Career Breakdown

School

Years

Record

W/L Pct

Baylor

4

40-32-6

.551

Sewanee

3

37-14-3

.713

St. Edward's

18

240-72-35  

.742

Trinity (TX)

8

117-30-8

.781

Wooster

2

22-11-4

.649

Career

35

456-159-56

.721

Nick Cowell came to St. Edward’s in 2006 as the fourth head coach of the SEU women’s soccer team and is the all-time winningest coach in school history. The Heartland Conference inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2019. 

Cowell is the winningest coach in NCAA Division II history among active coaches, with 456 total wins, and is third all-time. He ranks 14th all-time across all divisions of the NCAA, second all-time in NCAA Division II, and seventh all-time in NCAA Division III. Cowell ranks in the top 50 for winningest coaches of all-time as determined by winning percentage across all divisions, 15th all-time in NCAA Division II, and 25th all-time in NCAA Division III. The England native is 11th among active NCAA Division II coaches in total wins and winning percentage.

In 2017, Cowell led the Hilltoppers to a No. 4 ranking in the nation and finished the year with an 11-3-5 record, marking the 12th consecutive year with ten or more wins in a single season. Under Cowell, four Hilltoppers earned All-Region honorees, while six were tabbed all-conference.

In 2016, Cowell led SEU to its eighth regular-season Heartland Conference title, going undefeated conference at 13-0-1 with an overall mark of 15-1-3. Under Cowell, the Hilltoppers advanced to their eighth-straight NCAA Tournament and 10th in program history. Cowell was named the 2016 Heartland Conference Coach of the Year for the sixth time as nine Hilltoppers earned All-Heartland Conference honors while also sweeping Heartland Conference Player of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, and Defensive Player of the Year awards. The Hilltoppers also produced seven all-region performers and an all-American.

Cowell has rewritten the SEU record book numerous times, including total wins, conference wins, and postseason appearances. With Cowell at the helm, St. Edward’s has appeared in two NCAA Elite Eights and five NCAA Sweet 16s while hosting three NCAA Regional tournament rounds. He has never had a losing season and holds a Heartland Conference record of 105-11-4. Cowell has also earned regional coach of the year twice (2006 and 2009).

Cowell was chair of the NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer National Committee from 2012-16 and has been on the NCAA Regional Selection Committee since 2010. He has served as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America National Rankings Committee chair, NSCAA All-American Committee regional chair, and NCAA Selection Committee regional chair. He is involved in NSCAA national and regional clinics and in United States Soccer Federation regional and state clinics. He coaches in the Olympic Development Program at the national, regional, and state levels.

Before St. Edward’s, Cowell coached from 2003-05 at NCAA Division III Sewanee in Tennessee, going 37-14-3, and at NCAA Division I Baylor from 1999-2002 with an overall record of 40-32-6. Cowell made his name in NCAA Division III coaching at Trinity in San Antonio, leading the Tigers to an overall mark of 117-3-8 from 1991-98 and developing six all-Americans. Cowell started his head coaching career in 1989 at Wooster in Ohio.

In his career, Cowell has won 15 conference championships, made 18 NCAA Tournament appearances, coached 28 All-Americans, developed 20 conference players of the year, and earned 13 conference coach of the year honors.

Cowell received his bachelor’s degree in French and Spanish at the University of Birmingham, England, in 1983 and earned his master’s degree in Sports Psychology and in Curriculum and Instruction at Cleveland State University in 1988. He holds a USSF “A” license, an NSCAA Advanced National Diploma, and an English F.A. Preliminary Coaching Badge.

Nick Cowell's All-Time Head Coaching Record

Year

School

W- L -T

W/L Pct

1989-90

Wooster

10-7-1

.583

1990-91

Wooster

12-4-3

.711

1991-92

Trinity (TX)

10-9-1

.525

1992-93

Trinity (TX)

16-5

.762

1993-94

Trinity (TX)

17-2

.895

1994-95

Trinity (TX)

14-4-1

.763

1995-96

Trinity (TX)

14-3-1

.806

1996-97

Trinity (TX)

15-3-1

.816

1997-98

Trinity (TX)

14-3-1

.806

1998-99

Trinity (TX)

17-1-3

.881

1999-00

Baylor

14-7-1

.659

2000-01

Baylor

10-6-3

.605

2001-02

Baylor

8-10

.444

2002-03

Baylor

8-9-2

.474

2003-04

Sewanee

11-6-1

.639

2004-05

Sewanee

14-4

.778

2005-06

Sewanee

12-4-2

.722

2006-07

St. Edward's

17-3-2

.818

2007-08

St. Edward's

17-3

.850

2008-09

St. Edward's

13-3-1

.794

2009-10

St. Edward's

16-3-3

.795

2010-11

St. Edward's

17-2-2

.857

2011-12

St. Edward's

15-3-1

.816

2012-13

St. Edward's

18-3

.857

2013-14

St. Edward's

18-1-3

.886

2014-15

St. Edward's

15-5

.750

2015-16

St. Edward's

14-6-1

.690

2016-17

St. Edward's

15-1-3

.868

2017-18

St. Edward's

11-3-5

.711

2018-19

St. Edward's

12-4-3

.711

2019-20

St. Edward's

13-7-2

.636

2020-21

St. Edward's

5-5-0

.500

2021-22

St. Edward's

9-7-2

.556

2022-23

St. Edward's

9-6-4

.579

2023-24

St. Edward's

6-7-3

.469

Career

456-159-56

.721