NEW ORLEANS. — Coastal Carolina softball pitcher
Nicolette Picone was selected as a 2025 NCAA Women of the Year award nominee, it was announced on Monday.
The NCAA Woman of the Year program, founded in 1991, recognizes graduating female student-athletes from all three NCAA divisions for their academic success, athletic accomplishments, leadership, and commitment to community service. Each year, schools across the country put forward nominees for the distinguished honor, with conferences selecting their top representative. From that group, 30 finalists, 10 from each division, are chosen and announced in the fall. The overall NCAA Woman of the Year will then be honored at the NCAA Convention.
Picone closed out an impressive four-year career in 2025, highlighted by being named the 2025 Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year and 2025 Sun Belt Tournament Most Outstanding Player while helping guide Coastal to its first-ever Sun Belt Conference tournament championship title. She also earned recognition as a 2025 NFCA All-South Region Second Team selection. In the circle, she put together a standout stat line, finishing 2025 with a 29-11 record with a 2.54 ERA and 172 strikeouts across 248 innings. Nationally, she ranked among the best in NCAA Division I, including No. 2 in complete games (26) and innings pitched, No. 3 in wins (29), starts (37), and appearances (49), and No. 13 in saves (5).
Her success extended to the classroom, where she achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA while earning her bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in pre-health professions. She was named a 2025 Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators and awarded one of just eight Sun Belt postgraduate scholarships. This fall, she will begin doctoral studies in occupational therapy at SUNY Stony Brook, focusing on working with children with special needs.
Picone's drive is rooted in her twin sister, whose journey with Down Syndrome has inspired her both personally and professionally. Hoping to strengthen their bond and better understand her sister's experiences, she began volunteering at Camp Anchor, a program her sister has cherished since childhood, that provides a supportive environment for individuals with special needs. Her passion for giving back has only grown through the years. At Coastal Carolina, she dedicated time to the Special Olympics, read to local kindergarteners, mentored young students, and visited senior living communities, ultimately earning a spot on the 2024-25 All-Sun Belt Community Service Team.
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