Connecticut Sun to hire Nicki Collen as assistant coach

The Connecticut Sun will be hiring Nicki Collen as an assistant coach, sources tell Swish Appeal. Rumblings of her departing Florida Gulf Coast University started about two weeks ago.

Collen comes to Connecticut after coaching the past two years under Karl Smesko at Florida Gulf Coast University. While at FGCU, Collen helped the Eagles to two back-to-back seasons with at least 30 wins on the year. This past season the Eagles finished 33-6 as the runner-up in the WNIT to the University of South Dakota.

Before coaching at FGCU, Collen was at Arkansas for three seasons under her husband, Tom, Louisville for two years, Ball State and Colorado State. Collen began her coaching career at Colorado State at the same time as when Curt Miller was there. Sources also tell Swish Appeal, that Miller is very happy to be reuniting with his former coaching colleague.