Nicholls State University Women's Softball

MILESTONE VICTORIES - 1st career victory -- Feb. 7, 2025 -- at Alabama State (5-2) - 1st home victory -- Feb. 19, 2025 -- vs. Alcorn State (10-2) - 1st P4 victory -- Feb. 22, 2025 (Baton Rouge, La.) -- vs. Penn State (6-4) - 1st Southland victory -- March 7, 2025 -- at Stephen F. Austin (4-1) - 1st Southland sweep -- March 28-29, 2025 --  Lamar University - 16-game winning streak -- March 26 - April 17, 2025 Ron Frost is in his second year as head coach at Nicholls State University and fifth year overall. After serving as assistant coach for three years, he was promoted to head coach following the 2024 season.   In his first season, Frost led the Colonels to a 31-24 record and a 19-8 mark in the Southland. He picked up his first career win in storybook fashion on Feb. 7, 2025, against his alma mater, Alabama State University. The 2025 Colonels set or tied numerous records for the program with overall team batting average leading the way.    Batting Average Season: .321 -- 2025 (55 games) Hit By Pitch Season: 48 -- 2025 (55 games) Sacrifice Flies Season: 25 -- 2025 (55 games) Back to Back 30+ win seasons for the 1st time since 2018-2019 15 NFCA/Easton Academic All-American Frost came to Thibodaux in 2022 with former head coach Justin Lewis and served as an assistant in all three seasons with his primary responsibilities being hitting, working with the outfield, and recruiting. After going 12-38 overall and 4-14 in the first year, Nicholls was projected to finish last again in the preseason poll by a wide margin. But with a roster that featured 17 newcomers, including 13 freshmen, the Colonels had the second-largest turnaround in the NCAA with a win total improvement of 17 games. In 2024, the Colonels eclipsed the 30-win plateau for the first time since 2019 and repeated with a third-place finish in the standings. The Red and Gray went on to win two Southland Conference Tournament games for the second straight year.  Frost came to Thibodaux after spending four years at Vernon College as recruiting coordinator/assistant coach working with outfielders, catchers, and hitting. In 2021, Vernon College set school records for wins in a season (42), winning percentage (.719), home runs (81), triples (28) and doubles, (144). The Chaps also reached their highest national NJCAA ranking in school history (6th). The historic season also gave Coach Ron his first All-American (2nd Team NFCA) and a total of six NTJCAC All-Conference selections. In 2020, Frost was an assistant coach for what was on pace to be the best season in program history. The Chaps were 24-1 with wins over three NJCAA nationally-ranked programs and led the country in several statistical categories. Frost's coaching career began at Alabama State University where he was a student assistant from 2012-13 and volunteer assistant from 2013-15.  From 2012-14, he helped start a travel ball organization, Alabama Crush, based out for Montgomery, Alabama. The organization was comprised of local high school kids in the Montgomery County area. Frost had a successful two-year stint as a pitcher in the Alabama State program and was a senior the first year of the Mervyl Melendez era. He transferred to ASU after playing two seasons at Southern Union Community College in Wadley, Alabama. While at South Union, he helped the Bison win 77 games in two years with a 7-2 record on the mound and a .311 career batting average. Frost is a native of Atlanta, Georgia and now resides in Thibodaux with his wife, Miranda, and their son, Ronald Frost, III.

Nicole Pinney joined the Nicholls Softball coaching staff as an assistant in the summer of 2024. Following a her first season as the assistant coach at Trinity Valley Community College in 2022, Pinney spent last season (2023-24) as an assistant coach who oversaw the pitching staff of the Barton Community College softball program. In her first season at Barton, Pinney guided a pitching staff that included All-Conference pitcher, Brook Angielski. During her time with the TVCC student-athletes, Pinney coached an First-Team All-Conference pitcher and Canadian native, Rawnie Westrate, along with 10 NJCAA Academic All-Americans. A native of Portland, Texas, Pinney was a two-year letter winner at Vernon College where she posted 198.2 innings pitched over two seasons. She then earned a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and Human Performance from McMurry University. While at McMurry, Pinney posted a 5.06 ERA in 58.2 innings of work and earned Academic All-ASC. 

Apdiel Vazquez joined the Colonels as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator prior to the 2026 season. During his second season at Midwestern State University, the offense saw major improvement with a 76-point increase in batting average (.292), a 175-point increase in OPS (.790), 113 more hits (400), 88 more RBIs (210), a 103-point increase in slugging percentage(.416), and 34 fewer strikeouts compared to the previous year. The Mustangs earned two All-Lone Star Conference selections. Vazquez joined the Mustangs in 2024 as an assistant, serving as the hitting, catching, and infield coach. In his first year, MSU saw improvements in all aspects of hitting, including a 34-point increase in batting average, a 75-point increase in OPS, a 42-point increase in slugging, and 89 fewer strikeouts during the season. During his second year as head coach at Bethany College, Vazquez compiled a record of 26–22 which included wins over No. 16 Ottawa and RV Oklahoma Wesleyan, finishing fourth in the KCAC standings. In 2023, the Swedes earned multiple All-KCAC honors, including KCAC Player of the Year, two Gold Glove selections, and multiple All-KCAC honorable mentions. He also coached the program’s first NAIA First Team All-American in Bethany’s history. In his first season as head coach, Vazquez had a record of 17–26, which featured a win over No. 12 Grand View (Iowa). The Swedes earned several all- conference honors, including one KCAC Second Team selection, four honorable mentions, and one KCAC Gold Glove Award. Prior to being head coach at Bethany, Vazquez worked as an assistant for three seasons. He was the top assistant during his last two years, which included the Swedes’ historic run to the 2021 NAIA Softball World Series Final Four. Vazquez served as the team’s hitting, infield, first base, and catchers coach, and was also the program’s head junior varsity coach. During his time on staff, Vazquez mentored student-athletes who earned honors such as KCAC Co-Player of the Year, KCAC Freshman of the Year, three KCAC First Team selections, three KCAC Second Team selections, four KCAC honorable mention selections, and one KCAC Gold Glove winner. The Swedes ranked No. 17 nationally, marking the highest ranking in school history and their first national ranking in eight years. He also coached three student-athletes who earned NFCA NAIA All-Region recognition, two NAIA Softball World Series All-Tournament Team members, and one CoSIDA Academic All-District selection. Prior to beginning his coaching career, Vazquez was a three-year member of the Bethany College baseball team, where he was the starting catcher during his junior and senior seasons. Known for his defensive prowess, Vazquez posted a stellar .988 fielding percentage.