021, her teams had an overall record of 177 wins and 129 losses.
- Overall, as a head coach, she led her teams to 249 wins and 155 losses.
NCAA Tournament Appearances
As a head coach, Fargas led her teams to the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament several times.
- With UCLA, she made two NCAA Tournament appearances in 2010 and 2011, reaching the Second Round both times.
- With LSU, she led the team to six NCAA Tournament appearances. Her teams reached the Sweet Sixteen twice, in 2013 and 2014.
Public Service and Awards
Nikki Fargas is also known for her work off the court.
Cruisin' for a Cause
Along with Holly Warlick, another former basketball coach, Fargas has taken part in "Cruisin' for a Cause." These are long motorcycle trips to raise awareness and money for breast cancer research. In 2007, they rode their Harley-Davidson motorcycles from California to Tennessee. Their non-profit group, Champions for a Cause, has raised a lot of money for this important cause.
Recognitions and Honors
In May 2009, Fargas received the Woman of Excellence Award from the LadyLike Foundation. This award recognized her great work as a coach and her efforts in raising money for breast cancer awareness. In 2010, she was named the Pac-10 Coach of the Year by both 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 for the Philadelphia Eagles. He is currently a coach for the Las Vegas Raiders.
In March 2012, Fargas and her husband, Justin Fargas, welcomed their daughter, Justice. Justin Fargas also played professional football for the Oakland Raiders. Interestingly, the Raiders' owners later bought the Las Vegas Aces, the team Nikki Fargas now leads. Her father-in-law is the actor Antonio Fargas, famous for playing Huggy Bear in the TV show Starsky and Hutch.
